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, friends,
welcome to 3ABN Today.
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My name is John Lomacang,
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I'll be your
host for this program
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and we thank you for
taking the time to tune in
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for very interesting program.
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Now we cover quite
a bit of topics here
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from doctrinal to
Bible, evangelism.
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This program is
about a personal journey.
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And both of our guests today
are going to walk you through
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what the Lord has
done, how He found them,
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where He found them,
where He has lead them,
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and how He continues to lead.
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And so you might be on
their journey yourself.
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I will encourage
you to stay tuned
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for a life changing,
life transforming testimony
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about the power of God
to change and lead a life.
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We always like to
thank you for your prayers
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and your financial
support of this network
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that continues going and growing
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as we are getting ready
for the coming of the Lord.
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And I want to use our
time today most effectively.
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So let me at this time
before we go to the music,
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I'd like you to meet our guests.
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Good to have here,
Wes, since you're so close,
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I could extend my hand to you.
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Thank you. Good to be here.
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Wes Peppers, you know,
when I first heard that name,
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I said, "Is that his last name?"
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But your first name is Wes. Yes.
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And then Peppers. Yes, correct.
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Good to have
you here. Thank you.
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Tell us what you do
and where you are from?
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I currently work in
the Michigan Conference
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as the personal ministries
and evangelism director.
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And prior to
that, I was a pastor
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and then spend some
time in Amazing Facts so...
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Okay.
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So it's a
blessing to be in ministry.
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Yes, and good to
have you back. Thank you.
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And to your right,
you have wonderful lady
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who I like to
introduce her right now.
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Tell us who you are?
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I'm Marion Peppers. Okay.
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And I get to be
support to this wonderful man.
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And I'm also a stay-home-mom
with two beautiful children
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and that keeps me pretty busy.
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Wow, you know, I
was saying of the air,
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she's a domestic
engineer. That's right.
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And why should really
be paid something for doing
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such a wonderful job
in raising the family.
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Good to have you here today.
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And it's good
that your wife is here
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because
testimonies are most effective
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when both of you can walk
through the journey together
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and I'm looking
forward to the testimony.
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But as Marion is here, Marion
also pre-tapes some music,
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she is not just a stay-home-mom,
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she is a minister of music.
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And we're gonna be blessed
by one of her songs entitled
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"The Lord's prayer."
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After the song, we'll come back
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and begin a walk
through their journey.
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I heard the voice of Jesus say
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Come unto Me and rest
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Lay down, thou
weary one, lay down
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Thy head upon My breast
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I came to Jesus as I was
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Weary and worn and sad
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I found in Him a resting-place
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And He has made me glad
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I heard the voice of Jesus say
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Behold, I freely give
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The living water, thirsty one
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Stoop down and drink and live
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I came to Jesus, and I drank
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Of that life-giving stream
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My thirst was
quenched, my soul revived
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And now I live in Him
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I heard the voice of Jesus say
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I am this dark world's Light
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Look unto Me,
thy morn shall rise
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And all thy days be bright
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I looked to Jesus, and I found
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In Him my Star, my Sun
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And in that
Light of Life I'll walk
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Till traveling days are done
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Till traveling days are done
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Thank you so much for that
song and since you are here,
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thank you, Marion,
for that wonderful song,
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"The Lord's prayer."
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And thank you for the
way that you communicated
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for the glory of God.
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We want to dive
right into the story.
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And, Wes, as we've kind
of looked at your journey,
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your journey is
very interesting.
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And people have
interesting journeys
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but we'd like to
begin with yours.
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Take us to the beginning
wherever you like to start.
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Sure.
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I did not grow up in the church.
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I know many
people have that blessing
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but my parents
were not Christians.
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And they did the very best
that they could but growing up,
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you know, we didn't go to church
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but my parents were good people,
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they were moral people.
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And, you know, my
last name being Peppers
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and when I had
hair, I had fire red hair.
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Okay.
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And so with
those two combinations,
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I kind of got the blunt
end of the jokes in school
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and what not but I was always
the biggest kid in my class
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so that was a blessing.
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But growing up, I often
went with my grandparents
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quite a bit,
they went to church.
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And my one set of grandparents
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were actually in a
gospel singing group.
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So I used to
travel around with them
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in the summer and whatnot.
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As I got in the high school,
I started to play football
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and I became a very
talented football player.
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In fact, I had a lot of
awards, I was all state,
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I was all county, all area.
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And in my freshman year...
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What position did you play?
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I played offensive
guard and defense event.
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And my freshman year,
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I think we have a
picture of that there,
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but I weighed about 200 pounds
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and I was the
biggest kid in my class.
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And by the time I was
a senior in high school,
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I weighed about 260 pounds,
and we have a picture as well.
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But I... Now you look like...
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You had some
authority in that picture there.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And I still hold the
school weightlifting record.
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I was bench
pressing about 450 pounds,
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squatting over 700 pounds.
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Wow! And now he
is paying for it.
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And now I pay for
it 'cause, you know,
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it causes all
kinds of pain in the neck
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and all kinds of other places.
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But by the time I was a
senior, I was being recruited
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by a number of
universities and various things,
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but there were two
things in my senior year
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that really made the difference
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in my life to begin me
on this journey towards God.
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Yes.
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The very first thing
was that I had a knee injury
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and, you know, I
was big time star,
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everybody knew me.
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I, you know, just had been
the very best football player
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in the history of the school.
00:09:08.58\00:09:10.25
And in my senior year,
we were playing the largest,
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our biggest rival.
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And about
halfway through the game,
00:09:16.32\00:09:18.52
there was a number
of college recruits
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that were or college people
that were recruiting there,
00:09:20.59\00:09:24.83
and they were watching me,
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and they were gonna give
me a college scholarship.
00:09:26.23\00:09:28.30
Well, just before halftime,
I actually tore my knee out
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and had to have surgery
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and that kind of ended my
high school football career.
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I still ended up
playing college football.
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I played for a
couple of years there,
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and I think I have
a picture of my team,
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it was in near St. Louis.
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And I regained, I
continued to work hard
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and ultimately got larger again,
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very strong up to
about 260 pounds again.
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And I was not a very
nice person in those days.
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So this is
college or high school?
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This is college
right here. Yeah.
00:10:01.86\00:10:03.67
So this was after I
recovered from a knee injury
00:10:03.70\00:10:06.80
and that set me back,
you know, I remember sitting
00:10:06.84\00:10:10.01
in the doctor's office with...
00:10:10.04\00:10:12.97
I had an MRI of my knee,
he was awaiting the results.
00:10:13.01\00:10:17.88
And I remember
praying this prayer I said,
00:10:17.91\00:10:19.61
"God, if you care
about me, please let me
00:10:19.65\00:10:22.48
continue to play football,
don't let me be finished."
00:10:22.52\00:10:25.79
Literally about
10 seconds later,
00:10:25.82\00:10:27.56
he came into the room and said,
00:10:27.59\00:10:29.62
"I'm sorry but
your knee is finished
00:10:29.66\00:10:31.73
and you're done for this year."
00:10:31.76\00:10:33.70
And so that kind of began
00:10:33.73\00:10:35.26
this journey for me into atheism
00:10:35.30\00:10:37.57
because I said,
"Well, I prayed that prayer,
00:10:37.60\00:10:39.33
if God cares
about me then, you know,
00:10:39.37\00:10:41.77
He'll let me
continue to play football."
00:10:41.80\00:10:43.30
Of course, that was
very selfish prayer...
00:10:43.34\00:10:44.97
Right.
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And I knew God had
something else in mind.
00:10:46.37\00:10:48.01
Hindsight. Exactly.
00:10:48.04\00:10:49.58
It was his heart to
connect the dots going forward.
00:10:49.61\00:10:51.41
That's right, that's right.
00:10:51.45\00:10:53.08
So I ended up playing
two years of college football
00:10:53.11\00:10:55.78
but the other thing before that
was that my parents divorced
00:10:55.82\00:10:59.59
when I was 17 years old.
00:10:59.62\00:11:01.59
And my dad decided after
almost 20 years of marriage
00:11:01.62\00:11:05.69
that he was gonna leave my mom
00:11:05.73\00:11:07.80
and he went off and
kind of did his own thing.
00:11:07.83\00:11:10.77
But one day I came home
00:11:10.80\00:11:13.90
and my mother had
been a different person
00:11:13.94\00:11:16.17
for a long time, it
really devastated her.
00:11:16.20\00:11:18.97
But I came home one
day and actually found her
00:11:19.01\00:11:21.11
lying on the couch.
00:11:21.14\00:11:22.71
And when I spoke to
her, her speech was slurred.
00:11:22.74\00:11:26.01
So I wasn't sure, you know,
00:11:26.05\00:11:28.02
I was 16 going
on 17 at the time.
00:11:28.05\00:11:31.35
And I called my grandparents
00:11:31.39\00:11:33.56
and they told me to
call an ambulance, so I did.
00:11:33.59\00:11:36.19
And it turns out that my
mom had attempted suicide.
00:11:36.22\00:11:39.29
She took numerous sleeping pills
00:11:39.33\00:11:43.06
and was just
wanting to go to sleep
00:11:43.10\00:11:44.97
and never wake up. Wow!
00:11:45.00\00:11:46.60
And so that really impacted me
00:11:46.63\00:11:49.40
and I came to
the place in my life
00:11:49.44\00:11:51.64
where I just thought, you
know, I just don't need anyone,
00:11:51.67\00:11:55.88
I'm just going
to do my own thing,
00:11:55.91\00:11:58.01
I can't depend on anyone.
00:11:58.05\00:12:00.05
I was a very
nasty person. I was...
00:12:00.08\00:12:02.05
Were you an angry
person? A very angry.
00:12:02.08\00:12:04.32
And, you know, I
had a younger sister
00:12:04.35\00:12:06.86
that would often take it out
on and it was very unfortunate.
00:12:06.89\00:12:10.79
But thankfully as she got older,
00:12:10.83\00:12:12.53
she forgave me,
and she's actually
00:12:12.56\00:12:13.90
now in the church as well,
she's a Sabbath school teacher.
00:12:13.93\00:12:17.17
And so the Lord with
that time began working on me
00:12:17.20\00:12:21.67
but I was resisting and
I didn't even have any idea
00:12:21.70\00:12:24.14
he was speaking to me.
00:12:24.17\00:12:26.01
So very angry, I
hated Christians,
00:12:26.04\00:12:28.38
I hated Christianity.
00:12:28.41\00:12:30.08
People would come to me
and try to talk to me about God
00:12:30.11\00:12:32.98
and I would just push them away,
00:12:33.01\00:12:34.98
and sometimes even
send them away in tears.
00:12:35.02\00:12:38.09
And so I just
decided I didn't want
00:12:38.12\00:12:40.42
to deal with anyone, I
was gonna get a good job,
00:12:40.46\00:12:44.56
I was gonna make lots of money,
00:12:44.59\00:12:46.46
and I was gonna
live my life any way
00:12:46.49\00:12:48.63
that I wanted to kind
of like Solomon, you know.
00:12:48.66\00:12:50.77
He said, "Anything
that my heart wanted to do
00:12:50.80\00:12:53.37
that's what I did."
00:12:53.40\00:12:54.94
And so that was my experience,
00:12:54.97\00:12:56.74
you know, I
started doing alcohol.
00:12:56.77\00:12:59.21
Even in high school,
I was drinking alcohol.
00:12:59.24\00:13:01.64
But a lot of this was to
mask your anger and your pain...
00:13:01.68\00:13:04.41
Because your
home is falling apart.
00:13:04.45\00:13:06.48
And I could imagine
being on the football field,
00:13:06.51\00:13:08.22
I could see the other guy
in front of you, you thought,
00:13:08.25\00:13:09.92
"Okay, he's really gonna
get it today 'cause I'm upset.
00:13:09.95\00:13:12.65
That's right.
00:13:12.69\00:13:14.02
I would take it out
on, even my own teammates.
00:13:14.06\00:13:16.56
And so I was not a
very well liked person.
00:13:16.59\00:13:19.26
Even though people
feared me and respected me,
00:13:19.29\00:13:21.93
I was not a friend
to very many people.
00:13:21.96\00:13:25.67
So I started drinking
even in 9th and 10th grade
00:13:25.70\00:13:28.97
because I was so
good on the football team,
00:13:29.00\00:13:30.97
a lot of the other guys
would invite me to go with them
00:13:31.01\00:13:34.01
on the weekends to
drink and all those things.
00:13:34.04\00:13:36.24
And my coach
actually sat me down and said,
00:13:36.28\00:13:39.15
"Look, if you
don't change your course,
00:13:39.18\00:13:42.78
you're not gonna have a chance
to play college football."
00:13:42.82\00:13:45.72
I mean, I even became
known as the school drunkard.
00:13:45.75\00:13:48.29
And so... Wow!
00:13:48.32\00:13:49.66
An amazing thing though is that
00:13:49.69\00:13:51.13
even though I
had all this success,
00:13:51.16\00:13:53.33
I was one of the top
students in my class as well.
00:13:53.36\00:13:56.23
Even though I
had all the success,
00:13:56.26\00:13:57.70
my life was still empty.
00:13:57.73\00:14:00.00
And there was something missing
00:14:00.04\00:14:01.90
and I wasn't sure
what it was at that time.
00:14:01.94\00:14:04.54
So I tried to fill that
void with all these things
00:14:04.57\00:14:07.14
and there was a
lots of addictions
00:14:07.18\00:14:08.51
that I had I could
go into but I won't.
00:14:08.54\00:14:10.18
But all kinds of things
that a person was trying
00:14:10.21\00:14:14.58
to just be satisfied with,
00:14:14.62\00:14:17.32
and of course I
didn't know it then
00:14:17.35\00:14:19.25
but it was only Christ
00:14:19.29\00:14:20.62
that could bring
satisfaction to the soul.
00:14:20.66\00:14:22.06
You know, while
you're on this journey,
00:14:22.09\00:14:23.43
meanwhile the Lord,
00:14:23.46\00:14:24.79
and the answer to
your prayer when you said,
00:14:24.83\00:14:26.59
"Lord, if you want me to
play, please heal my knee."
00:14:26.63\00:14:30.03
He didn't want you
00:14:30.07\00:14:31.40
because He had a
different journey.
00:14:31.43\00:14:32.77
And, you know,
sometimes people are...
00:14:32.80\00:14:35.00
They don't know that
God's journey is far greater
00:14:35.04\00:14:38.04
than even anything you
can anticipate or orchestrate.
00:14:38.07\00:14:41.14
And you didn't know He had
a future for you in ministry,
00:14:41.18\00:14:43.61
you didn't know He had
a wife waiting for you,
00:14:43.65\00:14:45.91
you didn't know
anything that was going on
00:14:45.95\00:14:47.45
but here you are
00:14:47.48\00:14:48.82
and that's why I
said, a moment ago,
00:14:48.85\00:14:50.19
you cannot connect
the dots going forward.
00:14:50.22\00:14:52.02
The hindsight is
always 20-20. That's right.
00:14:52.05\00:14:54.26
And so meanwhile,
now you are at 17.
00:14:54.29\00:14:56.69
Yes.
00:14:56.73\00:14:58.06
Eighteen years old, were you
living in Alabama at the time?
00:14:58.09\00:15:00.00
Just kind of tell
our viewers and listeners
00:15:00.03\00:15:02.93
what your background is
'cause I don't want to leave.
00:15:02.96\00:15:04.73
You know, we often joke that
00:15:04.77\00:15:07.37
if we had known
each other back then,
00:15:07.40\00:15:08.74
we would never
have gotten married.
00:15:08.77\00:15:11.34
But I was raised in a
very different home obviously
00:15:11.37\00:15:14.31
and I was a good little
Christian girl on the outside.
00:15:14.34\00:15:18.98
And but I went
through my own journey too,
00:15:19.01\00:15:20.88
and had to realize that
I couldn't come to the Lord
00:15:20.92\00:15:24.89
based on my parents' conversion,
00:15:24.92\00:15:26.72
I had to find my own way.
00:15:26.76\00:15:28.29
And so when I was about
18, 17, 18, I decided to go
00:15:28.32\00:15:34.20
to the Amazing Facts
College of Evangelism.
00:15:34.23\00:15:37.13
And so our
journey kind of meets up
00:15:37.17\00:15:39.47
a little bit after
what he went through
00:15:39.50\00:15:41.20
but around that time
00:15:41.24\00:15:43.00
as I was
getting into evangelism,
00:15:43.04\00:15:46.24
I started doing some Bible work.
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.08
He was going
through his own journey
00:15:48.11\00:15:49.84
and coming to the Lord.
00:15:49.88\00:15:51.21
And God worked it out
00:15:51.25\00:15:53.92
but he worked it
out in his timing.
00:15:53.95\00:15:56.05
That's right, that's right.
It's amazing, so continue.
00:15:56.08\00:15:59.22
So when I was 22
years old, you know, I...
00:15:59.25\00:16:02.49
And by this time
you hadn't met yet?
00:16:02.52\00:16:03.86
No. Have not met yet, no.
00:16:03.89\00:16:05.23
Okay, just for
the record. Yes. Yes.
00:16:05.26\00:16:06.66
And I had gone to
public school all my life.
00:16:06.70\00:16:09.73
So I was from elementary school
all the way through university.
00:16:09.76\00:16:12.97
So when I was 22, I
was at a public university
00:16:13.00\00:16:16.34
and I was actually
studying geoarchaeology
00:16:16.37\00:16:19.37
and which has high
levels of evolution
00:16:19.41\00:16:22.44
and those kinds of
classes, anthropology,
00:16:22.48\00:16:25.28
and I had all those courses.
00:16:25.31\00:16:27.15
And when I was also in school,
I began to read some literature
00:16:27.18\00:16:32.15
or some letters
that have been written
00:16:32.19\00:16:33.96
between two parties
and one was expressing
00:16:33.99\00:16:36.96
why they believed in God,
00:16:36.99\00:16:38.33
it was actually Thomas
Paine and Thomas Jefferson.
00:16:38.36\00:16:40.26
Okay.
00:16:40.30\00:16:41.63
And why Thomas
Jefferson believed in God
00:16:41.66\00:16:43.70
and why Thomas Paine did not?
00:16:43.73\00:16:46.00
And as I read those letters,
00:16:46.03\00:16:47.47
I felt very drawn to
Thomas Paine's reasons
00:16:47.50\00:16:51.57
why he didn't believe in God
00:16:51.61\00:16:53.21
that Jesus never left
the written record of himself
00:16:53.24\00:16:55.34
and there's
just number of things
00:16:55.38\00:16:56.71
that he gave us evidence.
00:16:56.75\00:16:58.75
And so between my
experience in football,
00:16:58.78\00:17:02.78
and also with my parents,
and just the anger that I felt
00:17:02.82\00:17:07.09
and those
influences, plus the evolution,
00:17:07.12\00:17:10.49
I decided that I
was gonna be an atheist.
00:17:10.53\00:17:12.99
And so I lived my life that way
for a little over three years.
00:17:13.03\00:17:16.90
And when I say
atheists, I was hardcore.
00:17:16.93\00:17:20.04
I mean, I was like
openly blasting Christians
00:17:20.07\00:17:24.51
and Christianity in the Bible
00:17:24.54\00:17:26.44
and I just hated
the concept of a God.
00:17:26.47\00:17:30.25
So if somebody
said, "God exist."
00:17:30.28\00:17:32.11
What would you
have said at the time?
00:17:32.15\00:17:34.05
I would have given them
all the reasons he didn't,
00:17:34.08\00:17:36.89
and I would have
attacked Christianity
00:17:36.92\00:17:39.29
and told them
the Bible is nothing
00:17:39.32\00:17:40.69
but a book of fairytales.
00:17:40.72\00:17:42.06
In fact, when my own mother
00:17:42.09\00:17:44.33
had that experience
of committing suicide,
00:17:44.36\00:17:46.59
she had friends and
coworkers that she worked with
00:17:46.63\00:17:48.83
who tried to actually
get her to go to church.
00:17:48.86\00:17:51.33
And I tried to
persuade my own mother
00:17:51.37\00:17:55.00
that God didn't exist
00:17:55.04\00:17:56.50
and she should not get herself
wrapped up in such foolishness.
00:17:56.54\00:17:59.01
In other words,
I don't accept him
00:17:59.04\00:18:00.38
so would neither should you.
00:18:00.41\00:18:01.74
That's right, that's right.
00:18:01.78\00:18:03.11
I said, "There is
no intelligent reason
00:18:03.14\00:18:04.58
why God exist,"
00:18:04.61\00:18:06.11
of course, I know
the opposite is true now.
00:18:06.15\00:18:08.45
But so when I
made that decision,
00:18:08.48\00:18:11.05
you know, I just
kind of cut loose
00:18:11.09\00:18:12.82
and I was
addicted to pornography,
00:18:12.85\00:18:15.12
I was addicted to women,
00:18:15.16\00:18:17.76
I was addicted to
cigarettes, and tobacco, and...
00:18:17.79\00:18:21.16
You spent all out.
Alcohol everything.
00:18:21.20\00:18:24.00
And just whatever I
wanted to do is what I did
00:18:24.03\00:18:27.04
but I found no
peace in those things.
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.07
I found no joy.
00:18:29.10\00:18:31.31
You find a lot of
pleasure, momentary pleasure
00:18:31.34\00:18:33.48
but then you have to come home
look at yourself in the mirror
00:18:33.51\00:18:36.21
and see that those things
00:18:36.24\00:18:37.58
did not provide
the joy that you want.
00:18:37.61\00:18:39.21
Like a football
player where the goal
00:18:39.25\00:18:40.82
just keep moving further
and further away from you.
00:18:40.85\00:18:42.55
I'm running but I just
can't get a touchdown in life.
00:18:42.58\00:18:45.49
Exactly.
00:18:45.52\00:18:46.86
So I became a heavy alcoholic,
00:18:46.89\00:18:49.02
you know, there were
times that I would drink upwards
00:18:49.06\00:18:50.69
of a case of beer a day.
00:18:50.73\00:18:53.09
And my life was
just spiraling downward
00:18:53.13\00:18:56.16
and I had no
control over myself.
00:18:56.20\00:18:59.23
And so finally I realized that
00:18:59.27\00:19:03.67
there was no purpose
in life that I could see.
00:19:03.71\00:19:06.21
And so I thought to myself,
00:19:06.24\00:19:07.88
"Why don't you
just commit suicide?"
00:19:07.91\00:19:10.25
And so the reason I
didn't do it that day
00:19:10.28\00:19:13.88
is because I want to think about
00:19:13.92\00:19:15.98
and plan it so I
could do it in such a way
00:19:16.02\00:19:18.22
that my family would
feel responsible for my death.
00:19:18.25\00:19:22.72
Wow! You know, my father...
00:19:22.76\00:19:24.26
I really hated my father
at that time, I didn't want...
00:19:24.29\00:19:28.13
Because he did
eventually leave your mom?
00:19:28.16\00:19:29.56
Yeah, he did leave my mom.
00:19:29.60\00:19:31.00
And there were a
number of other things
00:19:31.03\00:19:33.70
that happened between him and I
00:19:33.74\00:19:35.24
and just caused me to
really have resentment
00:19:35.27\00:19:38.27
and bitterness towards him.
00:19:38.31\00:19:39.77
And so I, you know,
00:19:39.81\00:19:41.68
I just had no
satisfaction in life
00:19:41.71\00:19:45.01
and I was thinking about suicide
00:19:45.05\00:19:46.38
but I wanted them
to be responsible.
00:19:46.41\00:19:48.32
But at the same time
the most amazing thing
00:19:48.35\00:19:50.39
was happening is
that I didn't hear a voice
00:19:50.42\00:19:53.76
but there was a thought
that kept coming to my mind,
00:19:53.79\00:19:56.89
"Why don't you study the Bible?
Why don't you study the Bible?"
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.46
While you're an
atheist. While I was an atheist.
00:19:59.49\00:20:02.00
And the first time I
thought that thought...
00:20:02.03\00:20:04.07
I thought to myself why
would I even think that,
00:20:04.10\00:20:07.00
you know, I don't
believe in the Bible,
00:20:07.04\00:20:08.47
I don't have anything,
any interest in the Bible.
00:20:08.50\00:20:11.47
But the thought
kept growing stronger.
00:20:11.51\00:20:13.78
And so finally, I
yielded to that thought,
00:20:13.81\00:20:16.44
I said, "All right,
I'm gonna study the Bible,
00:20:16.48\00:20:18.18
I'm gonna prove..."
00:20:18.21\00:20:19.55
Strengthen my
argument. That's right.
00:20:19.58\00:20:20.92
I'm gonna prove that it's false.
00:20:20.95\00:20:22.48
And then I'm
going to commit suicide,
00:20:22.52\00:20:24.92
prove there is no
God, the Bible is rubbish,
00:20:24.95\00:20:27.09
and then I'm gonna kill myself.
00:20:27.12\00:20:29.02
Well, it's very funny
because at the same time
00:20:29.06\00:20:31.16
my uncle who was the only
00:20:31.19\00:20:33.86
Seventh-day
Adventist in my family...
00:20:33.90\00:20:35.33
Wow!
00:20:35.36\00:20:36.70
Who had come into the church
00:20:36.73\00:20:38.40
also from being not
an Adventist previously,
00:20:38.43\00:20:41.60
gave me a set of Amazing
Facts Bible study guides.
00:20:41.64\00:20:44.64
Wow!
00:20:44.67\00:20:46.01
And so I took those study guides
00:20:46.04\00:20:47.38
to my college apartment,
00:20:47.41\00:20:49.14
22 years old and I
began to study the Bible.
00:20:49.18\00:20:51.98
My biggest reservation was that
00:20:52.01\00:20:56.05
I didn't think
it could be trusted.
00:20:56.08\00:20:57.99
But when I started
to study the prophecies,
00:20:58.02\00:21:00.49
Daniel and Revelation,
it gave me more evidence
00:21:00.52\00:21:03.86
than I could have ever imagined
that the Bible was true.
00:21:03.89\00:21:07.20
Then I started
researching archeology
00:21:07.23\00:21:09.16
and many other things,
and my conformation came,
00:21:09.20\00:21:13.80
really it came to a
crossroads and I said,
00:21:13.84\00:21:16.04
"I mean, they're gonna
have to realize that it's true
00:21:16.07\00:21:19.01
or then I'm gonna
have to reject it,"
00:21:19.04\00:21:20.51
but my heart
knew that it was true.
00:21:20.54\00:21:22.64
You know, it's
amazing, you talk about prophecy
00:21:22.68\00:21:24.21
and as a pastor's
daughter, your dad is preaching,
00:21:24.25\00:21:27.62
you know about these
things which you already
00:21:27.65\00:21:29.25
in your own
spiritual journey at this time
00:21:29.28\00:21:31.25
that he is still going
through his discovery journey.
00:21:31.29\00:21:34.52
Prophecy and I
want to just put this,
00:21:34.56\00:21:37.66
pin the tail on this donkey.
00:21:37.69\00:21:39.66
Prophecy always opens
our eyes to the reality
00:21:39.69\00:21:43.20
that there is no
way that these things
00:21:43.23\00:21:44.97
could be
prognosticated or predicted
00:21:45.00\00:21:47.10
and come to pass
with such accuracy.
00:21:47.14\00:21:49.37
Absolutely.
00:21:49.40\00:21:50.74
And before told,
before it happens,
00:21:50.77\00:21:52.11
unless somebody said it
and there has to be some...
00:21:52.14\00:21:56.48
You know, I
remember one person said,
00:21:56.51\00:21:59.71
"There's got to
be some higher power
00:21:59.75\00:22:01.15
in this picture here
00:22:01.18\00:22:02.85
because how could
this possibly happen?"
00:22:02.88\00:22:04.55
They didn't want
to go to the point
00:22:04.59\00:22:05.92
where they actually said God,
00:22:05.95\00:22:07.36
but they knew that
somebody is behind this.
00:22:07.39\00:22:09.29
That's right. Did
that happen to you?
00:22:09.32\00:22:10.73
Exact same thing happened to me.
00:22:10.76\00:22:12.43
I just realized that how
could a mere man foretell,
00:22:12.46\00:22:16.30
you know, over 2000
years of world history,
00:22:16.33\00:22:18.23
you know, I'm
talking about Daniel and John
00:22:18.27\00:22:20.30
with 100% accuracy
00:22:20.34\00:22:22.37
and there is no
explanation for it
00:22:22.40\00:22:24.24
except that there had to be
00:22:24.27\00:22:25.94
God guiding the
course of this world.
00:22:25.97\00:22:28.04
Right.
00:22:28.08\00:22:29.41
And that conviction
settled in my heart,
00:22:29.44\00:22:31.11
I even went to my
atheist professors
00:22:31.15\00:22:33.85
and they didn't
have an answer for me.
00:22:33.88\00:22:35.92
And so at the same time,
00:22:35.95\00:22:37.32
I started seeing
all the loopholes
00:22:37.35\00:22:39.15
and all the
problems with evolution.
00:22:39.19\00:22:42.59
And so my conviction deepened
that the Bible was true,
00:22:42.62\00:22:45.46
but I still had
not at that point
00:22:45.49\00:22:47.46
surrendered my
life to Christ. Right.
00:22:47.50\00:22:49.43
But I remember the
day that that happened,
00:22:49.46\00:22:51.10
I was in my college apartment
00:22:51.13\00:22:53.74
and there was
this overwhelming sense
00:22:53.77\00:22:56.10
that God was near.
00:22:56.14\00:22:58.74
And I read this verse, I
thought about all the things
00:22:58.77\00:23:02.11
I had done in my
life and I thought,
00:23:02.14\00:23:04.15
"How could God accept me?"
00:23:04.18\00:23:06.11
But the study guide was
talking about the love of God
00:23:06.15\00:23:09.72
and the grace of Christ,
00:23:09.75\00:23:11.62
and the joy that He
wants to bring to our lives,
00:23:11.65\00:23:13.79
and how He wants to cleanse us.
00:23:13.82\00:23:16.02
And I had never
really had that experience,
00:23:16.06\00:23:18.66
I know I had an end.
00:23:18.69\00:23:20.36
And I just thought could
God really do that for me.
00:23:20.40\00:23:23.40
And then I came across
this verse in John 6:37,
00:23:23.43\00:23:27.64
beautiful passage and it says,
"All that the Father gives me,
00:23:27.67\00:23:31.47
will come to me and
the one who comes to me,
00:23:31.51\00:23:34.51
I will by no means cast out."
00:23:34.54\00:23:37.55
And that verse
sunk deep into my heart,
00:23:37.58\00:23:39.78
I realized that if I
would just come to Jesus
00:23:39.81\00:23:42.38
as a child with simple faith,
00:23:42.42\00:23:45.62
He would receive me
'cause He cannot lie.
00:23:45.65\00:23:48.19
And at that time, I broke
and the tears began to flow
00:23:48.22\00:23:51.99
and my heart just began to melt
00:23:52.03\00:23:54.73
and it was that
time I said Lord,
00:23:54.76\00:23:56.53
I choose you if
you'll have me. Amen.
00:23:56.56\00:23:58.93
And there wasn't
a light in the room,
00:23:58.97\00:24:00.47
or a flash, or anything.
00:24:00.50\00:24:01.84
But I sensed a
peace filled my heart
00:24:01.87\00:24:04.04
and away I
lifted off my shoulder
00:24:04.07\00:24:05.74
kind of like Christian
in the Pilgrim's Progress,
00:24:05.77\00:24:07.48
you know. Okay.
00:24:07.51\00:24:08.84
That weight
just came off of sin.
00:24:08.88\00:24:11.51
And I knew I had
found the savior.
00:24:11.55\00:24:13.01
But you just
made a touchdown, yes!
00:24:13.05\00:24:14.78
Yes, that was the
ultimate touchdown.
00:24:14.82\00:24:16.72
I finally reached the goal line.
00:24:16.75\00:24:19.02
And all this journey, you
know, the amazing thing about
00:24:19.05\00:24:21.72
the journey is
that many people are on
00:24:21.76\00:24:23.73
is they are going
towards something.
00:24:23.76\00:24:25.79
And the farther
away they are from God,
00:24:25.83\00:24:28.13
the farther away the
goal line gets from them.
00:24:28.16\00:24:30.67
It's a journey
of non-satisfaction.
00:24:30.70\00:24:32.93
But it's a constant pursual
00:24:32.97\00:24:34.80
and I'm glad you
mentioned that, all the...
00:24:34.84\00:24:36.40
I've often said everything
that we fill our lives
00:24:36.44\00:24:38.74
whether it's
alcohol, pornography,
00:24:38.77\00:24:40.88
drugs,
cigarettes, women, stealing,
00:24:40.91\00:24:44.38
whatever the vice is,
it's an attempt to fill a void
00:24:44.41\00:24:47.22
that only God can
fill. That's right.
00:24:47.25\00:24:48.95
But now you got to take us
00:24:48.98\00:24:50.32
through the
transitions in your life
00:24:50.35\00:24:51.69
because you had some challenges,
00:24:51.72\00:24:53.05
some health
challenges also along the way.
00:24:53.09\00:24:54.42
That's right. That kind of a...
00:24:54.46\00:24:55.79
But then prior to
that... Did you meet Marion?
00:24:55.82\00:24:59.93
Yes, we did. Okay.
00:24:59.96\00:25:01.30
We did. May be
you should tell that.
00:25:01.33\00:25:02.66
Yeah, tell that story.
00:25:02.70\00:25:04.03
Well, I'll
leave some things out,
00:25:04.07\00:25:05.40
I don't want to
embarrass him too much.
00:25:05.43\00:25:08.44
But so I guess, you
had been in the church
00:25:08.47\00:25:12.04
for about a year when we met.
00:25:12.07\00:25:14.08
And we met, it's
kind of a long story,
00:25:14.11\00:25:16.28
I won't go into all the details
00:25:16.31\00:25:17.71
but he actually
was living in Alabama
00:25:17.75\00:25:20.22
and I was a Bible worker
in California at the time.
00:25:20.25\00:25:23.15
And he started to attend...
00:25:23.18\00:25:24.99
My father used to
minister his church,
00:25:25.02\00:25:27.69
which was a new
church, they were church plant,
00:25:27.72\00:25:29.82
they were very
excited into evangelism.
00:25:29.86\00:25:32.69
And unbeknownst to me,
00:25:32.73\00:25:35.10
my parents fell in love with him
00:25:35.13\00:25:36.97
and they started
secretly praying that
00:25:37.00\00:25:38.73
when I came back home,
00:25:38.77\00:25:40.10
I would fall in
love with him too.
00:25:40.14\00:25:41.47
So, of course, if
they had told me that
00:25:41.50\00:25:42.84
I probably would have
run the other direction.
00:25:42.87\00:25:44.64
She did anyway.
00:25:44.67\00:25:46.54
No, no, but so I
always tell people
00:25:46.57\00:25:50.15
that it was an
arranged marriage, my...
00:25:50.18\00:25:52.11
In America.
00:25:52.15\00:25:53.48
Arranged with God
for us to be married
00:25:53.52\00:25:55.78
but I did indeed
come back to Alabama.
00:25:55.82\00:25:59.15
And we met and we
really just became friends.
00:25:59.19\00:26:02.46
But I think the
whole church was in on it.
00:26:02.49\00:26:04.23
Because we'd go on these
walks, and we look around,
00:26:04.26\00:26:06.16
and everybody would be gone.
00:26:06.19\00:26:07.70
And so we had a
lot of chance to talk
00:26:07.73\00:26:09.86
and we found out that,
00:26:09.90\00:26:11.63
you know, even
though he hadn't been
00:26:11.67\00:26:13.27
in the church for very long,
00:26:13.30\00:26:14.64
the Lord had
really worked in his life
00:26:14.67\00:26:16.87
mightily in a short time.
00:26:16.91\00:26:19.57
And he had been able to
spend a lot of time in prayer,
00:26:19.61\00:26:21.44
and Bible study,
and it was amazing
00:26:21.48\00:26:23.95
that our goals
weres very similar,
00:26:23.98\00:26:25.71
and that he
wanted to do ministry,
00:26:25.75\00:26:28.12
and I wanted to do
ministry, and we just felt
00:26:28.15\00:26:30.92
the Lord was
calling us together,
00:26:30.95\00:26:32.39
to do it together. Right.
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.06
And around that time I
know, he started asking me
00:26:34.09\00:26:37.03
if I had ever heard of
this place called AFCOE.
00:26:37.06\00:26:39.89
Amazing Fact
Center of Evangelism
00:26:39.93\00:26:41.70
and I said well, I
just finished working there,
00:26:41.73\00:26:43.80
I was a Bible worker there.
00:26:43.83\00:26:45.60
And so I was able
to recommend it to him
00:26:45.63\00:26:48.44
and he ended up actually
being a student at AFCOE.
00:26:48.47\00:26:52.74
At the same time I was
Bible working for that class.
00:26:52.77\00:26:55.18
Had you been married yet?
00:26:55.21\00:26:56.54
We were dating
at that time. Okay.
00:26:56.58\00:26:57.91
So we had to get
special permission...
00:26:57.95\00:26:59.31
You know, to... Right.
00:26:59.35\00:27:01.32
But it was very good
00:27:01.35\00:27:03.12
because we were
able to see each other
00:27:03.15\00:27:04.69
and doing ministry
together before we were married.
00:27:04.72\00:27:08.56
And that's kind
of how it happened.
00:27:08.59\00:27:10.46
The Lord just
brought us together
00:27:10.49\00:27:11.83
and we have been
working for the Lord ever since.
00:27:11.86\00:27:13.50
Wow, and you got to
tell us about the question,
00:27:13.53\00:27:15.66
I mean, "Will you marry me."
00:27:15.70\00:27:17.03
Yeah, she proposed to me
00:27:17.07\00:27:18.40
a few years later, just kidding.
00:27:18.43\00:27:20.20
Not exactly.
That's not far fetched.
00:27:20.24\00:27:22.34
Yeah, the Lord let us to do that
00:27:22.37\00:27:23.71
and it was a blessing, it
was a wonderful experience
00:27:23.74\00:27:26.61
and tell you I wouldn't
be doing half the ministry
00:27:26.64\00:27:30.58
if the Lord has led me to
if it hadn't been for her.
00:27:30.61\00:27:32.75
Yeah, I feel the
same about my wife.
00:27:32.78\00:27:34.78
I understand, God...
00:27:34.82\00:27:37.29
As my good pastor
who is resting in Jesus
00:27:37.32\00:27:39.29
now CD Brooks says,
the Lord sent our wives
00:27:39.32\00:27:42.19
and he said it this way,
00:27:42.22\00:27:43.56
"He gives us wives so we
don't make fools of ourselves."
00:27:43.59\00:27:45.99
That's right.
00:27:46.03\00:27:47.56
And praise God, He
knows what He is doing.
00:27:47.60\00:27:49.56
Amen. But now you had a...
00:27:49.60\00:27:51.97
There was a transition
00:27:52.00\00:27:53.34
that something
happened in your health.
00:27:53.37\00:27:55.87
Yeah, I...
00:27:55.90\00:27:57.44
Few years,
probably five or six years
00:27:57.47\00:27:59.44
after that time, I
was 29, 28 actually.
00:27:59.47\00:28:04.61
And I noticed that I had
00:28:04.65\00:28:05.98
some strange
sensations in groinal area.
00:28:06.01\00:28:10.69
And so I went to the
doctor and he initially thought
00:28:10.72\00:28:13.79
that it was
nothing, just an infection.
00:28:13.82\00:28:15.96
So I went on a mission trip
00:28:15.99\00:28:17.66
and as I was on
this mission trip with...
00:28:17.69\00:28:20.40
I had some
Amazing Fact students,
00:28:20.43\00:28:22.10
I was working
there at that time.
00:28:22.13\00:28:24.97
And these
students were preaching
00:28:25.00\00:28:27.60
in evangelistic meeting
and I was preaching also.
00:28:27.64\00:28:30.61
So the pain that
I had experienced
00:28:30.64\00:28:33.01
was growing worse.
00:28:33.04\00:28:34.68
And it got to the
point where almost each day,
00:28:34.71\00:28:38.68
I was doubled
over laying on the bed.
00:28:38.71\00:28:42.05
And it was
incredible because all day
00:28:42.08\00:28:44.69
while I was preparing my sermon,
00:28:44.72\00:28:46.69
I would be in this pain
00:28:46.72\00:28:49.19
and then when I would
go down to preach at night,
00:28:49.22\00:28:52.79
while I was preaching,
00:28:52.83\00:28:54.26
I would have pain all the
way through the preliminaries.
00:28:54.30\00:28:56.46
But when I got up to
preach, the pain would go away.
00:28:56.50\00:29:02.10
And then once I
finished preaching,
00:29:02.14\00:29:03.47
the pain would come back again.
00:29:03.51\00:29:05.34
And so it was
mind-blowing that God did that
00:29:05.37\00:29:08.38
19 nights in a row.
00:29:08.41\00:29:10.11
It was an absolute miracle,
00:29:10.15\00:29:11.48
where I had no pain
while I was preaching.
00:29:11.51\00:29:14.45
And so when I came back home,
00:29:14.48\00:29:16.48
we realized something
more serious was going on.
00:29:16.52\00:29:19.15
And they sent us
to do some testing
00:29:19.19\00:29:21.89
and they found out
00:29:21.92\00:29:23.26
that I had cancer
in my groinal area.
00:29:23.29\00:29:26.76
And so I ended up
having to have a surgery
00:29:26.80\00:29:29.80
and when they did the
surgery, they found out
00:29:29.83\00:29:31.60
that it had spread upward
00:29:31.63\00:29:32.97
into my lymph nodes
of chest and abdomen.
00:29:33.00\00:29:35.40
So I actually...
00:29:35.44\00:29:36.77
Yeah, we have a picture of
you lying in the hospital there.
00:29:36.81\00:29:38.14
Yeah, yeah, I had
to have chemotherapy
00:29:38.17\00:29:40.14
and after the
chemotherapy session,
00:29:40.18\00:29:43.51
I ended up
getting a septic infection
00:29:43.55\00:29:46.51
and that's what you
see in the picture there.
00:29:46.55\00:29:48.55
So I ended up in
ICU for a number of days
00:29:48.58\00:29:50.99
and I almost lost my life.
00:29:51.02\00:29:53.39
And there were my AFCOE students
00:29:53.42\00:29:56.83
who actually came
and prayed for me.
00:29:56.86\00:29:59.46
We have a picture of that
00:29:59.49\00:30:00.83
and they did a prayer
walk around the hospital.
00:30:00.86\00:30:03.20
Wow. Like the Battle of Jericho.
00:30:03.23\00:30:05.17
Yeah, and it was amazing
because the doctors and nurses
00:30:05.20\00:30:08.50
were talking about it,
00:30:08.54\00:30:09.87
they actually put it in
the hospital newsletter.
00:30:09.90\00:30:12.37
And when they came and prayed,
00:30:12.41\00:30:15.18
the very next
morning I had breakthrough,
00:30:15.21\00:30:18.85
they found the infection
00:30:18.88\00:30:20.22
and they were able
to start treating it.
00:30:20.25\00:30:22.28
And so I knew that had been
the result of those prayers.
00:30:22.32\00:30:27.39
And there were people
actually all around the world
00:30:27.42\00:30:29.72
that were praying for us.
00:30:29.76\00:30:31.29
And the Lord
heard those prayers,
00:30:31.33\00:30:34.53
and answered,
and he saved my life,
00:30:34.56\00:30:37.17
I mean, I was
literally on my death bed,
00:30:37.20\00:30:38.87
the doctors were
actually telling her
00:30:38.90\00:30:40.87
that they didn't
think I would make it.
00:30:40.90\00:30:42.67
And but you were by
his side in the hospital.
00:30:42.70\00:30:44.97
She was. Praying there...
00:30:45.01\00:30:46.41
You know, there
is your wife there.
00:30:46.44\00:30:48.28
It was a challenging
time, definitely the Lord
00:30:48.31\00:30:52.25
had to be our
side during that time.
00:30:52.28\00:30:54.92
Did you have to do chemo at all?
00:30:54.95\00:30:56.28
Anything... I did...
00:30:56.32\00:30:57.65
I did chemo and I
had after my first round
00:30:57.69\00:31:01.32
is when I ended up
with that infection.
00:31:01.36\00:31:03.32
And I was in...
00:31:03.36\00:31:05.63
The infection was almost worse
00:31:05.66\00:31:08.10
and I was paralyzed
where I couldn't move my legs.
00:31:08.13\00:31:10.87
I mean, they had to feed me,
I mean that was just terrible.
00:31:10.90\00:31:14.57
And once that's
finished, you know,
00:31:14.60\00:31:17.07
I got through all that
00:31:17.11\00:31:18.44
and I had ended up
with pneumonia as well
00:31:18.47\00:31:20.88
and all these
additional problems.
00:31:20.91\00:31:23.28
My cancer doctor came,
and visited me, and said,
00:31:23.31\00:31:25.81
"You know, I'm
going to give you a week
00:31:25.85\00:31:27.65
but we're going to have
to start the chemo again."
00:31:27.68\00:31:30.09
And that was just scary
to me because I thought, man,
00:31:30.12\00:31:33.92
I just went through
this, now I got to do it again.
00:31:33.96\00:31:36.62
But the Lord
really worked a miracle
00:31:36.66\00:31:38.66
and even before I
was supposed to have
00:31:38.69\00:31:42.26
the last
session of chemotherapy,
00:31:42.30\00:31:43.80
I had a couple more rounds.
00:31:43.83\00:31:45.47
Even before that, the
Lord had brought healing,
00:31:45.50\00:31:47.97
and we had an anointing
00:31:48.00\00:31:49.87
and I ended up not having
to do the last round of chemo.
00:31:49.90\00:31:55.11
They did some testing
and they found no cancer.
00:31:55.14\00:31:57.68
Praise God.
00:31:57.71\00:31:59.05
And yeah, they told me
that it would be a year
00:31:59.08\00:32:01.62
before I even went back to work,
00:32:01.65\00:32:03.45
I went back to work
like just two months later.
00:32:03.49\00:32:07.16
And the Lord just raised me up
and gave me strength, He said,
00:32:07.19\00:32:09.62
"You're not going
to be lying around.
00:32:09.66\00:32:12.03
I got something for you to do."
00:32:12.06\00:32:13.40
Yeah, and so it was a
miracle, it really was.
00:32:13.43\00:32:15.96
And, Marion, where
were you at this time?
00:32:16.00\00:32:17.37
Did you have children
you had at that point?
00:32:17.40\00:32:19.23
No, thankfully we did not
have children at that time.
00:32:19.27\00:32:21.74
I was working
also at Amazing Facts
00:32:21.77\00:32:23.97
in the office there.
00:32:24.01\00:32:25.54
And it was a challenging time
00:32:25.57\00:32:28.24
because I was still
working during the day,
00:32:28.28\00:32:29.64
and then I would come to
the hospital in the evening,
00:32:29.68\00:32:32.15
and stay there until
late, and then go home, and...
00:32:32.18\00:32:35.28
Especially, when you go
home and they call you back,
00:32:35.32\00:32:37.69
and they say you
need to come back
00:32:37.72\00:32:39.05
because we don't know
if he is going make it
00:32:39.09\00:32:40.42
through the night.
00:32:40.46\00:32:41.79
It was a hard time,
00:32:41.82\00:32:43.16
my mom came out to stay
with us for a while and help,
00:32:43.19\00:32:45.59
and that was a
really a big blessing.
00:32:45.63\00:32:48.13
But honestly
people, you know, they say,
00:32:48.16\00:32:50.40
"Oh, you were such a
brave, such a strong person."
00:32:50.43\00:32:53.44
And those who
have been through it,
00:32:53.47\00:32:54.80
they know that if it
were not for the Lord,
00:32:54.84\00:32:57.84
there is no way I
could have made it.
00:32:57.87\00:33:00.28
But God just gives you
strength that you don't have
00:33:00.31\00:33:04.95
and it's amazing
that when you need it,
00:33:04.98\00:33:07.15
He gives it to you,
00:33:07.18\00:33:08.52
and you just kind of
survive, and you get through it.
00:33:08.55\00:33:11.15
And I remember, you
know, going through that time
00:33:11.19\00:33:13.76
and having this feeling
that I'm either going to have
00:33:13.79\00:33:17.33
to just live my life in fear
00:33:17.36\00:33:19.69
now that I'm going
to lose my husband.
00:33:19.73\00:33:21.76
Or I'm going to have
to trust in the Lord that
00:33:21.80\00:33:23.70
He is going to do what is best
00:33:23.73\00:33:26.27
and no matter what, I
need to just trust Him.
00:33:26.30\00:33:29.24
And when I did that,
the Lord gave me peace
00:33:29.27\00:33:31.74
and He was able
to get us through it.
00:33:31.77\00:33:33.84
And I'm just glad now
to be on the other side
00:33:33.88\00:33:36.71
and to have a happy
ending to that story.
00:33:36.75\00:33:40.38
You know, I...
00:33:40.42\00:33:41.75
This was kind of funny
but I was lying in the bed,
00:33:41.78\00:33:44.55
and I looked over
her, and I said, Lord,
00:33:44.59\00:33:48.69
I don't want to die
and some other man come
00:33:48.72\00:33:50.93
and marry my wife, I
said that's my wife, you know.
00:33:50.96\00:33:55.26
But I remember
in all seriousness,
00:33:55.30\00:33:56.90
there was one evening
that I was lying in bed
00:33:56.93\00:34:00.04
and it was about 3
o'clock in the morning.
00:34:00.07\00:34:02.90
And I realized it
was an overwhelming sense
00:34:02.94\00:34:07.08
that my life was
hanging by a thread.
00:34:07.11\00:34:10.05
And it was a very
solemn feeling that knowing
00:34:10.08\00:34:14.08
that there was
no one in this world
00:34:14.12\00:34:16.79
that could do a
single thing for you.
00:34:16.82\00:34:19.25
The doctors had said,
"We can't do anything else."
00:34:19.29\00:34:22.49
My wife as much as she loved me,
00:34:22.52\00:34:24.26
couldn't do anything.
00:34:24.29\00:34:25.63
My own mother couldn't
do anything for her son.
00:34:25.66\00:34:27.40
Nobody could do anything
for me and I realized that,
00:34:27.43\00:34:31.33
Lord, if I'm going to live,
00:34:31.37\00:34:33.84
it's because You're
going to do something,
00:34:33.87\00:34:35.87
You're going to have
to do something divinely,
00:34:35.90\00:34:38.57
divine intervention
to raise me back to life.
00:34:38.61\00:34:43.45
And I remember that
I had never surrendered
00:34:43.48\00:34:48.32
in my life like I
surrendered that night.
00:34:48.35\00:34:50.82
But I realized God,
whether I live or die,
00:34:50.85\00:34:54.46
it's not about
me, it's about You.
00:34:54.49\00:34:57.09
And whatever You want from me,
00:34:57.13\00:34:59.09
that's what I'm
willing to surrender to.
00:34:59.13\00:35:01.06
But if You want me
to, if it's my time to die
00:35:01.10\00:35:03.87
then You please do it in a way
00:35:03.90\00:35:06.30
that would bring glory
to You in some capacity.
00:35:06.33\00:35:09.20
And when I prayed that prayer,
00:35:09.24\00:35:10.91
I just sensed the
Lord draw so close,
00:35:10.94\00:35:13.48
it's always no matter
what situation we're in,
00:35:13.51\00:35:15.94
it's always about
surrendering to His will.
00:35:15.98\00:35:19.61
And I had great peace
00:35:19.65\00:35:21.28
through the rest of
the night after that.
00:35:21.32\00:35:23.18
Can you imagine
facing that as an atheist?
00:35:23.22\00:35:25.79
I always wonder when atheists
are in the hospital room,
00:35:25.82\00:35:28.86
and they have cancer,
and they have no one to call.
00:35:28.89\00:35:32.06
Yes. That's the difficult thing.
00:35:32.09\00:35:33.70
The Lord saw that
journey and He said,
00:35:33.73\00:35:35.73
"Wes, you're going to
come to an intersection
00:35:35.76\00:35:37.10
in your life,
00:35:37.13\00:35:38.47
where I'm going to be
most important to you."
00:35:38.50\00:35:40.04
And so did any of those...
00:35:40.07\00:35:42.40
What we didn't do
00:35:42.44\00:35:43.77
and I want to
just kind of go back
00:35:43.81\00:35:45.14
just a slight bit.
00:35:45.17\00:35:46.71
We talked about you
getting to the church,
00:35:46.74\00:35:48.44
just give me that
snippet of how did you go from
00:35:48.48\00:35:51.95
I don't believe this
to I'm going to church.
00:35:51.98\00:35:54.58
Yeah, absolutely.
00:35:54.62\00:35:55.95
You know, as I continued to do
00:35:55.98\00:35:58.65
those Amazing
Facts study guides,
00:35:58.69\00:36:00.02
I was just consuming the Bible.
00:36:00.06\00:36:03.86
And when I learned the
truth about the Sabbath,
00:36:03.89\00:36:05.59
seventh day
Sabbath, I was convicted
00:36:05.63\00:36:08.96
I needed to be in that place.
00:36:09.00\00:36:10.33
And I remember, I actually
visited several churches.
00:36:10.37\00:36:13.84
I went to all
these different churches
00:36:13.87\00:36:15.74
and say, are these
churches teaching the truth?
00:36:15.77\00:36:18.47
And there was no church, I mean,
00:36:18.51\00:36:20.54
and they were good
people in those churches,
00:36:20.58\00:36:22.51
not to criticize them.
00:36:22.54\00:36:24.21
But I could not find a church
00:36:24.25\00:36:26.01
that taught the truth
like the Adventist Church.
00:36:26.05\00:36:29.15
From salvation to the Sabbath,
00:36:29.18\00:36:31.55
to every aspect that we believe,
00:36:31.59\00:36:33.59
I found that all in scripture,
00:36:33.62\00:36:34.96
and I said Lord,
I have to be here.
00:36:34.99\00:36:37.29
And so I started going to
a little Adventist Church,
00:36:37.33\00:36:40.76
and my home church, and
I was the youngest person,
00:36:40.80\00:36:45.13
one of the
youngest people there.
00:36:45.17\00:36:46.50
You know, there
was people that...
00:36:46.53\00:36:48.90
I was in my 20s
00:36:48.94\00:36:50.27
and the next person
up was in their 50s.
00:36:50.31\00:36:51.64
Not that that's old
00:36:51.67\00:36:53.01
but it was old
for me at that time
00:36:53.04\00:36:54.44
and then it went
up to 70s and 80s.
00:36:54.48\00:36:55.81
You're certainly not
old now. Yeah, exactly.
00:36:55.84\00:36:57.18
Not old now, I'm
getting close to 40, so...
00:36:57.21\00:37:00.92
But I realized that it
wasn't about having friends,
00:37:00.95\00:37:04.69
but it was about
being with the Lord.
00:37:04.72\00:37:06.69
Right. And I rejoiced...
00:37:06.72\00:37:08.06
So I remember the first time
00:37:08.09\00:37:10.06
I sat in the church on
Sabbath, my very first Sabbath.
00:37:10.09\00:37:13.86
It was like the Spirit
of God just came over me
00:37:13.90\00:37:17.00
and I just started to cry.
00:37:17.03\00:37:19.33
And I just knew that this was
00:37:19.37\00:37:21.50
where I had always
God intended me to be.
00:37:21.54\00:37:24.21
I had come home.
00:37:24.24\00:37:25.71
And that I would always be there
00:37:25.74\00:37:29.18
and that this was
God's will for my life.
00:37:29.21\00:37:33.28
And this was the church where...
00:37:33.31\00:37:36.18
Actually, it was
a different church
00:37:36.22\00:37:37.55
before her dad's.
00:37:37.59\00:37:38.92
I attended her dad's church
when I was going to college.
00:37:38.95\00:37:41.32
I see. Just
shortly after that, yeah.
00:37:41.36\00:37:43.43
The Lord had to get
you grounded in Him.
00:37:43.46\00:37:45.16
That's right.
00:37:45.19\00:37:46.53
Before He led you to the place
00:37:46.56\00:37:47.90
where you could be a
blessing to your wife.
00:37:47.93\00:37:49.26
That's right. That's wonderful.
00:37:49.30\00:37:50.63
And how long was
it between the time
00:37:50.67\00:37:52.27
you found the
Lord, and went to church,
00:37:52.30\00:37:54.30
and to the time
that you met Marion?
00:37:54.34\00:37:55.94
Probably year and
a half or so, yeah.
00:37:55.97\00:37:58.71
That's wonderful.
00:37:58.74\00:38:00.08
And, you know, I
talk about this journey
00:38:00.11\00:38:01.44
and the reason I went back
00:38:01.48\00:38:02.84
is because a lot
of times people say,
00:38:02.88\00:38:04.35
"Well, how did he
get from being an atheist
00:38:04.38\00:38:06.31
to attending church?" Yeah.
00:38:06.35\00:38:07.75
And it was those studies
that God had given to you
00:38:07.78\00:38:09.88
from your uncle.
00:38:09.92\00:38:11.25
That's right. See.
00:38:11.29\00:38:12.62
And, you know,
what the thing about it
00:38:12.65\00:38:13.99
is all you've got to do...
00:38:14.02\00:38:15.36
And I just say
this to the audience
00:38:15.39\00:38:16.73
listening and watching.
00:38:16.76\00:38:18.09
All you've got to do is just...
00:38:18.13\00:38:19.46
As somebody
once said, I've a guy
00:38:19.49\00:38:20.83
that travels sometimes
and haven't seen in many years
00:38:20.86\00:38:22.90
but he'd walk up
to people and say,
00:38:22.93\00:38:24.57
"Give me 30 days of your life
00:38:24.60\00:38:25.93
and after the
end of the 30 days,
00:38:25.97\00:38:27.30
if you don't like
what I am sharing with you,
00:38:27.34\00:38:28.90
you can walk away
without any strings attached."
00:38:28.94\00:38:32.21
And that's a wonderful challenge
00:38:32.24\00:38:33.58
because that's actually
what happened in your life.
00:38:33.61\00:38:35.18
When you started studying
the Amazing Facts lessons...
00:38:35.21\00:38:37.68
That's right.
00:38:37.71\00:38:39.05
You said to
yourself, "Wait a minute,
00:38:39.08\00:38:40.42
there is
something happening here."
00:38:40.45\00:38:41.78
Fast forward now, you
come out of the cancer,
00:38:41.82\00:38:44.89
but God had something
else He was leading you to.
00:38:44.92\00:38:46.82
That's right.
00:38:46.86\00:38:48.19
And, you know, one thing
that was very powerful was
00:38:48.22\00:38:52.23
when I went through the cancer,
00:38:52.26\00:38:53.70
you know, my first
year as an Adventist,
00:38:53.73\00:38:56.36
I read the Bible about 15 times.
00:38:56.40\00:39:00.37
Because I just
could not get enough
00:39:00.40\00:39:02.34
and I was spending a lot of time
00:39:02.37\00:39:04.87
with the Lord in prayer
00:39:04.91\00:39:06.78
and the Lord began to convict me
00:39:06.81\00:39:08.38
that He wanted me
to be in ministry.
00:39:08.41\00:39:10.78
And so, you know,
I went into ministry
00:39:10.81\00:39:14.72
and I've been
working in ministry
00:39:14.75\00:39:16.25
for a number of years
when I had the cancer.
00:39:16.28\00:39:17.95
But when I came
out of that cancer,
00:39:17.99\00:39:20.09
I remember thinking to myself,
00:39:20.12\00:39:22.09
you know, the
Lord has called me,
00:39:22.12\00:39:23.99
He saved my life
00:39:24.03\00:39:25.36
so I could continue
to preach His message.
00:39:25.39\00:39:26.86
Right.
00:39:26.90\00:39:28.23
But then I read this letter that
00:39:28.26\00:39:30.10
Ellen White had written to a man
00:39:30.13\00:39:32.07
who had a similar
death bed experience.
00:39:32.10\00:39:34.90
And she basically
told the man that,
00:39:34.94\00:39:37.64
"You thought that the
Lord was raising you up
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.74
because there was some
special virtue in you."
00:39:40.78\00:39:43.38
She says, "But the
truth of the matter was
00:39:43.41\00:39:45.38
the Lord was extending His mercy
00:39:45.41\00:39:47.32
because you were
unprepared to die."
00:39:47.35\00:39:49.52
Wow.
00:39:49.55\00:39:50.89
And that struck me
and I realized that,
00:39:50.92\00:39:53.02
that was my life.
00:39:53.05\00:39:54.39
She actually told
the man, she said,
00:39:54.42\00:39:55.76
"Satan stood at your
bedside ready to take your life.
00:39:55.79\00:39:59.73
But God intervened to
give you another chance."
00:39:59.76\00:40:01.96
Amen.
00:40:02.00\00:40:03.33
And then she says
basically, "Don't waste it."
00:40:03.37\00:40:05.97
And when I read that,
00:40:06.00\00:40:07.34
I was sitting in my
home office and I wept,
00:40:07.37\00:40:10.51
I cried for the next two hours
00:40:10.54\00:40:13.11
realizing that
was my experience,
00:40:13.14\00:40:15.14
that the Lord had not
saved me for some special virtue
00:40:15.18\00:40:18.28
but because I needed to have
a deeper experience with Him.
00:40:18.31\00:40:22.68
And so I approached ministry
00:40:22.72\00:40:25.15
from a different way
and the Lord called me...
00:40:25.19\00:40:29.26
I was at Amazing Facts then,
00:40:29.29\00:40:30.63
the Lord called
me then to Michigan
00:40:30.66\00:40:32.86
and I served there as a
pastor for several years.
00:40:32.89\00:40:36.97
But then...
00:40:37.00\00:40:38.33
Now He has called me into
00:40:38.37\00:40:40.00
to be the
director of evangelism.
00:40:40.04\00:40:42.00
But I don't believe that
00:40:42.04\00:40:44.31
titles make us who
we are, that it's...
00:40:44.34\00:40:47.84
We have to have the
surrendering of the heart
00:40:47.88\00:40:50.01
and we have to say,
00:40:50.05\00:40:51.38
"Lord, I want to serve You
faithfully wherever You are."
00:40:51.41\00:40:53.45
But the joy at Amazing Facts,
00:40:53.48\00:40:55.38
you know, we got to see
a lot of exciting schools
00:40:55.42\00:40:59.95
established around the
world, training schools
00:40:59.99\00:41:02.12
and I think we have a few
pictures of some of those.
00:41:02.16\00:41:04.79
There is one from Ukraine.
00:41:04.83\00:41:06.16
This is one of our classes,
I think 20, several years...
00:41:06.19\00:41:10.40
I'm not sure
exactly what year it was
00:41:10.43\00:41:12.23
but several students
there that we trained.
00:41:12.27\00:41:14.57
We trained over
200 students in Ukraine
00:41:14.60\00:41:18.07
to do personal
and public evangelism.
00:41:18.11\00:41:19.77
And then we had
several evangelistic meetings
00:41:19.81\00:41:22.54
and several hundred people
00:41:22.58\00:41:24.78
throughout those
few years were baptized.
00:41:24.81\00:41:26.85
Look at that... There
were some baptisms there.
00:41:26.88\00:41:29.02
Folks coming from all
walks of life, other atheists,
00:41:29.05\00:41:31.85
people who had cancer,
00:41:31.89\00:41:33.69
I mean, people that
were just looking for hope.
00:41:33.72\00:41:36.62
And God spoke to
them through His word
00:41:36.66\00:41:38.79
just like He did through me.
00:41:38.83\00:41:40.43
And it's been a
blessing for me to share
00:41:40.46\00:41:42.73
those stories of my cancer
and whatnot around the world.
00:41:42.76\00:41:46.43
And God has used those stories
00:41:46.47\00:41:48.40
to bring others
to Himself as well.
00:41:48.44\00:41:50.51
So it's been quite a
journey and quite a blessing.
00:41:50.54\00:41:53.48
And, Marion, you are in
this journey with him now,
00:41:53.51\00:41:56.28
as a student of AFCOE
00:41:56.31\00:41:58.18
before he even
knew what AFCOE was.
00:41:58.21\00:42:00.68
How did that mesh in
your ministry together?
00:42:00.72\00:42:03.22
Well, right away we
started doing ministry together.
00:42:03.25\00:42:05.72
And we traveled a lot together
when we were at Amazing Facts,
00:42:05.75\00:42:08.92
and was able to experience
a lot of different cultures,
00:42:08.96\00:42:12.36
and see the Lord work
in some powerful ways,
00:42:12.39\00:42:14.83
and that was very exciting.
00:42:14.86\00:42:16.26
And then I also worked
00:42:16.30\00:42:17.63
as I said earlier in the office
at Amazing Facts for a while.
00:42:17.67\00:42:21.07
But right before we moved
from Amazing Facts to Michigan,
00:42:21.10\00:42:24.74
where we are now,
00:42:24.77\00:42:26.41
I ended up being
pregnant with my first child.
00:42:26.44\00:42:29.21
And so we knew that
it would be difficult
00:42:29.24\00:42:32.11
to continue to travel,
00:42:32.15\00:42:33.48
we were may be eight
months out of the year,
00:42:33.52\00:42:34.85
we were
traveling internationally.
00:42:34.88\00:42:36.62
So that will be
very hard with children,
00:42:36.65\00:42:37.99
some people do it, I'm not sure
where are those people, but...
00:42:38.02\00:42:41.12
So we started praying that
00:42:41.16\00:42:42.49
if the Lord had
something else for us
00:42:42.52\00:42:44.89
that He would show us
and that was about the time
00:42:44.93\00:42:46.90
that He called us
to pastor in Michigan.
00:42:46.93\00:42:48.73
And it was
perfect for our family.
00:42:48.76\00:42:51.13
And it still is,
now we have two children
00:42:51.17\00:42:53.44
and I've been
enjoying life there.
00:42:53.47\00:42:55.34
So my life kind
of took a turn then
00:42:55.37\00:42:57.87
when I became a mom obviously.
00:42:57.91\00:43:00.41
I wasn't able to do
ministry the same way with him
00:43:00.44\00:43:03.55
that I had previously.
00:43:03.58\00:43:04.91
'Cause you had a
new congregation.
00:43:04.95\00:43:06.28
A new ministry, exactly.
00:43:06.31\00:43:08.68
My new role as a mom
00:43:08.72\00:43:10.05
and so that was a hard
transition in the beginning
00:43:10.09\00:43:12.82
because I had always been
00:43:12.85\00:43:14.19
actively
involved in his ministry.
00:43:14.22\00:43:17.19
But the Lord has
shown me since that...
00:43:17.23\00:43:18.89
As you said they
are my congregation,
00:43:18.93\00:43:20.53
now they are my first work,
00:43:20.56\00:43:22.46
and I have learned
so much in being a mom,
00:43:22.50\00:43:24.73
and it has been a
tremendous blessing.
00:43:24.77\00:43:27.60
But it's been nice as
well to also still be involved
00:43:27.64\00:43:31.57
in what Wes is doing
00:43:31.61\00:43:32.94
and to be able to
share musically with him,
00:43:32.97\00:43:36.24
as he preaches different places,
00:43:36.28\00:43:37.81
and to just be a
support, and God is good,
00:43:37.85\00:43:40.72
that's all I can say.
00:43:40.75\00:43:42.08
That's nice because you have
00:43:42.12\00:43:43.45
your singing
evangelist with you.
00:43:43.49\00:43:44.82
That's right, that's right,
it's always been a blessing.
00:43:44.85\00:43:46.59
I know people always say
to me as a pastor they say,
00:43:46.62\00:43:48.66
"Does your wife play piano?
00:43:48.69\00:43:50.03
Does she sing?" Yes.
00:43:50.06\00:43:51.89
Do you play the piano?
00:43:51.93\00:43:53.26
I do not, my
mother is a piano teacher,
00:43:53.29\00:43:55.06
I know it's
embarrassing but I do not.
00:43:55.10\00:43:58.00
And we don't have to
00:43:58.03\00:43:59.37
because God has given
you a different ministry
00:43:59.40\00:44:00.74
and that is the
ministry of voice.
00:44:00.77\00:44:02.10
My wife doesn't sing,
doesn't play the piano,
00:44:02.14\00:44:03.77
but she is very
much a significant
00:44:03.81\00:44:05.21
part of the
ministry that we have.
00:44:05.24\00:44:07.58
And God chooses the mate,
00:44:07.61\00:44:09.74
you see, God chooses the person
that needs to be by your side,
00:44:09.78\00:44:12.18
He chose Wes for you,
and He chose Marion for you.
00:44:12.21\00:44:15.78
Take us through
where you are today
00:44:15.82\00:44:17.15
'cause you had
traveled together in AFCOE,
00:44:17.19\00:44:20.76
but there was one another place
00:44:20.79\00:44:22.12
that you had gone to do an
evangelistic series overseas.
00:44:22.16\00:44:24.89
Yeah, over in India, we
also had a school there.
00:44:24.93\00:44:28.10
And it was really exciting,
00:44:28.13\00:44:30.57
we saw hundreds of lives change
00:44:30.60\00:44:33.13
and we were combining that
with some medical mission work.
00:44:33.17\00:44:36.71
And we saw one guy
00:44:36.74\00:44:38.41
who had not
walked in over 20 years.
00:44:38.44\00:44:41.04
They did some massage
and some treatments to him,
00:44:41.08\00:44:44.48
and the man began
to walk after 20 years.
00:44:44.51\00:44:46.58
I mean miracles and God
just did some amazing things,
00:44:46.61\00:44:49.65
lives were changed,
00:44:49.68\00:44:51.02
and we just count
ourselves unworthy
00:44:51.05\00:44:52.99
but privilege to be a part
of what God is doing all over.
00:44:53.02\00:44:56.93
You had Pastor Batchelor,
00:44:56.96\00:44:58.29
who is the
President of Amazing Facts,
00:44:58.33\00:44:59.66
he and I began an
evangelism back in 1987,
00:44:59.69\00:45:03.33
working together.
00:45:03.37\00:45:04.70
And so I know
that, that whole journey
00:45:04.73\00:45:06.47
where the Lord let him
00:45:06.50\00:45:07.84
to where he is
today and now praise God,
00:45:07.87\00:45:09.90
Amazing Facts is a tremendous
00:45:09.94\00:45:11.67
supporting ministry
of the Adventist Church.
00:45:11.71\00:45:13.88
He is a pastor, you're a pastor,
00:45:13.91\00:45:15.24
we're all in the
denomination together.
00:45:15.28\00:45:17.08
But also the work that God does
for Amazing Facts, and 3ABN,
00:45:17.11\00:45:20.18
and other supporting ministries
is to advance His kingdom.
00:45:20.22\00:45:23.89
Now as you see
where you are now,
00:45:23.92\00:45:26.19
what would you say to them...
00:45:26.22\00:45:27.79
May be there is an atheist
listening to the program,
00:45:27.82\00:45:30.16
what would you have
to say to that person?
00:45:30.19\00:45:32.19
You know, I would
say to that person,
00:45:32.23\00:45:33.90
you know, consider the evidence.
00:45:33.93\00:45:36.16
A lot of times, people say,
"Where is the evidence for God?
00:45:36.20\00:45:38.97
Where is the evidence that
He is real, that He exists?"
00:45:39.00\00:45:42.80
And I believe
that there is evidence
00:45:42.84\00:45:44.17
everywhere from
the nature around us
00:45:44.21\00:45:46.74
to the Bible
itself, how it was written,
00:45:46.78\00:45:49.04
the prophecies, all
these different things.
00:45:49.08\00:45:51.28
And I realized in my
journey that there was actually
00:45:51.31\00:45:55.08
much more evidence
in favor that God exists
00:45:55.12\00:45:59.22
than there is
evidence that He doesn't exist.
00:45:59.25\00:46:02.66
And you just have
to dig a little bit,
00:46:02.69\00:46:04.83
you have to get
away from popular culture
00:46:04.86\00:46:08.20
from what people assume
00:46:08.23\00:46:09.56
and, you know,
atheism and evolution,
00:46:09.60\00:46:13.74
most of those are
based upon assumptions.
00:46:13.77\00:46:16.00
But when we're willing to be
00:46:16.04\00:46:17.47
on honest and
open with ourselves,
00:46:17.51\00:46:19.04
and honest with God's
word, it will change our lives,
00:46:19.07\00:46:23.65
and God will reveal
Himself to us in ways
00:46:23.68\00:46:27.12
that we've never
thought possible.
00:46:27.15\00:46:28.58
You know, my wife and I,
00:46:28.62\00:46:29.95
not too long ago
went to the holy land,
00:46:29.98\00:46:31.32
the Bible land, the
holy land is heaven.
00:46:31.35\00:46:33.32
But the Bible lands
00:46:33.36\00:46:34.69
where many of the Bible
00:46:34.72\00:46:36.06
events are
chronicled in the scriptures.
00:46:36.09\00:46:38.16
And we said, "There should be
a Bible land to offer atheists."
00:46:38.19\00:46:42.16
'Cause when you look at
the chronology of history
00:46:42.20\00:46:45.13
and the archeology to
back up all the things
00:46:45.17\00:46:46.74
that are in the Bible,
00:46:46.77\00:46:48.10
there's no way that
you could be an atheist,
00:46:48.14\00:46:49.47
it's not possible.
00:46:49.50\00:46:50.84
Yeah, that's right.
There's too much evidence.
00:46:50.87\00:46:52.21
So the evidence is not missing,
the evidence is actually there.
00:46:52.24\00:46:54.11
Before we go to our music
00:46:54.14\00:46:55.48
and I'm so thankful that
you're here today, Marion,
00:46:55.51\00:46:57.85
because we're going to have
a second song in just a moment.
00:46:57.88\00:47:00.48
But I want to
give you the address
00:47:00.52\00:47:01.85
that you need
before we go to that music.
00:47:01.88\00:47:03.69
Because Wes and
Marion has a powerful story,
00:47:03.72\00:47:05.99
it's not possible
to communicate it all
00:47:06.02\00:47:07.86
in this short program.
00:47:07.89\00:47:09.22
But you might want to invite
them to come to your community
00:47:09.26\00:47:11.79
with their children to
share how God found them,
00:47:11.83\00:47:14.73
how He leads them,
and what kind of blessing
00:47:14.76\00:47:17.23
He can continue
to be in your life.
00:47:17.27\00:47:19.70
Here is the
information that you need.
00:47:19.73\00:47:24.37
If you've enjoyed
Pastor Wes Peppers' testimony
00:47:24.41\00:47:27.41
and would like to contact him
00:47:27.44\00:47:29.24
or invite him to
speak in your area,
00:47:29.28\00:47:31.55
then please take a moment
00:47:31.58\00:47:33.08
to write down his
contact information.
00:47:33.11\00:47:36.08
You may reach him by
telephone at area code
00:47:36.12\00:47:38.85
517-316-1587.
00:47:38.89\00:47:44.09
That's 517-316-1587.
00:47:44.13\00:47:49.76
You may also write to him
00:47:49.80\00:47:51.27
at the Michigan Conference
of Seventh-day Adventist, 5801,
00:47:51.30\00:47:56.20
West Michigan Avenue in
Lansing, Michigan 48917.
00:47:56.24\00:48:02.14
I know that you'll be blessed
00:48:09.48\00:48:10.99
when you invite the Peppers
to come to your community.
00:48:11.02\00:48:13.96
But Marion is going to
bless us with another song.
00:48:13.99\00:48:16.56
After the song,
we'll go to a news break
00:48:16.59\00:48:19.19
and we'll come back
for a few closing thoughts.
00:48:19.23\00:48:21.16
But sit back as you're
blessed with a song entitled,
00:48:21.20\00:48:24.13
I heard the Voice of Jesus.
00:48:24.17\00:48:26.77
Our father in heaven
00:48:38.88\00:48:45.92
Hallowed be Thy name
00:48:45.95\00:48:51.23
Thy kingdom come
00:48:51.26\00:48:54.63
Thy will be done
00:48:54.66\00:48:57.90
On earth as it is in heaven
00:48:57.93\00:49:04.41
For Thine is the kingdom
00:49:04.44\00:49:10.95
Thine is the power
00:49:10.98\00:49:16.55
And the glory forever
00:49:16.58\00:49:23.02
Forever Amen
00:49:23.06\00:49:30.70
Give us, Lord give us,
00:49:39.61\00:49:44.81
this day our daily bread
00:49:44.85\00:49:50.69
And forgive us
00:49:50.72\00:49:53.96
Forgive us Lord
00:49:53.99\00:49:57.33
Forgive us of our debts
00:49:57.36\00:50:03.47
For Thine is the kingdom
00:50:03.50\00:50:10.04
Thine is the power
00:50:10.07\00:50:15.68
And the glory forever
00:50:15.71\00:50:22.08
Forever
00:50:22.12\00:50:24.69
Amen
00:50:24.72\00:50:30.79
Amen
00:50:30.83\00:50:37.70
Lead us from temptation
00:50:37.73\00:50:43.67
Lead us from temptation
00:50:43.71\00:50:49.44
But deliver us
00:50:49.48\00:50:52.51
Deliver us from evil
00:50:52.55\00:50:57.69
To thy salvation
00:50:57.72\00:51:02.29
For Thine is the kingdom
00:51:02.32\00:51:09.03
Thine is the power
00:51:09.06\00:51:14.70
And the glory forever
00:51:14.74\00:51:20.44
Amen
00:51:20.48\00:51:24.51
Thine is the kingdom
00:51:28.28\00:51:35.32
Thine is the power
00:51:35.36\00:51:40.26
And the glory forever
00:51:40.30\00:51:46.84
Forever
00:51:46.87\00:51:49.40
Amen
00:51:49.44\00:51:56.24
Amen
00:51:56.28\00:52:00.52