Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY018080A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:11 Hello, and welcome to another 3ABN Today Program. 01:14 I'm Jill Morikone and we are so glad 01:17 that you have taken time from your day to spend with us. 01:20 We just want to thank you, 01:22 I want to thank you for your prayers, your love, 01:24 your financial support of the Ministry of 3ABN. 01:29 To me, 3ABN is presenting 01:32 the undiluted Three Angels' Messages, 01:34 one that would counteract the counterfeit 01:36 to a lost and dying world. 01:37 You know, there's many people who are broken, 01:40 people who are alone, people who are hurting, 01:43 and don't know Jesus. 01:45 Have not somehow found His face, 01:48 don't know the truth in His Word. 01:50 And today, 01:51 we have an incredible woman of God. 01:54 A woman who I consider as my sister in Jesus. 01:58 She's a precious woman 01:59 and she has an amazing testimony. 02:02 God brought her, 02:03 you could say out of darkness into this marvelous light. 02:06 God introduced her to Himself 02:10 and she accepted Him as her Savior. 02:12 She found the truth in His Word and all of this 02:16 not that it began with this 02:18 because it's the goodness of God 02:20 that leads any of us to repentance, 02:21 so we know it began 02:22 with a drawing of the Holy Spirit. 02:24 But 3ABN played a vital role, a vital part in her journey, 02:29 in her testimony. 02:31 We want to talk about that today. 02:32 I'm speaking of Laura Sommerfield, 02:34 my precious sister in Jesus. 02:35 And, Laura, we're so glad you're here. 02:37 Thank you. Glad to be here. 02:39 So I know we're going to spend this whole time 02:41 unpacking your testimony. 02:42 And you're going to share what God, where you came from, 02:46 and where you are now. 02:47 We could say before Jesus and after Jesus. 02:50 What God's doing in your life, but take us back to, Laura, 02:54 when you were growing up? 02:55 Okay. 02:56 I grew up Methodist and when I got out of my own, 03:01 I didn't attend church. 03:03 So for nine years, I didn't go to church. 03:05 I wasn't particularly close to God. 03:09 I had never really, 03:11 that seemed like something that was way far away. 03:14 So I didn't, I was kind of indifferent. 03:18 And I was also very, very shy 03:21 and scared to go to church by myself. 03:24 And so that was part of it. 03:28 And so I used to, I remember I would pray, 03:32 I had a difficult time in school 03:36 when I was growing up. 03:38 And why do you have a difficult time? 03:41 Well, in my junior high and high school years, 03:46 I was bullied a lot and the other kids, 03:53 there was kids that went around the school 03:54 telling that me and another girl were lesbians, 03:58 and which was not true at all. 04:01 She was a girl I'd met, she was new to the school, 04:04 and she was the sister I never had. 04:07 And we had a great time together. 04:09 So she was a good friend? 04:10 A good friend. 04:12 And somehow the students twisted that? 04:14 Yes. 04:15 And so they were putting notes up on the bulletin board, 04:20 you know, that we're lesbians and so forth and... 04:23 On the bulletin board? 04:24 Yeah, of the school. 04:25 And they had all the kids believing it was true. 04:29 And in between classes, they would, you know, 04:32 bully us what bullies do, 04:34 push you down and point and laugh 04:37 and everybody hated us. 04:39 And it was a really hard time, 04:42 I couldn't concentrate on my schoolwork. 04:45 And so this one guy was telling me how ugly I was. 04:51 And he punched me in my stomach. 04:53 And I was, I didn't pass out, 04:56 but I couldn't get my breath for several seconds, 04:59 but seemed like minutes. 05:01 And so I just couldn't adapt to life 05:05 and I remember lying in my bed at night crying to God. 05:11 So I believed in God apparently, 05:12 'cause I cried to Him to take me away from earth 05:17 because it was too painful. 05:20 And so... I'm so sorry. 05:23 It was just a kind of carried on 05:25 when I went on my own then, 05:27 I was very shy because afraid of what, 05:31 you know, people thought of me. 05:32 And I got to wear... 05:35 When I started working, I got to wear, 05:38 I would do whatever I had to do to feel loved. 05:42 And so... 05:44 So this is maybe a lot of relationships 05:46 with other men? 05:47 Yeah, a lot of relationships. 05:49 And, you know, just to feel loved. 05:54 I just wanted to feel loved, I remember that. 05:57 Can I take you back 05:58 just for a moment to the bullying. 05:59 So it made you feel isolated? 06:02 Yes. 06:04 It was tough to go class to class. 06:07 And because we knew things were going to happen, 06:12 they would throw gum in our hair and so forth. 06:16 So you were afraid, you were isolated, 06:19 you had low self-esteem? 06:22 Very low self-esteem. 06:23 And I was depressed and I just, 06:28 I don't know if suicide's the right word, 06:30 I didn't want to kill myself, 06:32 but I wanted to be taken away from earth. 06:34 And I begged and begged God to take me. 06:37 So what did you think about God? 06:39 Did you see God as a loving Father, 06:42 as someone that you wanted to be, 06:43 you know, with or was He seemed distant 06:46 and like a bully too? 06:47 He didn't seem like a bully, but He seemed parental like, 06:52 He wouldn't understand either, like none of the other adults. 06:56 You know, because the teachers believed the kids. 06:59 And one teacher went to my parents 07:01 and told them that 07:02 I shouldn't go around with this girl 07:04 and she was bad for me. 07:06 And so I was told not to see her anymore. 07:09 So that was the only friend I had left 07:11 that I wasn't allowed to see. 07:14 And they split us up. 07:15 We were in, each grade was in three sections 07:18 and they put her in a different section 07:20 so I wouldn't see her anymore. 07:23 So then you reached adulthood... 07:25 Then I reached adulthood. 07:26 And then there is still this pain from the past, 07:28 so you're seeking other relationships with men 07:31 to fill that brokenness inside? 07:32 Yes, it continued on. 07:35 Whenever I went places, it seems like guys were cruel. 07:42 I don't know, they would make fun 07:43 and it just continued on. 07:45 And doctors took advantage of me. 07:47 And I just couldn't get a hold of life. 07:52 I just... 07:54 I would have relationships and they'd get broken. 07:57 And so I was always sad. 08:00 And I didn't live a very good Christian life 08:06 because I did what I had to do to get loved 08:10 and never told my parents because they were strict. 08:14 And I was afraid of getting in more trouble 08:16 at home. 08:17 So I never told anybody anything that went on. 08:23 So then, I know you're married now. 08:25 But what stage did you meet and marry your husband Tom? 08:29 I was actually 28 years old when I got married to him. 08:33 I met him through a mutual friend. 08:35 He was going to college. And I met him through her. 08:41 And we seem to hit it off right away. 08:43 And he was funny. 08:47 The thing I liked about him the most 08:49 was he wanted to take me to the zoo and to dinner, 08:55 he wasn't after 08:56 what all the other guys were after. 08:58 And he loved me for me. Oh, that's precious. 09:01 So that's... 09:03 Then we got married and he's Catholic... 09:09 And you were Methodist before? And I was Methodist. 09:12 But I promised him 09:13 I would switch over to Catholic. 09:15 And we wanted to get married 09:17 before that could happen though. 09:19 So a year after we got married, I became Catholic. 09:24 And so I was Catholic for about 34 years. 09:30 And there's still even though you're Catholic, 09:32 and you're married to a man who loved you for you, 09:35 there was still some sort of brokenness and pain inside. 09:39 So let's stop the story the moment there. 09:41 Okay. 09:42 I want to read a scripture. Okay. 09:44 When I think of this scripture, Laura, I think of you. 09:47 Okay. 09:48 And then we're going to go to a song 09:50 and then we're going to find 09:51 what redemption and healing God brought into your life. 09:55 This is Zephaniah 3:14-17 saying, 10:02 "Sing, O, Daughter of Zion..." That's you. 10:06 "Shout, O Israel. 10:08 Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, 10:11 O, Daughter of Jerusalem. 10:13 The Lord has taken away your judgments. 10:16 I think the Lord has taken away your pain. 10:19 The Lord has taken away what Satan did in the past. 10:22 He has cast out your enemy, the king of Israel, 10:26 the Lord is in your midst, you shall see disaster no more. 10:30 In that day, it should be said to Jerusalem." 10:33 We could say, in that day, it will be said to Laura. 10:36 "Do not fear, let not your hands be weak, 10:40 the Lord your God in your midst, 10:43 the Mighty One will safe, 10:46 He will rejoice over you with gladness. 10:50 He will quiet you with His love. 10:52 He will rejoice over you with singing." 10:54 So when God looks at you, and when we look at you, 10:59 we see a woman that God loves, a woman that God has redeemed, 11:04 and He rejoices over you. 11:06 He's taken away that pain from the past 11:10 and that life before Jesus, 11:12 and He's replaced it with His grace, 11:15 and with His goodness, and with His blood. 11:17 Yes. 11:19 That's the story of redemption 11:20 that we're going to hear what God did in Laura's life. 11:22 But first we're going to go to a song. 11:24 We have John Stoddart with us. 11:27 I love his ministry and music. 11:29 He's a fabulous pianist and singer. 11:32 And he will be ministering a song, "I turn to you." 12:01 What can I say? 12:04 Tell me where to begin 12:12 How to explain 12:14 How I've been changed within 12:21 Amazing grace 12:23 Caught me in time 12:26 Gave me new life 12:28 Now it's to You that I run Jesus, 12:32 I turn to You And in all I go through 12:37 Give You praise 12:42 I turn to You Lord, the things that You do 12:47 I'm amazed 12:50 Lord, You are the joy 12:56 I will never comprehend 13:03 Water of life, 13:06 I'll never thirst again 13:12 So when my life presses me down 13:17 I'll just hold on 13:20 And it's to You that I run Jesus, 13:24 I turn to You And in all I go through 13:28 Give You praise 13:34 I turn to You Lord, the things that You do 13:38 I'm amazed, I'm amazed 13:44 I turn to you and in all I go through 13:49 Give You praise 13:54 I turn to You Lord, the things that You do 13:59 I'm amazed 14:02 You're worthy 14:04 Of all the glory 14:09 You reign in majesty 14:15 Dominion and power 14:19 You are more than the world to me 14:25 To me I turn to You and in all I go through 14:32 Give You praise 14:36 Oh, I turn to You Lord, the things that You do 14:43 I'm amazed I'm amazed 14:45 Lord, I turn to You And in all I go through 14:51 Give You praise Give You praise 14:54 Lord, You're worthy all along 14:57 I turn to You 14:59 Lord, the things that You do 15:01 I'm amazed 15:04 Oh, I'm amazed 15:06 Lord, I turn to You 15:09 Turn to You, turn to You 15:13 For the questions of life For the questions of life 15:17 Lord, I turn to You 15:19 Turn to You, turn to You 15:23 When I don't have any place else to go 15:26 Lord, that's when I turn to You 15:29 Turn to You, turn to You 15:33 Oh, Lord, I turn 15:38 Lord, I turn to You 15:40 Turn to You, turn to You 15:49 I turn to You and in all I go through 15:53 Give You praise 15:59 I turn to You 16:01 Lord, the things that You do 16:04 I'm amazed 16:08 Oh, Lord, I turn to You 16:21 Amen. 16:22 What an incredible song exactly for this program. 16:25 To me it's like God handpicked it, Laura. 16:27 You know, I turn to You, 16:28 and in all I go through 16:30 I can still give You praise 16:32 And that's why Laura's here today to encourage you 16:35 at home no matter what you've been through. 16:36 And it could be painful like some of the things 16:39 she went through in her past 16:41 and yet God has redeemed, and justified, 16:45 and is in the process of sanctifying 16:47 as He must do with each one of us. 16:49 So, Laura, we're so excited that you're here. 16:52 And you were telling us before we went to the music about 16:55 being bullied as a child growing up, 16:57 and how the pain in that led you to, 17:00 you could say look for love in all the wrong places, 17:03 just wanting to be loved. 17:04 And then let's fast forward to 2016. 17:07 So this is a few years down the road 17:10 and then you had converted to Catholicism 17:13 when you married your husband Tom. 17:15 And then one day you were channel surfing 17:18 or how did that happen? 17:19 I was home recuperating from a surgery 17:21 and I don't know why I was drawn to watch 3ABN. 17:25 But I already knew I was going to watch it 17:27 before I turn the TV on. 17:29 Because I had seen it when he was surfing 17:32 and I've always been curious and wanted to listen to it. 17:35 But so that was my chance. 17:38 And so I listened to it and it was a great day, 17:42 I listened to pastor, after pastor, 17:43 after pastor on Proclaim. 17:46 And there was one Pastor 17:50 Lonnie Melashenko with Voice of Prophecy, 17:54 he was director, speaker at the time. 17:58 And he had a sermon on 18:01 called what happens when you die? 18:04 And I had just lost my mother a year before then 18:09 and I was always told that, 18:14 you know, when we die we go straight to heaven, 18:16 and we're with our loved ones in spirit, 18:20 and watching over them, and praying for them. 18:23 Okay. 18:24 So I believed that my mom was doing that. 18:26 And there was incidents that happened that I thought 18:30 was her like an antique lamp of hers that came on 18:34 and off by itself. 18:36 And I thought it was her letting me know... 18:37 And you never flipped it on or off, it just...? 18:39 No, I was across the room and it came on and went off. 18:43 And there was two bulbs in the lamp 18:47 and one bulb did not work at all, 18:50 the other one worked. 18:51 And the one that came on was the one that doesn't work. 18:54 And so I was sure it was mom telling me she got to heaven, 18:59 okay. 19:01 And so... 19:02 And your mom died just before 2016 or...? 19:04 Yes, she died in exactly a year 19:07 in from when I had been watching 3ABN. 19:12 So you were in your mind 19:14 somehow maybe that was comforting thinking, 19:16 "Well, my mom's in heaven and she's watching over me." 19:18 And yet I'm thinking, 19:20 this is a spiritualistic manifestation 19:23 but you didn't realize it at the time. 19:25 No, I didn't. 19:27 So I was watching... 19:28 That's what got me interested in the sermon and he was, 19:32 Pastor Lonnie was saying, of course, that you're asleep, 19:36 that you don't go to heaven, 19:37 and you can't communicate with other people 19:41 because you're asleep. 19:43 And I was just taken by that. 19:45 And it kind of hurt 19:47 because it was making me go through the, 19:52 you know, the sadness of losing her all over again, 19:55 the grieving. 19:57 And I'm like, "Yes, 19:58 don't tell me she's not with me, you know." 20:02 And so I went on to listen to other sermons that day. 20:07 So were you were a little mad or just hurt? 20:09 I was hurt at the time. 20:11 Okay. 20:12 But then they played it again a few weeks later 20:16 and I heard it again. 20:18 And then I was getting mad, I was like, "Okay." 20:24 And so I actually wrote him and... 20:29 You emailed him? 20:30 Yeah, I looked up his website, 20:32 and sent an email to the website, 20:35 and they in turn forward it on to him. 20:38 So then he actually replied to me directly. 20:43 And I told him that, 20:48 you know, my mother had passed on and told him 20:51 that I didn't really appreciate him saying that, 20:56 you know, she's not with me. 20:57 That's she's resting in the grave 20:59 and she's asleep until Jesus comes. 21:01 Yeah. 21:02 And he asked if he could send me 21:05 his sermons for me to listen to, 21:08 there was 26 of them and he wanted me 21:10 to listen to them in consecutive order 21:13 and instead of hit and miss on TV. 21:16 And so I said, "Okay," so he did mail them to me. 21:21 Now this is the Voice of Prophecy speaks. 21:23 Yes. 21:25 It's like a whole series that he did. 21:26 Yes. 21:28 I know we've aired it for years on Proclaim. 21:30 And I know it's been a blessing and ministered to many people. 21:33 So he sent you the entire, it was on DVD series? 21:35 Yes. Well, no, I'm sorry. 21:37 It was on... 21:39 VHS. VHS tapes. 21:40 Okay, yes. 21:41 But I actually have a player and so I was able to play 'em. 21:45 So do you start at the beginning 21:46 and watch them all or? 21:47 I watched the first one which was Armageddon 21:50 and which was good. 21:52 And, but then the next one was starting to... 21:56 The next one was about the Sabbath. 21:58 And I thought I was going to learn about death, 22:03 right, first thing. 22:05 And instead Sabbath was coming on. 22:09 And it was saying that Sabbath is on Saturday, not on Sunday. 22:15 And I'm like, wow, that drew my attention. 22:17 And... 22:19 Did that make you mad too? 22:20 Not yet, because I just... 22:22 Well, hadn't heard enough yet. 22:24 Okay. 22:25 And so I listened some more. 22:27 And, of course, 22:28 he's always giving scripture to back up what he's saying. 22:31 And so I was taking notes, 22:34 the whole time I was playing these, 22:36 I was sitting there taking notes. 22:38 And when he got to the part 22:41 where it happened with the early church, 22:44 and the Catholic admits that they did it. 22:48 I was like in shock. 22:50 I wasn't mad yet. I was just in shock. 22:52 And I was wondering, 22:54 how am I going to tell this to Tom. 22:57 And I just was amazed. 23:00 And so I went on and listened to more tapes. 23:05 So I just want to interrupt for one moment. 23:06 So we neglected to mention this before, 23:09 but you were not only Catholic and, of course, 23:11 married to your husband who was Catholic. 23:13 At this time you are working for a priest. 23:15 Yes. I'm a secretariat at Catholic Church, 23:19 and working for a priest. 23:21 So you're well immersed 23:22 we could say in the Catholic Church. 23:24 And here you're reading that 23:25 and learning that the Catholic Church 23:27 has something to do with the change 23:29 from Sabbath to Sunday. 23:32 And yet you're working for a priest. 23:33 Right. Okay. 23:35 And I was kind of curious about some of this. 23:41 And I actually asked my priest why we have church on Sunday 23:48 instead of Saturday. 23:49 And he told me 23:52 that it was they celebrate the resurrection. 23:55 Yes. 23:57 And I said, 23:58 but we're not keeping the commandment 24:00 when we do that. 24:02 And he said, "Yes, we are." 24:04 And I said, "No, we're not going on Saturday, 24:07 and Saturday is the Sabbath." 24:09 And he said, "We're keeping it," 24:11 and he walked away. 24:13 Okay. 24:15 So then there was every once in a while, 24:19 I would find an opening 24:20 where I could ask him something. 24:22 And one time, 24:25 he was wearing a special robe 24:27 that had some picture on the front of it. 24:31 And I didn't understand the picture. 24:36 And so I had asked him about it. 24:39 And it was a picture of Jesus 24:43 I believe it is with but only one eye. 24:46 And He was turned kind of sideways on it. 24:51 And I was asking the meaning of that 24:55 and He told me 24:58 but I don't even remember what he said, 25:00 I just remember that we didn't agree on it 25:04 'cause I thought I was seeing a second eye too. 25:07 I thought that I was seeing in a different way than he was. 25:10 And he's a funny guy. 25:14 He's very nice guy jolly all the time. 25:17 But he gets excited and he slapped me 25:20 when I disagreed with what he said. 25:23 He slapped me on the side of my face. 25:25 And there was another lady behind me that saw him do it. 25:29 And she goes, "Ah" like that. 25:31 And then there was the deacon of the church 25:35 was across from me, and he saw it happen. 25:39 But it didn't hurt, it just surprised me. 25:42 Oh, absolutely. I mean, he's your boss. 25:44 Here you are the secretary, 25:46 you could say at the parish working for him as your boss. 25:49 And there was people around... 25:51 And you're asking questions. 25:52 You're saying, "Okay, I'm learning this in the Bible. 25:55 Okay, I'm seeing this here and what's going on." 25:58 And just going before him and saying, 26:01 "I have some questions here," and then he... 26:03 Yeah. That is shocking. 26:05 Yeah. Okay. 26:06 And he is known to have a temper, 26:08 but he didn't hit hard, but he just, 26:10 it doesn't take much to get him flustered. 26:13 And so he just slapped me. 26:18 But then when I brought it up a few weeks later 26:20 he denied doing it. 26:22 Okay. Yeah. 26:24 I mean, obviously as a boss 26:25 that's not appropriate behavior. 26:28 So I mean, I'm sure you're trying to cover yourself 26:30 to say... 26:31 So at some point here, 26:34 you're learning, you're growing, 26:36 you're journeying, 26:38 some point here you really met Jesus. 26:41 Yes. So talk to us about that? 26:42 I was watching those tapes 26:44 and the next one was on the judgment. 26:47 And I learned that Jesus was my advocate. 26:50 And I thought, 26:52 I haven't done anything for Jesus to defend me with 26:57 and I haven't given Him the time or day, 26:59 and I was feeling guilty, and as I listened on, 27:05 it would tear up my heart. 27:08 And then I got to another tape that was about Mary Magdalene, 27:14 and she pretty much reflected my life in earlier years. 27:19 And in fact, 27:20 I had probably broken 27:22 a lot of commandments in my lifetime. 27:24 And this was just hurting me 27:27 when I saw what I had done to Jesus. 27:29 Yeah. 27:31 I felt so bad that I have heard Jesus 27:33 and when He loves us so much, 27:38 and so it got to me 27:42 and I started bawling and bawling, 27:46 and telling Jesus how sorry I was. 27:49 And I kept telling, "I love Him, I love Him." 27:53 And I was trying to type an email 27:57 to Pastor Lonnie at the time, but I couldn't stop crying. 28:01 So I couldn't see. 28:03 But I was just by feel, I typed him an email, 28:07 and told him this is worse than suicide 28:11 'cause I had been there in years earlier. 28:14 And told him, 28:15 I have heard Jesus and he was getting ready 28:20 to go out of town. 28:21 And he told me to call him at a certain time. 28:25 So I called him and we talked on the phone 28:28 for the first time then. 28:30 And, but I wasn't able to talk very much... 28:34 'Cause you're crying so hard. 28:35 Yeah, but nothing was coming out of my mouth 28:38 at all. 28:39 And he had to do most of the talking. 28:41 So we ended up, 28:43 he prayed with me and we hung up. 28:45 But then a couple weeks later, 28:48 I called him again and that time 28:52 I just spilt out everything I was guilty of, 28:56 and he led me in the sinner's prayer, 29:01 we were on the phone, 29:02 he was on his knees at his end, 29:04 and I was on my knees at my end. 29:06 And it's kind of funny 29:07 because I was at work at the time. 29:09 So I was in the priest's office with the door shut. 29:13 I had gone in an hour earlier, and was in the priest's office, 29:18 and had place locked, 29:20 and was on my knees 29:22 saying the sinner's prayer to Jesus. 29:25 And so we set up a time, then he became my mentor, 29:32 Pastor Lonnie did. 29:33 And, so I continued to listen to more tapes, and... 29:39 I just want to interrupt one moment. 29:41 It's incredible to me, Laura, to see the love God has for us. 29:46 You know, how to me 29:48 He just draws us with His quotes of love, 29:51 and no matter what you've done, 29:53 no matter how far you've fallen, 29:55 no matter where it feels like your past has been, 29:59 the Lord Jesus can redeem, the Lord Jesus can forgive. 30:04 He says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, 30:07 He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 30:11 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 30:14 So He doesn't just like whitewash, 30:16 "Okay, here's a quick forgiveness." 30:17 But it's a complete cleansing from inside. 30:21 And the thing I love the most about your testimony 30:24 is your heart for Jesus. 30:27 You know, you're saying, I hurt You. 30:31 You know, think of all the things I did 30:33 and how that hurt Jesus. 30:34 Often when we do something wrong, 30:36 we just justify ourselves. 30:38 You know what I'm saying, we kind of just say, 30:40 "Well, it wasn't really that bad, God, 30:42 and I'm not really that bad of a person." 30:44 But the Holy Spirit had broken your heart to realize 30:48 what you had done had put Him on the cross. 30:50 And I don't mean you specifically, I mean, 30:52 what I did put Him on the cross, 30:54 what each one of us did, our sins did that, 30:57 and yet you saw His love. 30:59 I did. 31:00 And indeed the story with the Mary Magdalene one was 31:03 how quickly He forgave Mary and how much He loved her, 31:08 and how much she loved Him, and just to see her, 31:13 you know, wiping His feet with her hair from her tears, 31:17 wiping them off and anointing Him. 31:20 I thought, I want to do that for Jesus. 31:23 And I thought, "He just forgave her and loved her 31:27 in spite of what how she had lived. 31:30 And I thought, I want that. 31:34 And I was thinking when on judgment back on judgment, 31:40 the devil is going to... 31:42 He's spilling out everything that I did for the reason 31:47 why I shouldn't be allowed to be in heaven. 31:50 And so I wanted Jesus to have something for me to, 31:56 you know, I wanted to live for Jesus 31:59 and not for myself like I had been doing. 32:03 And all those years when I was looking for love, 32:07 Jesus was right there. 32:09 And I didn't even pay attention. 32:12 I didn't sense it. I didn't feel it. 32:15 And, but I learned differently listening to these tapes. 32:22 So talk to me about the difference 32:23 before Christ and after Christ? 32:26 We talked some about what your life was like 32:28 before meeting Jesus. 32:29 But how did it change, Laura, after Jesus? 32:32 I put my attention totally on Jesus. 32:36 I prayed, and prayed, and prayed. 32:38 I couldn't wait to get up in the mornings. 32:40 I was getting, and I still do get up at 4:30 or so to 32:44 and because I can be alone with God and pray to Him. 32:48 And I was writing things down to remember them to scripture 32:53 and things like that. 32:55 And I just couldn't do enough for Him. 32:59 I just loved. 33:00 And Pastor Lonnie had sent me a booklet for Bible marking. 33:06 And so, I was really into that big time 33:08 and I was getting to know the Bible better by doing it. 33:12 And it was real fun to do, 33:14 really neat to see the different places 33:17 that it references to the same thing in the Bible. 33:21 And I was learning all about Daniel and Revelation. 33:24 And these are things that I never heard, 33:26 you know, at church, 33:29 they didn't talk about it at Methodist or at Catholic. 33:32 And just so much I was learning that I didn't, wasn't learning. 33:38 Now I do want to say at the Catholic Church, 33:43 I did learn about dying to self through the Catholic Church. 33:50 But everything else I've learned from Adventist Church. 33:54 And it's a blessing to be Adventist 33:59 because I'm learning so much all the time every day. 34:03 Amen. 34:05 So let's talk about your husband's reaction, Tom's. 34:07 What did he think? 34:10 Here you're studying, and he's thinking, 34:11 "Well, my wife's a good Catholic, 34:13 and she works as the parish secretary. 34:17 And, you know, we have this marriage in life together, 34:19 and all of a sudden you start learning things about 34:22 when we die, we sleep, is death as a sleep, 34:25 and then you start learning about the Sabbath, 34:27 then you met Jesus. 34:29 And so what was your husband's reaction? 34:32 He took it hard. 34:35 I told him that 34:37 I wanted to start going to Adventist Church. 34:41 And he took it hard and said, 34:45 "But you promised before we got married, 34:47 the two would be Catholic." 34:50 I didn't say this. 34:52 But I didn't realize, I hadn't read the Bible. 34:54 And I didn't realize the truth when I said that. 34:58 And I wanted to be Catholic for him. 35:01 But, now, I wanted to be Adventist for Jesus. 35:06 And I told him, but I was saved. 35:10 I've been reborn. 35:11 And I really want to go there. 35:14 And I said, "I want to be baptized there." 35:18 And he said, 35:20 "But we'll go different ways 35:22 that will make us go different directions." 35:25 And I said, "I still be your wife, 35:27 I still be the same person, I'll still do things with you." 35:35 And so I invited him to come along with me, 35:39 but he wouldn't have anything to do with that. 35:42 And one time I asked him, 35:46 now this was a year after 35:49 I was saved. 35:53 I asked him, "Would he go with me to Adventist Church?" 35:57 And he said, "Probably not." 35:59 And I said, "If I showed you in the Bible 36:02 where it says Saturday is the Sabbath, 36:05 would you go with me then?" 36:06 And he said, "No." 36:09 So I haven't pushed it 36:11 because I don't want to push it too much 36:13 'cause I love him dearly. 36:14 Yeah. 36:16 But you had to make a choice. 36:18 I mean, that I can't even imagine because, you know, 36:20 my husband, Greg and I, we both share the same faith. 36:25 So to make a choice and to say, 36:27 "Am I going to follow what I'm learning in the Word of God, 36:30 even if it hurts right now in the family?" 36:32 Exactly. Exactly. 36:34 I mean, that's a hard place and a hard decision to make. 36:36 It's often I wish that 36:39 we could be the same faith and be Adventist. 36:42 It felt like Jesus was no longer in our marriage 36:46 for a while. 36:48 But now Tom has come to accept it a lot better. 36:53 And he knows that where I'm going to be 36:55 on Saturday mornings and Wednesday night. 36:58 And he is okay with it now. Amen. 37:02 So God's working healing even in that. 37:04 He is. He is. 37:05 So talk to us about when you decided to 37:09 first attend the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 37:12 I know now 37:13 you're at the First Seventh-day Adventist Church of Evansville. 37:16 I had the privilege of being at Laura's baptism, 37:19 which we'll talk about in just a moment. 37:20 But tell us first, 37:23 how did you find the church 37:24 and what was it like the first time you went in? 37:27 Well, first of all, 37:28 I started going to the Catholic Church on Saturday evenings 37:31 so that I was going to church on Saturdays. 37:34 Tom wouldn't go with me. 37:36 But, and then I went Sunday again with him, for him. 37:39 And so, 37:42 I one day called Pastor Lonnie and told him 37:46 that I was going to church on Saturdays now, 37:49 but it was the Catholic Church. 37:51 And he was pleased to hear that, 37:53 he said, "It could use some tweaking," 37:56 but he said, "this is a start." 37:58 And, so he was very pleased, and prayed with me, 38:04 and so forth, and after we hung up I thought, 38:08 "Tweaking, what does he mean by that?" 38:10 And I thought, "Okay, 38:12 I'll look up an Adventist Church 38:14 and I'll start going to an Adventist Church." 38:16 He never said that on the phone at all. 38:19 This was all me. 38:21 And so I went to the internet 38:24 and started looking up the Adventist churches 38:29 and found two of them in Evansville. 38:31 And so there was one real close to me, 38:34 and then one a little further away. 38:37 And so I went, and did a drive by and kind of peeked in, 38:43 and I was very nervous about going by myself 38:47 because if you remember when I was on my own 38:49 I didn't go to church 38:50 because I was scared to go by myself. 38:53 Well, here I was again. Yes. 38:56 But now you had Jesus. But now I have Jesus. 38:58 Before, you are on your own and without Jesus. 39:01 Now you had Jesus. Right. 39:03 And I had this protective hedge around me now. 39:07 So I made up my mind I was going, and went, 39:13 and the people were so friendly and everybody said, 39:17 "Happy Sabbath," and hugged me. 39:19 And they didn't even know me. 39:21 It was my first time there. 39:22 And I was like, "Wow, this is really neat. 39:25 I felt loved already." 39:27 And it was so neat. 39:28 The pastor and his wife were out of town at the time, 39:31 and the head elder had said, welcomed me. 39:37 And said, 39:40 "The first time a visitor, the second time family." 39:43 And I kept that in my head. 39:46 And so the next weekend I wanted to go back again... 39:49 And be family. Be family. So I did. 39:51 And it was the same reaction everybody hugged, 39:54 "Happy Sabbath," and hugged. 39:56 And I just really loved it and still I. 40:00 And I could feel Jesus. Amen. 40:03 And, so then I went to the other church to see how it was. 40:10 And they were also friendly 40:11 and hugged and said, "Happy Sabbath." 40:13 But I don't know the one that I chose was the one 40:16 that I'm going to now. 40:18 And I have not regretted it at all. 40:21 I look so forward to going every week. 40:24 I just can't wait to get there and I love that 40:27 the Adventist has a quarterly, but we do. 40:31 I love that, no other churches ever had that 40:34 that I've gone to. 40:36 And so... 40:37 And I know you watch Sabbath School panels sometimes. 40:38 I do. I do. 40:40 And it's just, I can't get enough of it. 40:43 I just, I love it. 40:45 It's a good way to read the Bible and to learn things. 40:49 And I love learning about Jesus. 40:51 I just love it. 40:53 I just love it. Amen. 40:55 So you went for how long 40:56 before you made the decision to be baptized? 40:58 I know Pastor Norris... Is that your church, right? 41:01 And his wife Coyleen? Yes. 41:03 Yes. Okay. 41:05 I was going there for about six months. 41:08 And I just commented to in an email to Pastor Lonnie, 41:13 that I really would like to be baptized. 41:16 And that's all it took, he said, 41:18 "I'll come there and baptize you." 41:20 Now you hadn't met he and his wife at this time? 41:22 We had never met yet. Okay. 41:24 You were just communicated via email or phone, or whatever. 41:26 Right. 41:28 So six months later for the first time 41:29 we were going to meet each other. 41:31 We were meeting at a restaurant 41:32 before he was going to have a service that evening. 41:36 He did an evangelistic service 41:38 for Friday evening and Saturday morning. 41:41 And so before church, 41:44 we met at a restaurant so we can meet each other, 41:47 and get used to each other, and so forth. 41:50 So I knew what they looked like but, 41:56 and Jeannie kind of knew what I looked like 41:58 because of Facebook. 41:59 I'm friends with her on Facebook. 42:01 And so, I recognized her right away 42:06 and she recognized me. 42:08 And we just smiled and went to each other with a big hug. 42:12 And so then we talked and got acquainted. 42:16 And it was just a really great time. 42:18 And we went to church and it was a great weekend. 42:23 Yeah, that was Friday, right? Isn't that when you first met? 42:25 And I think the first time I met you was on Sabbath. 42:29 I remember we were in the office here at 3ABN. 42:32 And I think it was Pastor Lonnie 42:35 who first notified us of your story. 42:37 I think it was Pastor Lonnie. He's friends with Roy. 42:39 Yes. Yeah. 42:41 So I think he's the one who first notified us of that. 42:43 And I remember thinking, 42:44 "Wow, this is an incredible testimony. 42:48 We have got to go." 42:49 So we took some of our 3ABN crew, 42:52 I know Roy and Arlene were there, 42:54 my husband Greg and I went, Pastor CA Murray. 42:57 Yes. 42:58 I think Brad Walker went and some of the other crew. 43:00 And we went over to the Evansville 43:03 First Seventh-day Adventist Church. 43:04 Pastor Norris was there and his wife, 43:07 Pastor Lonnie was there and Jeannie, 43:10 and the best thing is that Lauren was there. 43:13 And we got to meet you, and hug you, and see 43:16 what God is doing in your life. 43:18 And I know we have some footage of that 43:21 I want to show here. 43:22 But I remember your baptism 43:24 going up in the baptistery tank. 43:26 And what was it like, Laura, being baptized? 43:29 It was, I don't know how to explain it. 43:31 There was flower petals floating around in the water. 43:35 And it was high up in the top of the church. 43:38 It was high... I was close to heaven. 43:43 And it was just, they were singing songs, 43:47 and it was just, he was quoting scripture. 43:50 And then when I went and got immersed under the water, 43:55 and came up, it was just, 43:58 I could feel it on my shoulders 44:01 like a heavy load was off my shoulders. 44:04 It was just really neat. 44:07 I remember Pastor Lonnie preached. 44:10 He had an incredible sermon. 44:12 And then in the afternoon, 44:13 we recorded a bit of your testimony too. 44:16 I think we have a little footage of that. 44:19 Pastor CA interviewed you 44:20 and Pastor Lonnie about some of your journey. 44:24 Yes. 44:25 That was your first experience with television. 44:28 Yes. 44:31 So I know since then, 44:34 Laura's been active in the church. 44:36 So tell us you're not just sitting in the pew 44:40 and being part of the family as you are. 44:41 Now see, that's what I thought I was going to do. 44:45 'Cause that's what I had always done 44:46 in Methodist Church and Catholic Church 44:49 was sitting in the pew. 44:50 And all of a sudden one Saturday, 44:54 I was asked to read the scripture. 44:57 And I was like panicked. 45:01 And I actually him-hawed around that they said, 45:05 "We'll go to somebody else." 45:07 And instantly, I felt horrible. 45:11 Like, I refuse Jesus when I did that. 45:15 And as soon as I got home, I texted his wife and said, 45:19 "Tell him that I'll read next time." 45:22 And so the next time I was asked, 45:24 and I got up there and read. 45:26 And so I've read a few times since then. 45:27 And I've come around to know that 45:31 that is a witness for Jesus right there. 45:34 It is. 45:36 And so I always remember that 45:37 I'm doing it for Jesus and I'm okay then. 45:39 Amen. 45:41 And you're also involved in some Bible study. 45:42 Yeah. Tell us about that? 45:46 Thunder in the Holy Land with... 45:49 Elder Bird. Yes. 45:51 Charles Bird. Charles Bird. 45:53 Pastor Lonnie also did one where he narrated it. 45:57 And he gave me a set 45:59 and so I started showing pastor 46:04 and Coyleen got some people together for me, 46:07 and I started showing that, 46:10 and we talked about it afterwards, 46:11 and we went through the whole series. 46:13 And it was kind of sad that it was over, 46:16 we weren't ready to be done. 46:18 I think about all of us felt the same way. 46:21 And so we decided to start reading 46:24 Desire of Ages study in it, 46:27 and seeing what it means and so forth. 46:30 And 'cause it has a lot of scripture in it. 46:32 And so we would reference to the scripture 46:35 and talk about it, 46:37 how it applies to us now and so forth. 46:39 And we've become a close knit group 46:41 and we have about nine of us 46:44 that has gone for over a year now. 46:47 Is this Wednesday nights or... 46:49 Wednesday nights. Okay. 46:50 Yes, at six o'clock. And it's very good. 46:55 I've really grown a lot from it. 46:57 And some of them have said they have too. 47:00 Amen. Amen. 47:01 I know that Pastor Lonnie has been a huge mentor in your life 47:05 that you have volume his correspondence. 47:09 Sometimes I copy out a little bit of it. 47:12 And I know that Pastor Norris and Coyleen 47:16 have ministered in your life. 47:18 I was thinking about some of the correspondence 47:20 between you and Pastor Lonnie. 47:22 And maybe someday a book's going develop. 47:25 Yes, we are planning to... 47:28 I have kept all the emails back and forth that we did. 47:33 And we're planning to have it published. 47:36 And it just takes a while to get it all together. 47:40 And I'm so busy now with my Adventist life 47:43 that it's hard for me to get to it. 47:47 But we're going to get it done. 47:48 And we already have somebody in Germany 47:51 that wants to print it. 47:53 And so it's pretty neat, exciting too. 47:57 It's another way to witness. 48:00 You know what I'm thinking, Laura, 48:01 is that I think about where you were. 48:06 You know, there's a verse in Genesis. 48:08 I think it's Genesis 50, 48:10 Joseph talking to his brothers, 48:11 you know, right at the end there of Genesis. 48:14 And he says, what Satan intended for evil 48:18 because the brothers, 48:19 you know, throw them in the pit, 48:20 and sold him as a slave into Egypt, 48:22 and all of that horrible stuff. 48:24 And that was not God. 48:26 God didn't want that to happen. 48:27 Satan intended that for evil. 48:29 But what does he say? 48:30 God turned to good. 48:32 And so I see what Satan intended for evil in your life. 48:36 You know that bullying as a child, 48:38 and the pain, and the shame that you experience, 48:41 that isolation, that loneliness, 48:45 God worked redemptively. 48:48 He didn't want that to happen. 48:49 Of course, now that's a result of sin and Satan. 48:52 But at the same time, 48:54 God brought beauty as it were, from where there was ashes, 48:57 God brought cause the desert as it were to rejoice, 49:01 and blossom as the rose, 49:03 and to look at you now, 49:04 and to see what God is doing in your life, 49:07 and the incredible journey that you've been on. 49:10 I know you came over today with Linda Patterson 49:12 who's another sister in Jesus. 49:14 I can't even remember 49:16 how many camp meetings Linda's been coming to. 49:18 She's been to our church and the camp meeting. 49:20 She's a wonderful woman. And you came... 49:22 Was it the first time with her 49:24 to camp meeting here with Linda? 49:25 Yes, in the spring I did, I was here and I loved it. 49:30 I could have tended that three weeks 49:32 and not got tired of it. 49:33 It was just awesome. 49:34 And I learned so much, 49:36 and it was even better than watching 3ABN on TV. 49:39 You know, you get to see pastor after pastor, 49:43 and learn so much, and see them in person, 49:47 and you could feel God, God was so much there. 49:51 And, you know, there the ministers are talented 49:55 at bringing that out that Jesus is there and... 49:59 Amen. 50:01 I want to mention your email address here. 50:03 And then maybe we'll get to 50:04 a couple of your favorite scriptures. 50:06 Okay. 50:07 But if you would like to contact Laura, 50:09 we're not going to put up an address, 50:10 and phone number, and all that. 50:12 But we would like to put up her email address. 50:14 It's TigerSommerfield that's just the word tiger, 50:18 and that's S-O-M-M-E-R-F-I-E-L-D. 50:23 Tigersommerfield@gmail.com. 50:26 And so if something she has shared today 50:29 about her own journey, her journey of healing, 50:31 her journey into the Adventist Church 50:33 if that has ministered to your life. 50:35 If you have questions for Laura, 50:37 if you would like someone to pray with you, 50:40 email Laura. 50:42 That's TigerSommerfield@gmail.com. 50:45 And I know that she would love to correspond with you 50:48 and encourage you in the Lord. 50:50 So we're almost out of time here. 50:52 But is there a scripture I know you told me 50:54 there's a couple scriptures you really like, Laura. 50:56 You want to share with us the scripture. 50:59 Coyleen, you mentioned, she's one of my mentors, 51:01 and she has worked with me, teach me on how to... 51:06 Training me on how to teach Bible study. 51:08 And she sends me scriptures all of the time 51:12 as well as Pastor Lonnie. 51:13 But one of them is Isaiah 41:13, 51:17 "For I the Lord your God 51:19 will hold your right hand saying to you, 51:22 'Fear not, I will help you.'" 51:25 And I read that scripture. 51:26 I have 3x5 cards, I keep in my purse on a spiral. 51:30 And I have that written on there, 51:32 and I look at it all the time to remind myself of that. 51:36 Amen. 51:37 And it's just a great scripture to read. 51:41 I have another one, if I have time. 51:43 Please we have time for one more. 51:44 Absolutely. 51:46 Galatians 1:10, 51:47 "For do I now persuade men or God? 51:50 Or do I seek to please men? 51:53 For if I still pleased men, 51:55 I would not be a servant of Christ." 51:59 And I just wish I would have read the Bible 52:02 when I was years ago. 52:04 And maybe I would have got to Jesus sooner. 52:08 But I just love these scriptures. 52:10 We're so blessed to have the Bible 52:12 and scripture from God. 52:14 We have been so blessed to have you here. 52:16 We're going to go to our news break at this time, 52:18 and then we'll be back with a closing thought from Laura. 52:21 But I hope your heart has been encouraged today 52:24 at what God can do in any of our lives 52:27 if we make a decision to follow Him. 52:29 We'll be right back. |
Revised 2018-12-30