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 word
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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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And as always
thank you for your love,
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and your prayers, and
financial support of 3ABN.
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I'm co-hosted today
with dear sweet Yvonne,
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and this is a
wonderful woman who loves Jesus.
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Oh! Praise the Lord.
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And always has something to say
when it comes time to testify
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and I love that about you.
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Praise the Lord. Thank you.
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You give God honor,
and glory, and praise.
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Oh, He is worthy to be praised.
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He's done great
things in your life.
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He has, He has
for everyone. Yeah.
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He's such a great God,
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He does great
things for everyone.
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Well, our guest today,
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and I hesitate to
use the word guest
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because we've been
friends and coworkers
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for 20 some odd years.
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Wow!
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But usually folks don't see him
because he's behind the camera.
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But we have convinced...
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No, the Holy
Spirit's convinced him
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to come in front of the camera
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'cause I couldn't
do it all these years.
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So I know it's the Lord.
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And so I'd like to introduce
for those who may not know,
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many of you will, Bobby Davis.
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Bob, it's good to
have you here today.
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Thank you, Danny.
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And cowboy hat and all,
I really, really like that.
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It's kind of a new
thing that he's been doing.
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I think I'm
partially responsible for that.
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And he's got boots they
may get a pretty soon...
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Okay, there you go,
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got some cowboy
boots up there too.
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All right. All right.
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And so, you know, he
coming from the East Coast
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to Southern
Illinois we're kind of
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a little bit of
cowboy country here,
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we have horses so...
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I think he looks
good in it, don't you?
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I like it.
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And you feel comfortable, right?
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Thank you. I do. Yeah, good.
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It took a little getting
used to in the beginning,
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but I love it now.
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Well, Bobby, we tell
the folk at home that
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the blessing of
God is on the go.
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Amen.
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And I found out a long time ago.
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And I feel blessed for
this that my goal was to say
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I wanna be a blessing,
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Yvonne, to those I
come in contact with.
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So when I get a chance,
I wanna give my testimony
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of what God has done for me.
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And maybe in my
childlike faith in growing up,
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I somehow thought that
my testimony would help
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be the
salvation of someone else.
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Well, in a sense that
is, but I really found out
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that we can't do anything.
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It's the Holy
Spirit that really does it.
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But the reason...
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So then I said,
"Well, why does God tell us
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to go ye into all the world?"
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Well, that's
for my own salvation
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and your salvation because
if we only think about me,
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myself, and I
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then how we're gonna
love people around us.
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So Jesus knows when He
says, "Go share your testimony,"
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that you get to know people,
and when you get to know people
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you begin to love
people like Jesus did,
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then you become a
conduit where the Lord actually
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can work through us to be
a blessing to someone else.
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So indeed, we can help,
but it's the Holy Spirit
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that really does
the work of salvation.
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You agree with that?
Absolutely. Absolutely.
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Well, today we have Bobby Davis.
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And, Bobby, you grew up,
you're born in the States,
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but your folks are
missionaries where?
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In Brazil.
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For how many years?
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The northeastern part of Brazil,
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we were there
for about 15.5 years.
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Okay, 15.5 years then
you came back to the States.
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We did.
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My dad studied
briefly at Andrews University
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getting his
doctorate in theology.
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And then moved
out to Massachusetts.
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And a few years later I
followed and lived there,
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finished up college
there, and started working there
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for quite a few years.
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Oh, sorry.
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We're gonna have a
song in just a minute.
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And go ahead with
your thought. Okay.
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I was just gonna ask
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as the son of a
missionary or missionaries,
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what was your
relationship with Jesus like?
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Well, in the
beginning it was very good.
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I was baptized when I
believe I was nine and a half.
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And unfortunately along the
way I started getting headstrong
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and wanting to do my own thing.
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And during my teenage years
and later in my 20s, you know,
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I definitely rebelled,
left the church, left the Lord.
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And yet, you know, I
asked my father many years later
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when I was re-baptized.
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I said, "Dad, why
did you baptize me
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when I was nine and a half?
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Was I too young?"
And he said, "No, son."
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He says, "I knew
you love the Lord,
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and you love Jesus,
and I wanted to honor
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that request to be
baptized to follow Jesus."
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So my story is kind of
the story of the prodigal son.
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And yet, you know,
it's a story of redemption.
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Amen.
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And I'm so grateful,
not only for the Lord
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being patient with
me, but the Holy Spirit
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that never gave up.
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And still
pursues me to this day.
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It's a great story and
maybe if there were words
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that could explain
it, might be in a song
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called "The love of God".
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Amen.
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Touches me here, the
Brady's, you'll love this song.
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Oh, yes. The love of God.
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The love of God is greater far
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Than tongue or
pen could ever tell
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It goes beyond the highest star
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And reaches to the lowest hell
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The guilty pair,
bowed down with care
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God gave His Son to win
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His erring child He reconciled
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And pardoned from his sin
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Could we with ink the ocean fill
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And were the
skies of parchment made
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And every stalk on earth a quill
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And every man
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A scribe by trade
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To write the love
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Of God above
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Would drain the ocean dry
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Nor could the
scroll contain the whole
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Though stretched from sky
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To sky
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O love of God
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How rich and pure!
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How measureless and strong!
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It shall forevermore endure
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The saints' and angels'
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Song
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It shall forevermore endure
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The saints' and angels'
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Song
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How wonderful, how marvelous
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This precious love
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Oh God!
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The precious love
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Of God
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Whoo!
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It makes me wanna shout,
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I'm trying to
contain myself right now.
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Wasn't that something?
Oh! It's so beautiful.
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What a great job
by the Brady's too.
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Absolutely beautiful
song, Larry Gross' arrangement.
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Our precious Larry.
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That's the story of all of us.
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We have to know that
we serve a God of love
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that's an endless love that
He's gonna love us regardless.
00:10:04.17\00:10:07.34
Bobby, you told a
little bit of your story
00:10:07.37\00:10:09.77
that when you got...
00:10:09.80\00:10:11.17
You're raised as missionaries
in a missionary field
00:10:11.21\00:10:14.14
which came back to the States,
ended up on the East Coast.
00:10:14.18\00:10:17.45
But as you got near late teens
00:10:17.48\00:10:18.91
and your 20s you began to rebel.
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That's right.
00:10:20.98\00:10:22.32
And so God still loved you
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through all your
rebellion, didn't He?
00:10:24.52\00:10:25.85
Amen. But you say
that you really...
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I don't know if
you quit loving God
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or you just chose
not loved yourself more,
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or you just loved the world more
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or if you just took a break.
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I don't know how to
explain that, you know,
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in your own mind,
and in your own life.
00:10:37.67\00:10:40.80
But what caused that?
00:10:40.84\00:10:42.17
You're raised
and you're baptized
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at the young age, and
you have wonderful parents,
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and you just wanna go out.
00:10:47.28\00:10:48.64
So you didn't just like say,
00:10:48.68\00:10:50.25
"I think I won't
go to church today."
00:10:50.28\00:10:52.11
You started doing
substance abuse, right?
00:10:52.15\00:10:54.78
That's right. Tell us about it?
00:10:54.82\00:10:56.22
Actually, I
didn't until I was 18.
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One of the things I
can tell you about myself
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and later on in life
through my teen years
00:11:02.69\00:11:05.96
as I always felt like
I didn't quite fit in.
00:11:05.99\00:11:08.36
I felt like I was on the outside
00:11:08.40\00:11:11.00
looking in most of the time.
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I had lots of friends,
but I could be in a room
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full of my friends
and feel completely alone.
00:11:15.60\00:11:18.51
Like I didn't really
fit in and, of course,
00:11:18.54\00:11:21.41
being raised in mission field
that was easy to not fit in
00:11:21.44\00:11:24.95
because I didn't.
00:11:24.98\00:11:26.31
I mean, I didn't
look like the Brazilians,
00:11:26.35\00:11:28.15
I wasn't Brazilian,
00:11:28.18\00:11:30.59
but it wasn't so bad
in the mission field.
00:11:30.62\00:11:32.69
But when I came
back I was almost 16,
00:11:32.72\00:11:35.12
I didn't know a single
sport that Americans play.
00:11:35.16\00:11:38.19
I didn't know a Chevy
from a Ford back in the day
00:11:38.23\00:11:40.10
when you could
tell the difference.
00:11:40.13\00:11:41.46
Yeah, yeah.
00:11:41.50\00:11:42.83
I didn't know anybody
on TV, nobody on the radio.
00:11:42.86\00:11:44.90
I didn't know any
of the popular culture.
00:11:44.93\00:11:47.60
And I felt
completely out of place.
00:11:47.64\00:11:49.44
Okay.
00:11:49.47\00:11:50.81
And that just fed all of this.
00:11:50.84\00:11:52.47
And by then I had started
drifting away from the Lord.
00:11:52.51\00:11:55.51
And what happened was,
00:11:55.54\00:11:58.61
I went into the dorms
in a Christian university,
00:11:58.65\00:12:03.45
you know, in the dorms.
00:12:03.49\00:12:04.95
And, you know, wherever
you go you will find people
00:12:04.99\00:12:08.76
that wanna do the
same things you do.
00:12:08.79\00:12:10.73
And these people that
seem to be having fun,
00:12:10.76\00:12:13.76
the people that
seem to have it all
00:12:13.80\00:12:16.30
were the people
that were partying.
00:12:16.33\00:12:18.33
And unfortunately that was
the crowd that I fell in with.
00:12:18.37\00:12:23.10
Later on, I did go
to a public university
00:12:23.14\00:12:28.54
actually a
college in Massachusetts.
00:12:28.58\00:12:31.08
I moved back to
my parents' house
00:12:31.11\00:12:33.38
and finished up a degree in
television production there.
00:12:33.42\00:12:36.75
Okay.
00:12:36.79\00:12:38.42
But along the way
again, I found the friends
00:12:38.45\00:12:41.49
I was looking for,
they were easy to find.
00:12:41.52\00:12:43.46
And the devil makes
it attractive and easy.
00:12:43.49\00:12:45.99
You know, I was having
fun. I felt like I fit in.
00:12:46.03\00:12:49.53
In my particular case
00:12:49.56\00:12:51.43
I basically got
into drinking so much
00:12:51.47\00:12:54.80
that I became alcoholic.
00:12:54.84\00:12:56.54
And for me alcohol
doesn't make me feel better
00:12:56.57\00:12:59.24
than everybody else,
it just makes me feel
00:12:59.27\00:13:01.54
equal to everybody else.
00:13:01.58\00:13:03.08
So that was all
I was trying to do
00:13:03.11\00:13:04.81
was fit in and be
part of what was going on.
00:13:04.85\00:13:08.88
And unfortunately
there go my morals,
00:13:08.92\00:13:11.99
there goes my
relationship with God.
00:13:12.02\00:13:15.66
It caused
problems in my own family,
00:13:15.69\00:13:18.09
and it just made me miserable.
00:13:18.13\00:13:20.36
And the only
answer I seemed to have
00:13:20.40\00:13:22.83
that would make me
feel better temporarily
00:13:22.86\00:13:24.67
was to continue to drink.
00:13:24.70\00:13:26.47
And although there was
some drug usage in my story
00:13:26.50\00:13:29.77
that wasn't a major part of it.
00:13:29.80\00:13:31.41
And I thank God for
that because there are some
00:13:31.44\00:13:34.04
wicked drugs out
there that is so much harder
00:13:34.08\00:13:36.61
to get off of it and my
heart still goes out to people,
00:13:36.64\00:13:40.02
especially in
today's day and age
00:13:40.05\00:13:41.85
when so much in the
world is so messed up.
00:13:41.88\00:13:45.15
People look for
answers, you know,
00:13:45.19\00:13:49.79
in drugs and
alcohol and other things
00:13:49.82\00:13:52.36
that supposedly
will calm them down
00:13:52.39\00:13:54.53
and keep them just
stable when they don't realize
00:13:54.56\00:13:57.67
that it's a trap that
it just draws a person
00:13:57.70\00:14:00.14
in more and more and more.
00:14:00.17\00:14:01.50
And that was my case.
00:14:01.54\00:14:02.87
Let's see it took me a while
00:14:05.67\00:14:07.44
to get through
college unfortunately.
00:14:07.48\00:14:10.31
Most of it was not
because I transferred
00:14:10.35\00:14:12.78
from one university to
the other, most of it was
00:14:12.81\00:14:15.22
because I was too busy
having fun, so to speak.
00:14:15.25\00:14:18.75
And my grades weren't that good.
00:14:18.79\00:14:20.42
And it took me
five and a half years
00:14:20.46\00:14:22.16
to get a four year degree
00:14:22.19\00:14:23.63
so that should
tell you something.
00:14:23.66\00:14:25.06
Partying was getting in
the way of your education.
00:14:25.09\00:14:28.03
And I'm not quite sure
how I graduated but I did.
00:14:28.06\00:14:31.70
And I couldn't find a job
in television for a while,
00:14:31.73\00:14:34.50
for a couple of years.
00:14:34.54\00:14:35.97
So while you were
doing all this partying,
00:14:36.00\00:14:38.74
that's when the alcoholism
was kind of taking route?
00:14:38.77\00:14:41.98
But you were still functioning,
00:14:42.01\00:14:43.98
you were going to
classes and doing your work?
00:14:44.01\00:14:47.65
Yes, I was working in
the restaurant business
00:14:47.68\00:14:51.32
at the time
closing down restaurants.
00:14:51.35\00:14:52.75
And anybody who's ever done that
00:14:52.79\00:14:54.12
knows that most of the crew
likes to go drink after hours,
00:14:54.16\00:14:57.56
you know, and that's
basically what I was doing.
00:14:57.59\00:14:59.86
Going home trying to sleep
real fast and wake up smart
00:14:59.89\00:15:03.06
and, of course, try to
go to school and by the end,
00:15:03.10\00:15:05.93
middle of the
afternoon I was done with that
00:15:05.97\00:15:08.07
and I was on to other things.
00:15:08.10\00:15:09.97
So sadly, I'm sure I was a
disappointment to my parents.
00:15:10.01\00:15:13.78
And they knew I'm sure
what was going on in my life.
00:15:13.81\00:15:16.85
Did they talk to you about it?
00:15:16.88\00:15:18.48
No, I'm not quite
sure why but, probably
00:15:18.51\00:15:23.59
because they sense
that they were powerless
00:15:23.62\00:15:25.49
to do anything
about it, you know.
00:15:25.52\00:15:27.19
What happens with alcoholism...
00:15:27.22\00:15:29.26
What I've understood
of alcoholism is that
00:15:29.29\00:15:33.23
trying to reason with an
alcoholic is very difficult
00:15:33.26\00:15:37.90
and really doesn't work because
it's not a logical thing.
00:15:37.93\00:15:41.80
For me it was the
solution to all my problems.
00:15:41.84\00:15:45.07
And if it was the
answer to my problems
00:15:45.11\00:15:47.18
and you're gonna take the
answer to my problems away,
00:15:47.21\00:15:49.58
I'm not even gonna go there,
I'm not even gonna consider it.
00:15:49.61\00:15:52.65
And what I've
understood of alcoholism is that
00:15:52.68\00:15:55.98
once I become
alcoholic or cross that line
00:15:56.02\00:16:00.26
because some people seem to
be able to drink for a while
00:16:00.29\00:16:02.72
and don't have a problem.
00:16:02.76\00:16:04.26
Well, for me it
was an instant relief
00:16:04.29\00:16:07.23
from everything, from the fears,
00:16:07.26\00:16:09.50
from the frustration,
00:16:09.53\00:16:11.20
from the disillusionment
with life that I felt.
00:16:11.23\00:16:15.04
When I took alcohol
the very first time,
00:16:15.07\00:16:17.07
it was magic, it was magic.
00:16:17.11\00:16:19.74
And that's the danger
of taking that first drink.
00:16:19.77\00:16:22.51
If you've never had a
drink, I beg you not to start
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.71
because there's no
guarantee that one drink
00:16:25.75\00:16:28.32
is gonna ruin your life.
00:16:28.35\00:16:29.78
And isn't it
the same with drugs?
00:16:29.82\00:16:31.49
I've heard the same thing
with people who use drugs,
00:16:31.52\00:16:34.19
that first hit that first time,
00:16:34.22\00:16:36.89
it's like it
seems to be magical.
00:16:36.93\00:16:40.00
But that's just
the illusion of Satan.
00:16:40.03\00:16:43.43
Really is magical,
there is nothing physical
00:16:43.47\00:16:45.57
or spiritual, it's demonic.
00:16:45.60\00:16:47.04
It's demonic, right,
a supernatural thing.
00:16:47.07\00:16:48.90
So magic is more considered
to supernatural thing.
00:16:48.94\00:16:51.21
Now did you start smoking too?
00:16:51.24\00:16:52.97
Did like
cigarettes, was that one of
00:16:53.01\00:16:54.64
the first things you did?
00:16:54.68\00:16:56.58
Well, I had my first
cigarette and my first drink
00:16:56.61\00:17:00.05
on the same night so.
00:17:00.08\00:17:01.42
Okay, same night.
00:17:01.45\00:17:02.78
Yeah, I did all
that for quite a while.
00:17:02.82\00:17:04.62
So you went through
this, you graduated,
00:17:04.65\00:17:06.96
you are in trouble spiritually.
00:17:06.99\00:17:09.36
Yes.
00:17:09.39\00:17:10.73
But you chose this
was what you wanted.
00:17:10.76\00:17:13.73
But you did get a
job in television.
00:17:13.76\00:17:15.43
I did eventually.
00:17:15.46\00:17:16.80
First I moved out
because I was causing
00:17:16.83\00:17:18.67
so much chaos at home.
00:17:18.70\00:17:20.04
And that's probably
one of the biggest regrets
00:17:20.07\00:17:22.34
that I have in my life
00:17:22.37\00:17:25.17
is how badly I
treated the people
00:17:25.21\00:17:28.34
that loved me the most.
00:17:28.38\00:17:30.05
And finally,
when I did move out,
00:17:30.08\00:17:31.91
I just moved
into the party scene
00:17:31.95\00:17:33.82
and that was that.
00:17:33.85\00:17:36.18
Eventually I did get
a job in the television.
00:17:36.22\00:17:38.85
In fact, Moses Primo
who's the chief engineer here
00:17:38.89\00:17:42.06
got me my first job in TV.
00:17:42.09\00:17:43.43
Oh!
00:17:43.46\00:17:44.79
He was working at a
small television station
00:17:44.83\00:17:46.39
in the Boston market.
00:17:46.43\00:17:47.76
And he called me
one day and said,
00:17:47.80\00:17:50.47
"You know,
there's an opening here."
00:17:50.50\00:17:51.90
And how did he know you
'cause your parents were...
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.64
Moses is from Brazil.
00:17:53.67\00:17:55.10
From Brazil he had come to
the States to study English.
00:17:55.14\00:17:58.51
And he happened to
come to the college
00:17:58.54\00:18:00.44
where they were teaching.
00:18:00.48\00:18:02.28
And so, of course, Brazilians
and missionaries from Brazil
00:18:02.31\00:18:05.45
are instant friends.
00:18:05.48\00:18:06.85
And Moses is
really family to us.
00:18:06.88\00:18:09.18
So he did invite
me to apply and I did.
00:18:09.22\00:18:13.62
And what happened
was I got into the field
00:18:13.66\00:18:17.03
that I love the most, you
know, I had a career counselor
00:18:17.06\00:18:20.90
in college that said, "Do
what your heart wants to do
00:18:20.93\00:18:24.27
because if you
do something else,
00:18:24.30\00:18:26.27
some other career,
00:18:26.30\00:18:27.97
and you really want
to do this over here
00:18:28.00\00:18:29.70
you might be 40, 50 years old
and trying to switch careers,
00:18:29.74\00:18:32.57
it's not going to work.
00:18:32.61\00:18:33.94
Do it now, pay your dues,
00:18:33.98\00:18:36.41
you know, just hang
around whatever you can do
00:18:36.44\00:18:39.21
to get your foot in the door."
00:18:39.25\00:18:40.58
And that's what happened.
00:18:40.62\00:18:42.02
I became a video
editor and eventually
00:18:42.05\00:18:45.09
a program
director for that station.
00:18:45.12\00:18:47.26
But they had budget
cuts back in the 1991,
00:18:47.29\00:18:52.56
I guess it was.
00:18:52.59\00:18:54.03
And for a whole 13
months, I was unemployed
00:18:54.06\00:18:58.13
and that was a difficult thing.
00:18:58.17\00:18:59.73
Now before that I have
to back up a little bit,
00:18:59.77\00:19:02.64
before that I did get sober.
00:19:02.67\00:19:04.87
And part of that
was connecting to God,
00:19:04.91\00:19:07.91
in fact, the
biggest part of that.
00:19:07.94\00:19:09.44
The only part that matters
00:19:09.48\00:19:11.38
was I had to have a
connection with God.
00:19:11.41\00:19:13.45
What led you to get sober?
00:19:13.48\00:19:15.58
Well, despair, absolute despair.
00:19:15.62\00:19:18.29
I just couldn't live
one more day that way.
00:19:18.32\00:19:21.06
And I cried out to God for help.
00:19:21.09\00:19:22.52
I said, "God, help me.
00:19:22.56\00:19:23.89
Don't let me die like this."
00:19:23.93\00:19:25.66
And when I did, you
know, the answer was there.
00:19:25.69\00:19:28.63
And I found that by connecting
in a very simple way to God
00:19:28.66\00:19:33.67
and learning to trust Him.
00:19:33.70\00:19:35.04
And that
13-month period of no job,
00:19:35.07\00:19:37.84
really led me to
trust Him in ways
00:19:37.87\00:19:39.87
that I had never trusted before.
00:19:39.91\00:19:41.24
I was about two years
sober when I lost my job.
00:19:41.28\00:19:46.05
And for that whole 13
months before I came here,
00:19:46.08\00:19:49.18
it was a
struggle, it was a struggle.
00:19:49.22\00:19:51.62
Financially I
couldn't figure out
00:19:51.65\00:19:54.22
how in the world am I making it,
00:19:54.26\00:19:55.72
how can I even pay my rent.
00:19:55.76\00:19:58.03
And yet, the Lord kept
supplying, kept supplying.
00:19:58.06\00:20:01.20
And I had good
friends and mentors
00:20:01.23\00:20:03.57
that would say things like,
00:20:03.60\00:20:05.03
"Well, is that
odd, or is that God?"
00:20:05.07\00:20:07.34
Is it odd, or is
it God? I like it.
00:20:07.37\00:20:09.34
And I had to admit
that was what it was.
00:20:09.37\00:20:12.24
Now see, I had
the perfect parents
00:20:12.27\00:20:15.54
to show me the love
of God and to show me
00:20:15.58\00:20:17.98
what it's all
about to the altruism,
00:20:18.01\00:20:20.82
the service to
others, the love of others.
00:20:20.85\00:20:23.25
But I couldn't seem to
connect through their faith.
00:20:23.28\00:20:27.22
I had wonderful
friends along the way,
00:20:27.26\00:20:30.46
Christian friends,
00:20:30.49\00:20:31.83
but they couldn't make
that connection for me.
00:20:31.86\00:20:33.53
I had to hit bottom
literally, I had to say,
00:20:33.56\00:20:36.67
"I can't figure this
out, I can't figure life out,
00:20:36.70\00:20:39.70
I can't figure my way
out of this drinking problem,
00:20:39.73\00:20:42.80
I've got to ask
somebody for help."
00:20:42.84\00:20:44.64
And out of
desperation which I think is
00:20:44.67\00:20:47.04
what all of us end up having
to do in one way or another
00:20:47.08\00:20:49.94
is to cry out to God for help.
00:20:49.98\00:20:51.55
Right. And I
said, "God, help me."
00:20:51.58\00:20:54.18
And He did.
00:20:54.22\00:20:55.55
How long had
you lived like that,
00:20:55.58\00:20:58.05
like away from God?
00:20:58.09\00:21:00.52
Well, away from
God, I'm not sure,
00:21:00.56\00:21:02.22
but I had been
drinking for 11 years.
00:21:02.26\00:21:04.59
Wow.
00:21:04.63\00:21:05.96
And that's not a long time
00:21:05.99\00:21:08.63
for alcoholics,
but believe me...
00:21:08.66\00:21:10.00
That's a long time.
00:21:10.03\00:21:11.37
It was long enough for me,
00:21:11.40\00:21:12.73
I just couldn't
take anymore further.
00:21:12.77\00:21:14.27
And so, anyway
as I've gotten sober
00:21:14.30\00:21:16.54
and I had this baby
relationship with God.
00:21:16.57\00:21:20.34
And for 13 months
that sustained me enough
00:21:20.38\00:21:23.85
to keep me going through
that unemployment period.
00:21:23.88\00:21:27.65
And believe me I
looked for a job everywhere.
00:21:27.68\00:21:29.55
And then Moses shows
up again in the scene
00:21:29.58\00:21:32.42
and apparently he had a
conversation with you one day
00:21:32.45\00:21:34.79
and you said, we
need some more people here
00:21:34.82\00:21:37.59
3ABN was growing and
that was 1992, I believe.
00:21:37.63\00:21:41.80
And he called me up and
asked me to send the resume
00:21:41.83\00:21:45.73
and then he called me
and said, "Don't bother."
00:21:45.77\00:21:47.27
He says, "I need you
out here for an interview."
00:21:47.30\00:21:50.01
Danny says, "I don't
need to see his resume.
00:21:50.04\00:21:52.21
If he's any good, get him
out here for an interview."
00:21:52.24\00:21:54.24
So I flew out
here for an interview
00:21:54.28\00:21:56.41
and honestly I
didn't wanna come.
00:21:56.44\00:21:59.15
The Christian television, I
had a bad taste in my mouth.
00:21:59.18\00:22:02.58
I had worked in
commercial television
00:22:02.62\00:22:04.95
for 10 years or so.
00:22:04.99\00:22:06.65
And I had seen what Christian
television was all about,
00:22:06.69\00:22:09.99
what I thought Christian
television was all about.
00:22:10.03\00:22:12.59
And without naming names
there had been a lot of people
00:22:12.63\00:22:15.53
who had fallen from
grace in a very public way
00:22:15.56\00:22:18.50
in Christian television.
00:22:18.53\00:22:20.17
And I just had no use for that.
00:22:20.20\00:22:24.17
And, in fact, I
asked Moses, I said,
00:22:24.21\00:22:26.47
"Moses, please tell
me that this is different
00:22:26.51\00:22:29.31
from all these
other ministries."
00:22:29.34\00:22:31.21
And he says, "Oh,
yes, it's different."
00:22:31.25\00:22:33.21
And he went on
to say, "You know,
00:22:33.25\00:22:34.58
we've never done a telephone,
we've never begged for money,
00:22:34.62\00:22:37.05
the Lord has always supplied
our needs here at 3ABN."
00:22:37.09\00:22:40.02
And I remember
raising an eyebrow saying,
00:22:40.06\00:22:42.16
"Yeah, well, I don't
know how that works."
00:22:42.19\00:22:43.93
Yeah. But I came out here.
00:22:43.96\00:22:45.66
And the very first day
when I toured the campus
00:22:45.69\00:22:48.23
and all that, I couldn't believe
00:22:48.26\00:22:50.37
that you actually had a
television station out here.
00:22:50.40\00:22:52.63
In fact, you guys
had better equipment
00:22:52.67\00:22:54.34
than I was used to back
in a commercial station.
00:22:54.37\00:22:57.47
And I saw God's
blessing, and I saw the passion,
00:22:57.51\00:23:01.94
and the excitement
that the entire team had.
00:23:01.98\00:23:04.85
You know, the fact that they...
00:23:04.88\00:23:07.55
Well, there were teenagers
here directing programs
00:23:07.58\00:23:10.55
and I'm like, "How did
they learn, how to do that?"
00:23:10.59\00:23:12.75
You know, I went to school
00:23:12.79\00:23:14.12
and I'm not
even a good director,
00:23:14.16\00:23:15.49
but these guys were awesome.
00:23:15.52\00:23:17.43
And you had a real
studio and a real transmission
00:23:17.46\00:23:21.36
setup for satellite
and it just amazed me.
00:23:21.40\00:23:24.70
And I don't know
I prayed and I said,
00:23:24.73\00:23:27.94
"God, if this is
where you want me to be,
00:23:27.97\00:23:29.57
then you've got to
let me know in a big way."
00:23:29.60\00:23:31.44
And He did.
00:23:31.47\00:23:32.81
Actually before
I ever got a tour
00:23:32.84\00:23:34.51
I came here on a Friday evening
00:23:34.54\00:23:37.05
and on Sabbath morning I woke up
00:23:37.08\00:23:39.05
and I sat behind
Moses' house in a swing.
00:23:39.08\00:23:42.52
And I looked out at
everything and I thought
00:23:42.55\00:23:44.55
this is so beautiful.
00:23:44.59\00:23:46.35
And see, I'm used
to talking to God.
00:23:46.39\00:23:47.89
Part of my recovery
is having a prayer life
00:23:47.92\00:23:51.56
and meditating on God's word.
00:23:51.59\00:23:53.83
And so what I said
to Him several times was
00:23:53.86\00:23:57.33
"God, this is really beautiful
out here, it's so peaceful."
00:23:57.37\00:24:00.57
And suddenly I had my son
00:24:00.60\00:24:02.74
and I remember
crying that morning
00:24:02.77\00:24:04.37
and just shaking
my head and I thought,
00:24:04.41\00:24:06.07
"God, you are so funny.
00:24:06.11\00:24:07.51
I can't believe you do this."
00:24:07.54\00:24:09.14
You know, I got
a dose of serenity
00:24:09.18\00:24:11.21
what we call
serenity that peace with God
00:24:11.25\00:24:14.18
and peace with
everyone around me.
00:24:14.22\00:24:16.05
It was so strong that
morning, I am sure that
00:24:16.08\00:24:19.45
that was the
strongest feeling of serenity
00:24:19.49\00:24:21.79
I've ever felt in my life.
00:24:21.82\00:24:23.56
And that was my
unmistakable sign.
00:24:23.59\00:24:26.23
I had to quit all the
other things, you know,
00:24:26.26\00:24:29.26
I've gotten sober from
alcohol but I still smoked,
00:24:29.30\00:24:31.90
there were a lot of
other things wrong in my life.
00:24:31.93\00:24:34.37
And that day everything changed
00:24:34.40\00:24:36.04
because I knew I
was supposed to be here.
00:24:36.07\00:24:38.37
And it was a struggle for me.
00:24:38.41\00:24:39.97
At first, I was editing
as you remember at night,
00:24:40.01\00:24:43.68
we had another
editor in the daytime
00:24:43.71\00:24:45.41
so I got the night shift.
00:24:45.45\00:24:47.05
And it was my job to listen
to sermons and cut them down.
00:24:47.08\00:24:51.29
I remember there was one,
it was on the nature of Christ,
00:24:51.32\00:24:55.32
and how He was
tempted in every way,
00:24:55.36\00:24:57.19
and how He had suffered
all the same temptations
00:24:57.23\00:24:59.53
that we have.
00:24:59.56\00:25:00.90
And it was a good sermon,
but it was 90 minutes long
00:25:00.93\00:25:04.23
and it had to be cut
down to less than an hour.
00:25:04.27\00:25:06.27
And I thought,
"How do you do that,
00:25:06.30\00:25:08.10
how do you cut that much
out of a sermon and make sense?"
00:25:08.14\00:25:11.17
So I remember editing
all of that and then covering
00:25:11.21\00:25:14.14
each one of those, you
know, where the cuts were
00:25:14.18\00:25:16.75
with an audience shot.
00:25:16.78\00:25:18.31
And then I thought this thing
is not gonna hold together.
00:25:18.35\00:25:22.32
So at the end of the
night I rewound that tape.
00:25:22.35\00:25:25.09
And I started playing it
watching for those edits,
00:25:25.12\00:25:27.46
making sure they were all right
and listening for continuity.
00:25:27.49\00:25:32.26
And that's what
changed my life again
00:25:32.29\00:25:34.46
because the Lord
spoke to my heart.
00:25:34.50\00:25:37.33
And I ended the
thing, I realized at the end
00:25:37.37\00:25:41.30
I hadn't even paid
attention to edits anymore,
00:25:41.34\00:25:43.34
I was listening to the message.
00:25:43.37\00:25:45.37
And I said,
"God, I can't believe
00:25:45.41\00:25:48.34
you'd be bring me
all the way out here.
00:25:48.38\00:25:50.88
To make it my job and back
me into a corner like this,
00:25:50.91\00:25:55.25
just to reach my heart."
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.15
And I said, out loud I
said, "If you want me that bad,
00:25:57.19\00:25:59.62
you can have me."
00:25:59.65\00:26:01.22
You know. Wonderful.
00:26:01.26\00:26:02.59
And I was re-baptized
and in over the years
00:26:02.62\00:26:05.63
my relationship
with God has grown,
00:26:05.66\00:26:07.76
it's been a struggle sometimes,
another times it's not at all.
00:26:07.80\00:26:09.63
Yeah, we've seen
it, we've seen it.
00:26:09.66\00:26:11.93
Especially as far as you've been
00:26:11.97\00:26:13.37
willing to talk about it...
00:26:13.40\00:26:14.74
Sure.
00:26:14.77\00:26:16.10
You know in a more private,
00:26:16.14\00:26:17.47
even private,
you're kind of a private.
00:26:17.51\00:26:19.67
I'd look at him
more of a private person
00:26:19.71\00:26:21.88
until the right situation.
00:26:21.91\00:26:23.81
Bobby does not want
to just insert himself
00:26:23.85\00:26:26.35
in a conversation if you
were with a bunch of people.
00:26:26.38\00:26:29.02
If you ask him
something, he'll say,
00:26:29.05\00:26:30.75
but a lot of times
he sits and listens.
00:26:30.79\00:26:33.79
But I've noticed
in the last few years
00:26:33.82\00:26:36.36
a change in you.
00:26:36.39\00:26:37.73
And you found out
something very important.
00:26:37.76\00:26:40.10
And I wanna get
into that a little bit.
00:26:40.13\00:26:41.46
Sure.
00:26:41.50\00:26:42.83
That help for you
was helping others.
00:26:42.86\00:26:46.94
Tell me a little bit?
00:26:46.97\00:26:48.30
First of all, you found out
you needed to surround yourself
00:26:48.34\00:26:52.47
around people who had, you know,
00:26:52.51\00:26:55.18
gain victory over
some of the things alcohol.
00:26:55.21\00:26:58.45
So you found groups
of people to help you
00:26:58.48\00:27:01.68
and then you in turn
00:27:01.72\00:27:03.39
begin to
minister disciple others?
00:27:03.42\00:27:05.85
Tell us how that
works? Absolutely.
00:27:05.89\00:27:07.22
Well, it's an interesting thing
00:27:07.26\00:27:10.19
that others have
observed and put into words.
00:27:10.23\00:27:12.26
I'm not original about this.
00:27:12.29\00:27:14.93
But I believe that our past
00:27:14.96\00:27:17.80
especially the
things we struggle with,
00:27:17.83\00:27:19.83
in fact, I'll
just say our dark past,
00:27:19.87\00:27:21.90
the darkest moments of
our past turn out to be...
00:27:21.94\00:27:25.24
In God's hands
they turn out to be
00:27:25.27\00:27:26.71
the most
precious things we have.
00:27:26.74\00:27:29.11
The experiences, the
struggles, and the trials,
00:27:29.14\00:27:32.25
and the heartache
that we have in life,
00:27:32.28\00:27:34.75
if we allow God to
change all of that,
00:27:34.78\00:27:37.22
He will change it and make it
into the biggest asset we have.
00:27:37.25\00:27:40.12
And I say that
because for me the worst thing
00:27:40.16\00:27:43.66
I thought I could ever
have is to have alcoholism.
00:27:43.69\00:27:48.03
And the truth is it
turns out to be the best thing.
00:27:48.06\00:27:51.17
The people I always
struggle to fit in with
00:27:51.20\00:27:53.77
and become friends with now
00:27:53.80\00:27:55.47
are the people
that I minister to.
00:27:55.50\00:27:56.84
Okay.
00:27:56.87\00:27:58.21
And I can gain
their trust very quickly
00:27:58.24\00:27:59.97
where most people cannot.
00:28:00.01\00:28:01.91
Normal people, so
called normal people,
00:28:01.94\00:28:04.05
I mean, we're all normal,
00:28:04.08\00:28:05.41
but people that don't
have a drinking problem
00:28:05.45\00:28:08.08
cannot even
begin to help somebody
00:28:08.12\00:28:11.39
who has a drinking problem.
00:28:11.42\00:28:12.75
And it's the
strangest thing, you know.
00:28:12.79\00:28:15.26
If I had a brain tumor,
00:28:15.29\00:28:18.26
I wouldn't go to a brain surgeon
00:28:18.29\00:28:20.26
that had a brain tumor,
00:28:20.30\00:28:22.13
I would go to one who
doesn't have one, right?
00:28:22.16\00:28:24.90
I want one with all his
brains to operate on my brain.
00:28:24.93\00:28:27.60
But the sad part is that
00:28:27.64\00:28:29.60
with alcoholism and
with other addictions,
00:28:29.64\00:28:32.27
we won't listen to somebody
00:28:32.31\00:28:33.88
unless we know
they've been where we are.
00:28:33.91\00:28:36.11
And God in His mercy
has given me that mission
00:28:36.14\00:28:38.68
to help other alcoholics,
especially other alcoholics.
00:28:38.71\00:28:41.68
That's true.
00:28:41.72\00:28:43.12
In my case, I've never drank,
00:28:43.15\00:28:45.22
I never, to just say
I've never drink a beer,
00:28:45.25\00:28:47.62
I never tasted alcohol
00:28:47.66\00:28:49.12
it's just one of
those things I never did.
00:28:49.16\00:28:51.23
But I've had a lot
of things in my life
00:28:51.26\00:28:53.06
that I've needed help
with and had to go to others
00:28:53.09\00:28:56.60
and listen to others to help me.
00:28:56.63\00:28:58.30
But in 1982 when
Melody's mother Kay
00:28:58.33\00:29:01.94
was in an automobile accident,
00:29:01.97\00:29:03.67
she was killed in that accident.
00:29:03.71\00:29:05.67
I've been amazed over the years
00:29:05.71\00:29:07.21
how many people
have lost a spouse
00:29:07.24\00:29:09.78
that I'm able to talk to.
00:29:09.81\00:29:11.58
And they listen to me
00:29:11.61\00:29:13.18
because they know
I've been through it.
00:29:13.21\00:29:15.28
I've actually had
people call me and say,
00:29:15.32\00:29:17.09
"Can you talk to me,
it's been three months.
00:29:17.12\00:29:20.16
I thought it'd get
better, six months better,
00:29:20.19\00:29:22.42
I feel like its worse."
00:29:22.46\00:29:23.79
And I know what
they're going through that pain
00:29:23.83\00:29:26.63
so I've been able to
help certain things like that.
00:29:26.66\00:29:30.07
You have been through the
pain where people are today,
00:29:30.10\00:29:34.10
but it took you
getting other people
00:29:34.14\00:29:36.50
to encourage you to
be there to support you.
00:29:36.54\00:29:39.47
And there are groups
00:29:39.51\00:29:40.84
and we're not naming
the groups necessarily,
00:29:40.88\00:29:43.31
but there are groups
00:29:43.35\00:29:44.68
and especially we
encourage people to go to those
00:29:44.71\00:29:46.88
that that know there's a God
00:29:46.92\00:29:48.55
and say this is
really your answer out.
00:29:48.58\00:29:51.05
But what it did for you?
00:29:51.09\00:29:53.09
Tell us about the
changes in your own life
00:29:53.12\00:29:56.09
when your mission really
wasn't for your own life,
00:29:56.12\00:29:59.59
but it was to help others.
00:29:59.63\00:30:01.33
Well, I can give
you a good example,
00:30:01.36\00:30:03.13
a recent example.
00:30:03.16\00:30:04.50
And that's part of the reason
00:30:04.53\00:30:05.87
I guess I agreed
to do this program.
00:30:05.90\00:30:08.10
Recently, I found out,
actually a few months ago
00:30:08.14\00:30:11.64
I found out that
I had skin cancer,
00:30:11.67\00:30:13.98
I had melanoma.
00:30:14.01\00:30:15.34
It was a spot on my back
00:30:15.38\00:30:16.71
that had been growing
there for quite a few years.
00:30:16.75\00:30:19.38
And I had been
concerned about it,
00:30:19.41\00:30:21.65
I had mentioned it to my doctor
00:30:21.68\00:30:23.02
he had removed the small mole
there before in the scar tissue
00:30:23.05\00:30:26.42
actually is what began
to change and become bigger.
00:30:26.45\00:30:30.99
And he kept checking it
00:30:31.03\00:30:32.36
and didn't think
it was a big deal.
00:30:32.39\00:30:34.00
Well, the day
finally came when I said,
00:30:34.03\00:30:35.83
"I'm worried about this.
00:30:35.86\00:30:37.23
I need you to do
either biopsy this
00:30:37.27\00:30:38.97
or send me off
to a dermatologist
00:30:39.00\00:30:40.70
or somebody."
00:30:40.74\00:30:42.07
And so they did and it
took a better part of a month
00:30:42.10\00:30:46.34
to even get the results back.
00:30:46.37\00:30:47.74
In fact, sadly the pathologist
couldn't figure it out
00:30:47.78\00:30:51.18
and sent it off
"To Boston" somewhere.
00:30:51.21\00:30:54.65
And I had another second opinion
00:30:54.68\00:30:57.15
and sure enough it was melanoma.
00:30:57.19\00:30:59.65
Now at first they
thought it was in early stages,
00:30:59.69\00:31:03.06
but there had been another spot
00:31:03.09\00:31:04.83
that had developed
close to that spot.
00:31:04.86\00:31:07.30
And everybody was concerned
00:31:07.33\00:31:09.50
that it was
already metastasizing
00:31:09.53\00:31:11.37
or spreading from one
spot to the other on my skin.
00:31:11.40\00:31:14.27
And that usually indicates
that it could be system wide.
00:31:14.30\00:31:17.67
So I could have been anywhere
00:31:17.71\00:31:19.44
all the way up
through stage four cancer.
00:31:19.47\00:31:21.84
And that concerned me a lot.
00:31:21.88\00:31:24.18
Oh, yeah.
00:31:24.21\00:31:25.55
For years, I've, part of
what I do for my recovery
00:31:25.58\00:31:30.85
is to take an inventory
of myself from time to time
00:31:30.89\00:31:33.79
to see where I am.
00:31:33.82\00:31:35.16
One of the lists of things
00:31:35.19\00:31:36.52
that I do is inventory my fears.
00:31:36.56\00:31:39.56
Because I know
that if I'm afraid
00:31:39.59\00:31:42.40
then my go to
answer is the drink.
00:31:42.43\00:31:45.03
So I keep track of my fears,
I keep track of my resentments,
00:31:45.07\00:31:48.70
I keep track of anything that
I feel guilty or ashamed about.
00:31:48.74\00:31:52.07
And I look at those things
00:31:52.11\00:31:53.44
as part of a
routine part of my life
00:31:53.48\00:31:55.94
so that I don't let
those things creep up
00:31:55.98\00:31:58.18
and build up inside of me
00:31:58.21\00:31:59.91
because I know those
will lead me back to a drink.
00:31:59.95\00:32:02.48
So on my fear
list, many, many times
00:32:02.52\00:32:05.02
I have had that
list the fear of dying
00:32:05.05\00:32:09.19
and the fear of cancer.
00:32:09.22\00:32:11.36
And now I had both,
00:32:11.39\00:32:12.73
I was facing at least
cancer and maybe dying.
00:32:12.76\00:32:15.53
And I'll tell you that
really threw me for a loop,
00:32:15.56\00:32:18.20
it tested my faith.
00:32:18.23\00:32:19.93
And sadly I don't know
how well I'd stood up to it
00:32:19.97\00:32:22.67
because I remember
finding out on a Friday,
00:32:22.70\00:32:26.01
on Sabbath I went to
church and by Sabbath afternoon
00:32:26.04\00:32:28.68
I was laying in bed
with the covers over my head,
00:32:28.71\00:32:31.45
trying to sleep,
trying to forget.
00:32:31.48\00:32:34.25
And I couldn't and I
tossed and turned and finally,
00:32:34.28\00:32:37.69
the despair just built
up in me and once again,
00:32:37.72\00:32:40.32
I said those three words
00:32:40.36\00:32:41.99
that changed my life
when it came to drinking.
00:32:42.02\00:32:45.59
And now I said it
again, I said, "God, help me.
00:32:45.63\00:32:48.90
God, help me."
00:32:48.93\00:32:50.30
And I'll tell you,
God knows me by name,
00:32:50.33\00:32:53.03
He knows all of us by name.
00:32:53.07\00:32:54.40
Amen.
00:32:54.44\00:32:55.77
And I heard His voice,
00:32:55.80\00:32:57.14
it was
undeniable and so distinct,
00:32:57.17\00:33:00.54
I know I would
recognize it anywhere.
00:33:00.58\00:33:02.81
I think all of us, most of us,
00:33:02.84\00:33:05.48
hopefully all of us
have heard that voice
00:33:05.51\00:33:07.32
but, man, it was
so loud in my head.
00:33:07.35\00:33:10.02
It might as well
been in that room
00:33:10.05\00:33:11.39
because He said,
"Bobby Davis, get up."
00:33:11.42\00:33:14.79
And I just sat bolt upright
in bed and I thought, "Wow!
00:33:14.82\00:33:19.46
What was that?"
00:33:19.49\00:33:20.83
And the next words were,
00:33:20.86\00:33:22.53
"It's time to stop dying
and time to start living."
00:33:22.56\00:33:26.53
Okay.
00:33:26.57\00:33:27.90
And I was like, "Okay, Lord."
00:33:27.94\00:33:30.64
And I remember
sitting on the edge of my bed
00:33:30.67\00:33:33.11
and thinking "What do I do?
00:33:33.14\00:33:35.18
What do I do?"
00:33:35.21\00:33:36.64
And some words
came to me of a man
00:33:36.68\00:33:40.72
that wrote about his experience.
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.08
And he said that
00:33:42.12\00:33:43.45
in the beginning of his sobriety
00:33:43.49\00:33:44.82
he felt like depression
and fear and self pity
00:33:44.85\00:33:49.82
were just
getting the best of him,
00:33:49.86\00:33:51.19
and he felt like
he was going to drink.
00:33:51.23\00:33:52.99
And every time he felt that way,
00:33:53.03\00:33:55.06
he would get up
and go to a hospital
00:33:55.10\00:33:56.93
and find somebody
in the alcoholic ward
00:33:56.97\00:33:59.57
and try to help that person.
00:33:59.60\00:34:01.40
And when he did, he says,
00:34:01.44\00:34:02.94
"I was amazingly lifted up
and placed back on my feet."
00:34:02.97\00:34:06.51
He says, "It's designed
for living that really works."
00:34:06.54\00:34:08.84
Okay.
00:34:08.88\00:34:10.21
And as soon as that thought
went through my mind I thought,
00:34:10.25\00:34:12.65
I need to find somebody to help.
00:34:12.68\00:34:14.72
There are two treatment centers
here in Illinois close by,
00:34:14.75\00:34:17.95
neither one of
them will allow somebody
00:34:17.99\00:34:19.59
to just walk in off the street
to talk to their patients.
00:34:19.62\00:34:22.22
But I knew there was a
place down in Paducah, Kentucky
00:34:22.26\00:34:26.09
about an hour away.
00:34:26.13\00:34:28.10
And they had meetings there
00:34:28.13\00:34:30.07
and they allow
visitors to come in.
00:34:30.10\00:34:31.97
And so I thought
I'll go down there and see
00:34:32.00\00:34:33.44
if I can find
somebody to visit with.
00:34:33.47\00:34:35.34
And I don't know
anybody in that place,
00:34:35.37\00:34:36.81
but I just walked in.
00:34:36.84\00:34:38.34
And afterwards I'm
looking around to see
00:34:38.37\00:34:41.21
if I can find somebody
after their meeting ended.
00:34:41.24\00:34:43.85
And they all ran for the door
00:34:43.88\00:34:45.51
and I thought forgot they
all want to go out and smoke.
00:34:45.55\00:34:49.05
So I don't smoke and
I'm sitting inside going,
00:34:49.08\00:34:52.15
well, I wonder how I
can find somebody in here.
00:34:52.19\00:34:55.49
And they had a
drinking fountain there
00:34:55.52\00:34:59.13
and I got a drink of water.
00:34:59.16\00:35:00.50
And all of the sudden,
00:35:00.53\00:35:01.86
this young man comes
back through the door
00:35:01.90\00:35:04.83
and walks right over to
me introduces himself to me
00:35:04.87\00:35:07.20
and asked me if this
was my first time there.
00:35:07.24\00:35:10.31
And I said, "No," meaning
I had visited there before.
00:35:10.34\00:35:13.78
And he says, "I said this
is actually my second time."
00:35:13.81\00:35:16.75
He goes, "Oh, yeah, me too."
00:35:16.78\00:35:18.31
I really messed
up the first time.
00:35:18.35\00:35:20.12
And I realized he thinks
I'm a patient, but that's okay.
00:35:20.15\00:35:23.75
I didn't correct
him, I just let him talk
00:35:23.79\00:35:25.92
and suddenly he's
pouring his heart out to me
00:35:25.95\00:35:28.19
about everything that went wrong
00:35:28.22\00:35:30.99
so quickly in his life.
00:35:31.03\00:35:32.46
Once he had gotten
the period of sobriety,
00:35:32.49\00:35:34.46
but gone back to drinking.
00:35:34.50\00:35:36.20
And I asked him a few questions,
00:35:36.23\00:35:39.03
you know, and I let
him know that I understood
00:35:39.07\00:35:42.74
and finally he realize,
"Oh, you're not a patient?"
00:35:42.77\00:35:44.97
I said, "No."
00:35:45.01\00:35:46.41
And that man asked me for help.
00:35:46.44\00:35:49.98
Not that first
night, but the next week,
00:35:50.01\00:35:52.78
you know, I have to say,
you know, after I talked to him
00:35:52.81\00:35:55.58
for about an hour
I was driving home
00:35:55.62\00:35:58.22
and about
halfway home I realized,
00:35:58.25\00:35:59.95
you know, I hadn't thought
about cancer one single time,
00:35:59.99\00:36:03.43
whole time I was there.
00:36:03.46\00:36:05.36
In helping him or
trying to help him,
00:36:05.39\00:36:08.30
I really was helping myself.
00:36:08.33\00:36:09.66
Okay.
00:36:09.70\00:36:11.03
And I remembered that,
00:36:11.07\00:36:12.40
the whole next week
went by next Sabbath
00:36:12.43\00:36:14.04
guess what, I was in bed again,
00:36:14.07\00:36:16.00
struggling to get past
the depression and the fear.
00:36:16.04\00:36:19.31
And suddenly it
was time to go back
00:36:19.34\00:36:21.74
to the treatment
center and I did.
00:36:21.78\00:36:23.28
And sure enough he was there
and he was so happy to see me.
00:36:23.31\00:36:26.88
And that night he
asked me to be his mentor.
00:36:26.92\00:36:30.09
Now he lives in our way
00:36:30.12\00:36:31.49
and normally I don't
travel an hour every direction,
00:36:31.52\00:36:34.26
he was in there
00:36:34.29\00:36:35.62
so it's not like he
could come up to see me.
00:36:35.66\00:36:37.76
And I started talking to
him and I said, "Well, you know,
00:36:37.79\00:36:40.73
you're kind of a long ways away
and this that and the other."
00:36:40.76\00:36:44.33
And I saw his face fall
00:36:44.37\00:36:46.43
and all of a
sudden I hear that voice,
00:36:46.47\00:36:48.70
that voice, the voice of
God, "Bobby Davis, really?
00:36:48.74\00:36:53.31
You asked me for help
and I sent you this young man
00:36:53.34\00:36:56.14
and now you're
going to tell him no?"
00:36:56.18\00:36:58.78
And I went, "You know what,
I'll be happy to help you."
00:36:58.81\00:37:02.25
Amen.
00:37:02.28\00:37:03.62
And we started
meeting on Saturday evenings,
00:37:03.65\00:37:06.86
and a little bit later
00:37:06.89\00:37:08.92
I decided to fly
out to Massachusetts
00:37:08.96\00:37:11.43
for a second
opinion on this cancer.
00:37:11.46\00:37:13.40
The doctors here
wanted to do surgery on this.
00:37:13.43\00:37:16.36
And yet they weren't sure
of how they wanted to proceed.
00:37:16.40\00:37:19.67
And I ended up at
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
00:37:19.70\00:37:22.24
which is one of the
premier cancer institutes
00:37:22.27\00:37:24.24
in the country.
00:37:24.27\00:37:25.71
And at first their
diagnosis was the same,
00:37:25.74\00:37:28.71
"We're afraid
this is stage four."
00:37:28.74\00:37:30.95
And they ordered
PET scans and MRIs
00:37:30.98\00:37:33.35
and all kinds of
things, scheduled surgery.
00:37:33.38\00:37:36.58
But here's where I saw God
leading me in that direction.
00:37:36.62\00:37:39.42
My parents live there
so I could stay with them
00:37:39.45\00:37:41.56
for any kind of treatment.
00:37:41.59\00:37:42.92
But I really didn't
know if I had stage four,
00:37:42.96\00:37:45.43
if I was gonna be
really going through chemo
00:37:45.46\00:37:49.66
or all those kinds of things.
00:37:49.70\00:37:51.43
So the next day I
had an appointment
00:37:51.47\00:37:53.90
with a dermatologist there.
00:37:53.94\00:37:55.90
As I'm sitting
with this dermatologist,
00:37:55.94\00:37:57.67
he's asking questions
00:37:57.71\00:37:59.04
and I realize he
knows a lot about my case.
00:37:59.07\00:38:01.21
And since I hadn't seen a
dermatologist anywhere else
00:38:01.24\00:38:04.71
I said, "How do you
know so much about my case?"
00:38:04.75\00:38:06.82
And he says, "Well, I'm the
one they sent the biopsies to,
00:38:06.85\00:38:10.75
to find out when they
couldn't figure out what it was,
00:38:10.79\00:38:13.42
in southern
Illinois they sent up to me."
00:38:13.46\00:38:15.49
And I thought, what are the odds
00:38:15.52\00:38:18.23
that I would have
him as my dermatologist,
00:38:18.26\00:38:20.60
he's also a pathologist.
00:38:20.63\00:38:22.36
And he was unbelievable,
00:38:22.40\00:38:25.87
he gave me his
personal cell phone number
00:38:25.90\00:38:28.34
and begged me to
put him on my team
00:38:28.37\00:38:31.07
so that he could follow
through with this whole process.
00:38:31.11\00:38:35.68
I did see a surgeon,
00:38:35.71\00:38:37.48
the PET scan came
back with no cancer
00:38:37.51\00:38:41.95
anywhere else in my body.
00:38:41.98\00:38:43.32
Praise the Lord.
00:38:43.35\00:38:44.69
But that fear did not go
away for those eight days
00:38:44.72\00:38:47.42
that I had to
wait for that PET scan,
00:38:47.46\00:38:48.86
until finally somebody sent
me a little meditation by text.
00:38:48.89\00:38:53.29
And it said basically,
our life is like a ladder
00:38:53.33\00:38:59.40
that stretches from
this world into eternity
00:38:59.43\00:39:02.40
and all we're supposed to do
is keep climbing that ladder.
00:39:02.44\00:39:05.94
But sometimes we get afraid
00:39:05.97\00:39:08.51
because we don't see
where that ladder is placed.
00:39:08.54\00:39:12.05
And then the question
to me to meditate on was,
00:39:12.08\00:39:14.82
"Would God put you on a
ladder that was not secure?"
00:39:14.85\00:39:17.69
Okay.
00:39:17.72\00:39:19.35
And if He puts you on that,
00:39:19.39\00:39:20.86
you can climb each
step with confidence.
00:39:20.89\00:39:22.66
Okay.
00:39:22.69\00:39:24.03
And know that
he'll take care of you.
00:39:24.06\00:39:25.86
And at that point, I
broke through that fear,
00:39:25.89\00:39:28.90
and I was so amazed.
00:39:28.93\00:39:31.03
You know, the treatment
went well, I had a surgery,
00:39:31.07\00:39:34.90
they checked my lymph
nodes, it was not spread.
00:39:34.94\00:39:38.47
It's considered stage two
00:39:38.51\00:39:39.94
because it had already started
to go deeper into my skin,
00:39:39.97\00:39:43.04
but it had not
gone through my body.
00:39:43.08\00:39:44.75
And I cannot tell
you how grateful I am
00:39:44.78\00:39:48.35
for the team that
worked with me there.
00:39:48.38\00:39:50.69
For the experience
that at first seemed
00:39:50.72\00:39:54.72
so disruptive and
threatened in my life,
00:39:54.76\00:39:58.96
turns out now to be one
of the biggest blessings
00:39:58.99\00:40:01.26
because what I got
out of that experience
00:40:01.30\00:40:04.47
were so many things.
00:40:04.50\00:40:05.83
First of all my
father was diagnosed,
00:40:05.87\00:40:07.97
at the same time
when I was there.
00:40:08.00\00:40:11.01
And I was able to
be there for my mother
00:40:11.04\00:40:12.77
when she found out.
00:40:12.81\00:40:14.14
And to be there
with her and my dad
00:40:14.18\00:40:16.48
when she told him
what was going on.
00:40:16.51\00:40:19.11
Praise the God, halfway
in through his chemotherapy,
00:40:19.15\00:40:21.95
he's doing well, in fact, he's,
00:40:21.98\00:40:23.72
I believe God's hand is over him
00:40:23.75\00:40:25.45
because he is yet to
feel one single effect
00:40:25.49\00:40:29.22
from all that chemotherapy.
00:40:29.26\00:40:30.93
He's never been
nauseous, never lost his energy,
00:40:30.96\00:40:33.40
he's a
professor, he still teaches.
00:40:33.43\00:40:35.10
He's 83.5 years old
00:40:35.13\00:40:36.63
he's still teaching theology
to his theology students.
00:40:36.67\00:40:40.00
And that's his
passion and life is to tell
00:40:40.04\00:40:42.67
and teach other
people about the Lord.
00:40:42.70\00:40:44.67
And so I was there
when that happened.
00:40:44.71\00:40:47.48
You know, what
kind of timing is that?
00:40:47.51\00:40:50.25
God's perfect timing.
00:40:50.28\00:40:52.01
And honestly, Danny,
00:40:52.05\00:40:53.38
the biggest
thing that I've gotten
00:40:53.42\00:40:55.32
from this is an amazing...
00:40:55.35\00:40:57.39
A renewal of my faith,
00:41:00.52\00:41:02.32
but even more than that
00:41:02.36\00:41:03.76
the Lord has just
lit a fire inside of me.
00:41:03.79\00:41:05.79
All right.
00:41:05.83\00:41:07.16
And I realized,
you know, if I have...
00:41:07.20\00:41:09.46
I mean, before I found out
00:41:09.50\00:41:10.83
that there was no
other cancer in my body.
00:41:10.87\00:41:13.30
I finally broke through
that fear and I realized,
00:41:13.34\00:41:15.84
you know what?
00:41:15.87\00:41:17.37
I need to get about
my father's business.
00:41:17.41\00:41:20.44
I need to do more for the Lord.
00:41:20.48\00:41:22.58
I need to do more for the people
00:41:22.61\00:41:24.51
that suffer with alcoholism.
00:41:24.55\00:41:25.91
I need to do more at work.
I need to do more at church.
00:41:25.95\00:41:29.62
I need to do more
everywhere in my life.
00:41:29.65\00:41:32.09
And I can't say
that I'm too busy,
00:41:32.12\00:41:34.09
you know, we were
talking about that earlier
00:41:34.12\00:41:35.82
about being too busy.
00:41:35.86\00:41:37.19
We all have the
same 168 hours a week.
00:41:37.23\00:41:40.50
You know, what we spend it on
00:41:40.53\00:41:42.30
and what we focus on
is what it's all about.
00:41:42.33\00:41:45.03
And for me that
renewal inside of me
00:41:45.07\00:41:47.40
has just lit a
fire inside of me.
00:41:47.44\00:41:49.60
And the only reason, I'm
sitting here in this chair
00:41:49.64\00:41:52.04
is because I can't
keep quiet about it.
00:41:52.07\00:41:54.78
You know, the Lord has
given me a mission, you know.
00:41:54.81\00:41:58.28
And now the mission is
even widened into other people
00:41:58.31\00:42:02.28
who are dealing with cancer.
00:42:02.32\00:42:04.45
Never in my life did I think
I would be able to minister
00:42:04.49\00:42:07.16
and to help them through that.
00:42:07.19\00:42:08.62
But I know because
of this hard experience
00:42:08.66\00:42:12.06
on the other side of it.
00:42:12.09\00:42:13.53
And it really
didn't matter to me,
00:42:13.56\00:42:14.90
I don't care if
I have two weeks,
00:42:14.93\00:42:16.73
two months, two years to live.
00:42:16.77\00:42:18.80
You know, I
want to do all I can,
00:42:18.83\00:42:20.84
I wanna pack as
much as I can into that,
00:42:20.87\00:42:23.20
I want to do everything I can.
00:42:23.24\00:42:25.57
You know, whatever
talent we have and...
00:42:25.61\00:42:27.88
I think of Erma
Bombeck's famous quote,
00:42:27.91\00:42:30.35
you know, the
comedian from years ago.
00:42:30.38\00:42:32.75
She said, "When I stand
before my creator I want to say,
00:42:32.78\00:42:35.65
be able to say to Him,
00:42:35.68\00:42:37.02
I've used every bit
of talent you gave me."
00:42:37.05\00:42:40.22
You know, and it's not about me,
00:42:40.26\00:42:42.02
it's about Him.
00:42:42.06\00:42:43.39
And so I don't
know, I came back just...
00:42:43.43\00:42:47.06
I don't even had
energized I guess
00:42:47.10\00:42:49.33
is what I'm
saying and I'm on fire.
00:42:49.36\00:42:50.90
Yeah.
00:42:50.93\00:42:52.27
He was in my office
and it was just, I mean,
00:42:52.30\00:42:55.84
passionate we were talking.
00:42:55.87\00:42:58.17
And Bobby is a great
writer, he does have a lots...
00:42:58.21\00:43:00.48
He doesn't only do the
producing and the editing
00:43:00.51\00:43:03.35
and now his voice
is on the 3ABN radio.
00:43:03.38\00:43:06.55
I'm telling you,
he wears as many hats
00:43:06.58\00:43:08.38
as anybody in the ministry.
00:43:08.42\00:43:10.52
And he's good at
it, he's very good.
00:43:10.55\00:43:12.19
His writing has helped me
tremendously over the years.
00:43:12.22\00:43:15.52
Yes, yes.
00:43:15.56\00:43:16.89
I got ideas, but I don't know
00:43:16.93\00:43:18.43
how to put them on
paper as well as he does.
00:43:18.46\00:43:20.33
So he's helped me so
many times in our newsletters
00:43:20.36\00:43:24.07
and our
magazines and all of that,
00:43:24.10\00:43:25.80
that's Bobby really
making that polished.
00:43:25.83\00:43:28.24
We can do it, she
can do it to polish,
00:43:28.27\00:43:30.67
but I'm not that polished,
but Bobby does that for me
00:43:30.71\00:43:34.18
but his writing is great.
00:43:34.21\00:43:35.54
But we were
talking about some things
00:43:35.58\00:43:38.05
we were doing here.
00:43:38.08\00:43:39.41
But his passion
came out and I said,
00:43:39.45\00:43:41.02
"Bobby, we got
to get you on TV."
00:43:41.05\00:43:43.25
But there was
almost like an abrupt.
00:43:43.28\00:43:45.09
"Well, wait a minute."
00:43:45.12\00:43:46.45
So far I've been
willing to do all this
00:43:46.49\00:43:48.76
and I help people
that's, you know, alcoholics
00:43:48.79\00:43:51.16
and now people with cancer.
00:43:51.19\00:43:53.03
But I'm not and he says,
00:43:53.06\00:43:54.56
"I'm not in front
of the camera, boss."
00:43:54.60\00:43:56.60
He says, "That's not me."
00:43:56.63\00:43:58.27
And I said, "No,
that's where God."
00:43:58.30\00:44:00.24
Now he's opened up
more doors with you.
00:44:00.27\00:44:02.97
Yes.
00:44:03.00\00:44:04.34
But what's a
testimony without a platform
00:44:04.37\00:44:08.94
and what better platform
in our life here than 3ABN?
00:44:08.98\00:44:13.15
Because, Bobby,
what you're saying today
00:44:13.18\00:44:15.35
is I can promise you from
doing thousands of interviews
00:44:15.38\00:44:18.85
is reaching multitudes of people
00:44:18.89\00:44:21.62
who have fears in their life.
00:44:21.66\00:44:23.76
Maybe it's not just
from an alcohol or drugs,
00:44:23.79\00:44:26.96
maybe it's not
from having cancer,
00:44:27.00\00:44:29.06
but other fears
00:44:29.10\00:44:30.93
because we all have
these fears that come,
00:44:30.97\00:44:33.57
but you're saying
that God gave you peace
00:44:33.60\00:44:37.41
in the midst of the storm.
00:44:37.44\00:44:38.91
He didn't take
you out of the storm,
00:44:38.94\00:44:41.51
but He's given you
peace through not a storm,
00:44:41.54\00:44:44.71
but a series of
storm, a number of storms.
00:44:44.75\00:44:47.88
And with that
assurance that you have,
00:44:47.92\00:44:51.22
whatever time you have left
00:44:51.25\00:44:52.69
whether it's one
year or 10 years or 20
00:44:52.72\00:44:55.02
before the Lord comes,
00:44:55.06\00:44:56.86
you're gonna pack
it with all you can
00:44:56.89\00:44:59.06
as well you say
Erma Bombeck said
00:44:59.09\00:45:01.43
and you wanna use it
in service for the Lord.
00:45:01.46\00:45:05.03
It's a great
testimony, isn't it?
00:45:05.07\00:45:06.87
It really is. It really is.
00:45:06.90\00:45:08.30
You know, as I was listening,
I was thinking about the plan,
00:45:08.34\00:45:13.48
God always has a plan for us.
00:45:13.51\00:45:15.98
And even in
your being in Brazil,
00:45:16.01\00:45:19.71
meeting Moses Primo...
00:45:19.75\00:45:21.88
You know, after you
came here. There you go.
00:45:21.92\00:45:23.65
Is that God or is that odd?
00:45:23.69\00:45:25.02
Exactly.
00:45:25.05\00:45:26.39
Is it coincidence
or divine provident
00:45:26.42\00:45:28.59
so as you say.
00:45:28.62\00:45:29.96
And so, you know, again
God is such an awesome God
00:45:29.99\00:45:34.40
because He knew that you
were gonna spiral downward,
00:45:34.43\00:45:38.53
but He took that situation
00:45:38.57\00:45:41.27
and when you gave
your heart to Him,
00:45:41.30\00:45:43.30
took that situation
00:45:43.34\00:45:44.97
and made something
positive come from you.
00:45:45.01\00:45:47.68
You can help others now
00:45:47.71\00:45:49.48
who are in dire need of
that kind of mentorship.
00:45:49.51\00:45:53.52
So it's just to me
God is just awesome.
00:45:53.55\00:45:56.62
I wanna go back to
his parents for a moment.
00:45:56.65\00:46:00.52
It might sound strange.
00:46:00.56\00:46:01.89
Some of us says, you know,
when you ask him the question,
00:46:01.92\00:46:04.66
"Well, how do your parents see?"
00:46:04.69\00:46:06.03
Said, well, they didn't
really say too much about it.
00:46:06.06\00:46:08.46
I think one of the
things we're most guilty
00:46:08.50\00:46:10.87
about when we're disappointed
in our kids is our own pride.
00:46:10.90\00:46:15.94
If you think about it,
say your dad is a pastor,
00:46:15.97\00:46:19.37
he teaches theology,
00:46:19.41\00:46:21.24
and then for his
son to be everything,
00:46:21.28\00:46:24.45
but what he's teaching
and helping young people be.
00:46:24.48\00:46:28.02
Sometimes people is like,
00:46:28.05\00:46:30.15
"Man, that's
embarrassing, that's my son."
00:46:30.19\00:46:32.05
So you come home and you're,
beating you over the head
00:46:32.09\00:46:35.12
because look what this is doing.
00:46:35.16\00:46:37.23
And but your folks
just loved you through it.
00:46:37.26\00:46:38.59
That's right.
00:46:38.63\00:46:39.96
And they said,
00:46:40.00\00:46:41.33
"You know what we're just
gonna love him through it.
00:46:41.36\00:46:42.70
We can't beat it out of him,
we can't force him to do it."
00:46:42.73\00:46:45.63
So I'm not
gonna every night say,
00:46:45.67\00:46:47.50
"Bobby, you gotta stop drinking,
00:46:47.54\00:46:49.07
you shouldn't be doing
this, you shouldn't be that."
00:46:49.10\00:46:51.34
But I will guarantee you,
I'll almost can guarantee you,
00:46:51.37\00:46:54.68
they're about wore out
the carpet off the floors.
00:46:54.71\00:46:56.34
That's what I was gonna say.
00:46:56.38\00:46:57.98
My parents, they
knew there was a problem,
00:46:58.01\00:47:02.52
and they prayed
for me every day.
00:47:02.55\00:47:04.12
My father and mother
00:47:04.15\00:47:05.49
are some of the most
humble people I know.
00:47:05.52\00:47:06.99
In fact, I can honestly
tell you I don't know anybody
00:47:07.02\00:47:08.49
that's so humble than my father.
00:47:08.52\00:47:09.86
They let me stay in their
home one time, you remember?
00:47:09.89\00:47:11.99
There's, I don't
remember that. They do.
00:47:12.03\00:47:13.53
But they're the sweetest people.
00:47:13.56\00:47:15.40
And mom and dad got to the point
00:47:15.43\00:47:18.23
where they realized
that I was in so deep
00:47:18.27\00:47:21.07
that it would take everything
that God could do for me.
00:47:21.10\00:47:24.04
And they realized
that they needed to pray
00:47:24.07\00:47:26.44
for whatever it takes, Lord.
00:47:26.47\00:47:28.64
Do whatever it takes to
him, but please spare his life.
00:47:28.68\00:47:31.25
And they told me
that one time and I said,
00:47:31.28\00:47:33.55
"When did you
start praying that?"
00:47:33.58\00:47:35.38
And when they told
me, I realized that point
00:47:35.42\00:47:37.69
was where my life
literally fell apart,
00:47:37.72\00:47:40.56
that is one of
the bravest prayers
00:47:40.59\00:47:42.19
I think any
parent can never pray.
00:47:42.22\00:47:45.49
Before I knew him actually,
00:47:45.53\00:47:47.96
I was speaking
out on the East Coast
00:47:48.00\00:47:50.23
and Moses Primo told me,
00:47:50.27\00:47:52.03
we're going there, he
said, "I know some folk,
00:47:52.07\00:47:54.37
and they were
gone for the weekend,
00:47:54.40\00:47:56.77
but they're gonna leave the key,
00:47:56.81\00:47:58.31
and you just live in their home.
00:47:58.34\00:47:59.77
It's a real nice home."
00:47:59.81\00:48:01.14
Wow! And I'm like, "What?"
00:48:01.18\00:48:02.51
And he says, "Oh,
no, you can," I said,
00:48:02.54\00:48:04.41
"I don't feel comfortable."
00:48:04.45\00:48:05.78
He said, "No, trust me.
00:48:05.81\00:48:07.15
These folk are
wonderful people."
00:48:07.18\00:48:08.62
And I actually did, I rarely
would do something like that,
00:48:08.65\00:48:11.19
but I thought well,
how nice are these folks,
00:48:11.22\00:48:13.29
you know, to open
up their house to me.
00:48:13.32\00:48:14.66
I didn't hear about it.
00:48:14.69\00:48:16.02
Yeah, and they
weren't there so thank you,
00:48:16.06\00:48:18.63
you know, mom and
dad, that's wonderful.
00:48:18.66\00:48:20.30
You know, what I believe is
00:48:20.33\00:48:21.66
that God doesn't waste anything.
00:48:21.70\00:48:23.03
Right.
00:48:23.06\00:48:24.40
He won't even waste our
tears, our pain, our suffering,
00:48:24.43\00:48:27.00
nothing is wasted.
00:48:27.04\00:48:28.74
He has a way of
turning all those things,
00:48:28.77\00:48:31.44
those disappointments,
those fears, the sadness,
00:48:31.47\00:48:35.24
the agony that we
go through in life,
00:48:35.28\00:48:37.18
whether it's a heartbreak
or an illness or whatever
00:48:37.21\00:48:40.55
and He will turn that around.
00:48:40.58\00:48:42.45
That's who He is.
00:48:42.48\00:48:44.29
And nobody else, no
other God can do that,
00:48:44.32\00:48:47.39
only the God that we
know and that we worship.
00:48:47.42\00:48:49.72
And that gives me great hope
00:48:49.76\00:48:52.76
that even in the
midst of all of this
00:48:52.79\00:48:54.63
I know, I know and this
was one more confirmation,
00:48:54.66\00:48:58.07
I know that He
will turn this around
00:48:58.10\00:48:59.80
and make good out of it.
00:48:59.83\00:49:01.40
And not only has He done that
for me, He's done it for well,
00:49:01.44\00:49:05.77
anybody who surrendered
their life, you know?
00:49:05.81\00:49:08.78
We all reached that point.
00:49:08.81\00:49:10.25
The next thing
that I can see him doing
00:49:10.28\00:49:12.41
and he's gonna
reject it at first,
00:49:12.45\00:49:15.32
I can see him up in the pulpit.
00:49:15.35\00:49:17.09
Oh, boy.
00:49:17.12\00:49:18.45
Going to churches,
00:49:18.49\00:49:19.82
giving his
testimony what God has done.
00:49:19.85\00:49:21.69
Because I know
that's not easy for him
00:49:21.72\00:49:24.66
or at least his comfort spot.
00:49:24.69\00:49:26.09
Now here you can see
he's well prepared to do it
00:49:26.13\00:49:28.36
and can do it,
00:49:28.40\00:49:29.73
but it's just fun watching
00:49:29.76\00:49:31.33
where God's taken you in
places when you always...
00:49:31.37\00:49:34.70
Bobby prefers to be in the back.
00:49:34.74\00:49:36.71
All of a sudden he's out here.
00:49:36.74\00:49:38.87
But hey, God's open up the doors
00:49:38.91\00:49:40.71
and I have a feeling
that you'll be willing to do
00:49:40.74\00:49:43.18
whatever God asked you to do.
00:49:43.21\00:49:45.35
If I'm asked, I'm
willing, of course.
00:49:45.38\00:49:47.58
Because I
believe that, you know,
00:49:47.62\00:49:49.45
if we don't it
will just shrivel up
00:49:49.48\00:49:51.55
and die inside of us.
00:49:51.59\00:49:53.05
It's like good
news can't stay inside.
00:49:53.09\00:49:55.46
Right.
00:49:55.49\00:49:56.83
I sometimes say
this and, I mean,
00:49:56.86\00:49:58.59
this I don't encourage
anybody to play the lottery
00:49:58.63\00:50:02.73
and win billions of dollars.
00:50:02.76\00:50:04.23
But if you ever did,
could you keep quiet about it?
00:50:04.27\00:50:07.77
There's no way. Absolutely.
00:50:07.80\00:50:09.14
This is way better
news than any of that.
00:50:09.17\00:50:11.17
In fact, winning the lottery
is bad news for most people
00:50:11.21\00:50:14.28
because they end
up losing it all.
00:50:14.31\00:50:16.04
But the truth is
when you are lit up
00:50:16.08\00:50:18.28
from the inside
with something to share,
00:50:18.31\00:50:20.95
then there is no
way to keep it inside.
00:50:20.98\00:50:22.58
Years ago, I used
to ask all my guests
00:50:22.62\00:50:24.69
almost every program,
00:50:24.72\00:50:26.09
Bobby, if you had
two minutes to live,
00:50:26.12\00:50:28.29
you could look into this camera
00:50:28.32\00:50:30.33
and talk to a
lost and dying world,
00:50:30.36\00:50:32.26
what would you say?
00:50:32.29\00:50:34.16
Well, I would
say, don't give up.
00:50:34.20\00:50:36.13
God knows where you are,
00:50:36.16\00:50:37.50
that He knows how you got there,
00:50:37.53\00:50:39.60
and He knows how to
get you back on your feet,
00:50:39.63\00:50:41.77
He knows how to save
us each and every one us.
00:50:41.80\00:50:44.51
There's no sin too big,
there's no past too bad.
00:50:44.54\00:50:49.68
In fact, it shows His power,
00:50:49.71\00:50:52.21
the fact that we're willing
to allow Him to do something.
00:50:52.25\00:50:56.18
The farther we have fallen,
00:50:56.22\00:50:57.89
the more
marvelous it is in His eyes.
00:50:57.92\00:51:01.12
Now I don't believe
anybody has fallen in His eyes
00:51:01.16\00:51:04.83
more than anyone else,
00:51:04.86\00:51:06.19
but certainly in
the world's eyes.
00:51:06.23\00:51:07.63
And there are
different stages of despair.
00:51:07.66\00:51:13.74
But the worst stage of despair
is God's greatest opportunity
00:51:13.77\00:51:17.67
to show His power,
00:51:17.71\00:51:19.04
and His love,
and His way of life.
00:51:19.07\00:51:20.41
And that's what I
wanna show to people.
00:51:20.44\00:51:22.31
I want to be an example,
00:51:22.34\00:51:23.68
I've made myself available
00:51:23.71\00:51:25.31
to be an example
to Him of His power,
00:51:25.35\00:51:28.48
and His love,
and His way of life.
00:51:28.52\00:51:30.49
And never give up. Yeah.
00:51:30.52\00:51:32.15
No matter what.
00:51:32.19\00:51:33.99
Bobby is telling us no matter
00:51:34.02\00:51:35.36
where you are
in your life today,
00:51:35.39\00:51:37.23
never give up
00:51:37.26\00:51:38.59
because God has a
plan for your life.
00:51:38.63\00:51:40.30
And He says that in
Jeremiah that you prosper
00:51:40.33\00:51:42.80
that you do well,
that we be in health
00:51:42.83\00:51:44.57
all of these things...
00:51:44.60\00:51:46.30
Mostly the plan is
00:51:46.33\00:51:48.10
that we by putting on
the armor of God studying,
00:51:48.14\00:51:52.24
praying, asking God
to come into our lives
00:51:52.27\00:51:55.34
that it will
protect us from the devil
00:51:55.38\00:51:58.25
so that we are able
00:51:58.28\00:52:00.28
when Jesus comes back
we'll be able to look up
00:52:00.32\00:52:03.18
and say, "Lo, this is our God,
my God, He's come to save us."
00:52:03.22\00:52:06.65
That's right.
00:52:06.69\00:52:08.02
And today that's our prayer
for each and every one of you.
00:52:08.06\00:52:10.79
So, Yvonne, thank
you for being here.
00:52:10.83\00:52:13.70
Oh, thank you for having me.
00:52:13.73\00:52:15.16
And being co-host with me today.
00:52:15.20\00:52:16.53
And, Bobby, thank you so
much for your willingness
00:52:16.56\00:52:19.13
to give a
testimony that is helping
00:52:19.17\00:52:24.37
so many people around the world.
00:52:24.41\00:52:26.84
God has done great things.
00:52:26.88\00:52:28.28
We're gonna take a
break in just a moment.
00:52:28.31\00:52:30.81
We're gonna take a newsbreak,
00:52:30.85\00:52:32.68
but we'll come back
for a closing thought.
00:52:32.71\00:52:34.38