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, I'm Shelley
Quinn and we're so glad
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we get to spend
this hour with you.
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You will be blessed.
You know, the greatest
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ministry there
is is our testimony.
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No one can deny our testimony
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as we share what God has done.
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And our special guest
today has a fabulous testimony.
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You will be inspired, and
I believe what God has taken
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her through can show us all
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what He wants
to do in our lives.
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Let me start with I
John chapter 2 verse 15.
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This scripture really applies
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to what happened
in our guest's life.
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I John 2:15 says:
"Do not love the world
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or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world,
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the love of the
Father is not in him.
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For all that is in the
world: the lust of the flesh,
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the lust of the eyes
and the pride of life
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is not of the Father
but is of the world. "
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OK... now get this:
verse 17, I John 2:17:
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"The world is passing away. "
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Everything that we
chase in the world that seems
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so important to us...
it's coming to an end.
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"And the lust of it
is also passing away.
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But he who does the
will of God abides forever. "
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Hallelujah! What
a beautiful verse!
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And you're going
to see how that verse
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God has fulfilled
in our special guest.
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Let me go ahead
and introduce her:
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Tenisha Tavares.
Tenisha, we're so glad
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that you're here with us today.
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Well thank you. It's
a pleasure to be here
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and a blessing
to be here as well.
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I'm excited. You
know, I want to thank you
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because you're a
very transparent person
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in talking about
your past and how God
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got your attention and
brought you back into the fold.
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And how He's using you
today is just amazing. Um-hmm.
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And before we get rollin'
cause once we hit the GO button
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this young woman
has got a lot to share.
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But before we get rolling
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we're going to have her
daughter sing a song for us.
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Her precious
12-year-old daughter
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is Natalie Bryant
and she's going to sing
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No Longer Slaves.
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You unravel me
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with a melody;
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You surround me with a song.
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Of deliverance
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from my enemies
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'til all my fears are gone.
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I'm no longer a slave to fear;
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I am a child of God.
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I'm no longer a slave to fear;
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I am a child of God.
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From my mother's
womb You have chosen me...
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love has called my name.
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I've been born again
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into Your family...
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Your blood flows
through my veins.
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I'm no longer a slave to fear;
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I am a child of God.
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I'm no longer a slave to fear;
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I am a child of God.
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Oh,
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oh, oh, oh,
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oh,
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oh, oh, oh,
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oh, oh,
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oh, oh, oh,
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oh, oh,
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oh, oh, oh,
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You split the sea so I
could walk right through it.
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My fears are
drowned in perfect love.
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You rescued me so I
could stand and sing
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I am a child of God.
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I am
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a child of God...
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I'm no longer a slave to fear;
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I am a child of God...
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I'm no longer a slave to fear;
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I am a child of God...
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I am a child of God...
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I am a child of God!
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You can tell by Natalie's...
the look on her face
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that she believes
what she's singing
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and that's because her
Mama is teaching her that.
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And I... If you're
joining us just a little late,
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we actually... I think
Natalie was the highlight...
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now we're going to interview
her mother Tenisha Tavares.
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And Tenisha, that must
have just made your heart swell.
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Every time she
sings I almost cry it's so
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beautiful.
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Well we are going to
just hit the GO button
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and let you tell us
your wonderful testimony.
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I'll just
interject here and there.
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But I understand you grew up
in an Adventist Christian home
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but at the age of
18 you made a decision.
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Tell us about that.
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Well, as you said
at the age of 18 I just
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the world was calling
me is what I would say
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and I had just decided:
"OK, I want to try it out. "
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So I told God: "God, let
me just go into the world.
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Let me live my life up there
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and when I hear
You calling me back...
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when I see the
signs of the times,
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when I know
Jesus is coming again,
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then call me back 'cause I don't
want to miss out on that. "
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And so the Lord being
as gracious and merciful
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as He is, He allowed
me to go and do that.
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But I know
throughout that whole journey
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He was walking me
through and leading me through
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so that I would never completely
stop hearing His voice
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but that I would be able to know
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when the time was
right to come back.
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All right. So let me
just back up here. OK.
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So you grew up in a
Christian home? Yes.
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But you obviously didn't
have a true understanding
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of His love - yeah - or
you didn't have that personal
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relationship with Him - right -
as a Savior. Correct... correct.
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'Cause we want to point
out how dangerous that kind of
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decision is.
Yes, VERY dangerous.
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You never know if you decide
"Oh, Lord, I want to walk away
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and I'm just going to
let You call me back. "
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You could be run over
by a truck that very night
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and you're in a lost
condition. That's it.
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So God was very
gracious because...
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I'm going to
jump ahead a minute...
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Tenisha's now in ministry.
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But you at the age of 18
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decided: "I want to see
what the world's got to offer. "
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What was your experience like?
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Well, at first
it was sweet, right?
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At first it was: "Oh,
this is really enjoyable.
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I kind of like this. "
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But as my distance in knowing
God started to become greater
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as I started to
fall away even further,
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I recognize that it was dark.
And there was a lot of sadness.
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I look at it now and think:
"Wow! All of that that I went
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through didn't bring me
the joy that I thought it was
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going to at the
very beginning. "
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It's kind of like a drug.
The first time you try a drug
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you get this high and
it's oh, you're always chasing
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that high. And that's
kind of what the world is like.
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A drug, right? And so you try it
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and the first few years
it's like this wonderful high
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that you're constantly
chasing. But all it does is just
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completely empty you more.
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So kind of take us through
and unpack that a little.
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You're 18. Did
you go off to college?
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What was your experience?
00:11:04.66\00:11:06.80
Yeah, so I basically
gave my parents an ultimatum.
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I said: "Either send me
to Club Med in Mexico to work
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there or send me to
La Sierra University. "
00:11:13.94\00:11:16.40
And thankfully my parents didn't
choose the Club Med route.
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They said that they would
pay for me to go to La Sierra
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University. And so I did...
I went to Adventist university.
00:11:21.78\00:11:25.21
From La Sierra, I
decided to go to culinary school
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for a while and then
I went off to Andrews
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to get my nutrition degree.
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And so there was still
that knowing of comfort
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within the environment
that I grew up in, right?
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Being in that Adventist home,
that Christian environment.
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There was still comfort there.
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But within it I still
wanted to do my own thing.
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So I went off to
university and I got my degree.
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And how I explain it is
I knew that I had to get
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a degree to be able to live
the life that I wanted to live.
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Right? To have the money;
to be able to have my own place
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where I didn't have to
listen to my parents anymore
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where I could do my own thing.
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Boy, you must have
really been... If you were off
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in a Christian university
you were really resisting
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the Holy Spirit,
weren't you? Oh yeah, yeah.
00:12:10.26\00:12:12.03
Yeah. You know, for the
first year that I was there
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I attended
worship, I made friends.
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But then slowly there are
other friends that came into
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the picture that just completely
started to draw me away
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from even going into
those... chapel or worship
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or vespers and things like that.
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Then it was just
going to just be there
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to see who was there instead
of going to gain a blessing
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from the Lord. OK.
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So you get your
degree but tell us how
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the slippery slope...
how you started your decline
00:12:42.12\00:12:44.89
on the slippery slope.
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Well basically it began by
trying drugs for the first time.
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OK. I was 16 the first
time I tried marijuana.
00:12:52.40\00:12:55.67
And then I started drinking.
I went with a friend to Mexico
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and you can drink in
Mexico at a young age
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so I started there.
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And then it just became that
desire to want more and more.
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And so then of course - the
devil being as sly as he is -
00:13:05.98\00:13:10.05
introduce people into your life
that just basically feed you
00:13:10.25\00:13:14.09
these addictions
that you start to develop.
00:13:14.29\00:13:16.26
And so I just surrounded
myself with those type of people
00:13:16.46\00:13:19.83
that I was able to get
what I needed and to drink
00:13:20.03\00:13:23.03
when I wanted.
OK, so was this...
00:13:23.23\00:13:25.73
Would you call your addictions
00:13:25.93\00:13:27.94
some people say
"their coping mechanism"
00:13:28.34\00:13:31.34
some people just say
it's "sheer rebellion
00:13:31.54\00:13:34.41
and the lust of the flesh. "
Where would you land yours on?
00:13:34.61\00:13:39.15
I would say pure rebellion.
00:13:39.35\00:13:40.85
OK. You know, the
lust of the flesh.
00:13:41.05\00:13:42.92
"Oh, let me see
what this is like. "
00:13:43.12\00:13:44.45
At first I didn't like it.
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.45
I was like: "Oh,
this tastes weird. "
00:13:46.65\00:13:49.06
"I don't like the
way this makes me feel. "
00:13:49.26\00:13:51.33
But then over time, it was
like: "Oh wait, this brings out
00:13:51.73\00:13:54.66
a different side of me.
This brings out the person
00:13:54.86\00:13:57.30
that can party more. This
brings out the more boldness
00:13:57.50\00:13:59.70
in saying whatever I want
and being whoever I want. "
00:13:59.90\00:14:02.50
So it basically turned
me into a different person.
00:14:02.70\00:14:05.84
Yeah... as it does. Um-hmm.
00:14:06.04\00:14:08.48
So you are now in
this environment...
00:14:08.68\00:14:12.45
Did you marry someone
from this environment?
00:14:12.65\00:14:15.92
I did! I did! I married
somebody in this environment
00:14:16.12\00:14:19.32
and it didn't last long
00:14:20.46\00:14:23.26
because it wasn't a
healthy relationship.
00:14:23.46\00:14:25.69
I realized in this time that
00:14:25.89\00:14:29.96
this relationship
was just bringing me down
00:14:30.70\00:14:33.00
for a variety of reasons
you know though it became
00:14:33.20\00:14:36.37
co-dependent because that
relationship also supplied me
00:14:36.57\00:14:39.51
with the drug that I wanted
and the need that I wanted.
00:14:39.71\00:14:43.11
And so when I
left that relationship
00:14:43.31\00:14:46.31
is kind of when
I REALLY went wild.
00:14:46.51\00:14:49.48
You know,
basically I wanted payback.
00:14:49.68\00:14:53.15
What he did to me I
was going to do to him.
00:14:53.36\00:14:55.72
But not really...
it was doing to myself.
00:14:55.92\00:14:58.26
And so I really just
emerged myself into the world
00:14:58.46\00:15:01.96
and really started becoming
a little bit more promiscuous.
00:15:02.16\00:15:06.63
You know,
involving myself with men
00:15:06.84\00:15:10.24
that were not
filling me with anything
00:15:10.44\00:15:13.14
but basically taking
a part of me every time
00:15:13.34\00:15:15.78
that I encountered them.
00:15:15.98\00:15:17.51
So were these men...
Would you say you're attracted
00:15:17.71\00:15:21.22
to bad boys? Yeah. You
were attracted to the bad boys.
00:15:21.42\00:15:24.65
Very much so! OK.
00:15:24.85\00:15:26.25
If there was going to be a
bad boy at the Adventist school
00:15:26.65\00:15:28.69
I went to he was
going to be my boyfriend.
00:15:28.89\00:15:30.56
Yeah, so that... And
you know there's a very true
00:15:30.76\00:15:34.60
psychological phenomenon
that there are people who are.
00:15:34.80\00:15:38.77
So as you then go
through this divorce
00:15:38.97\00:15:43.41
and I don't care who you
are or how bad your marriage is
00:15:43.61\00:15:47.91
divorces are difficult.
'Cause when you're married
00:15:48.64\00:15:51.78
you don't marry with the
idea of getting a divorce.
00:15:51.98\00:15:56.62
And so it's a
death of the vision.
00:15:57.02\00:15:58.92
We all have these visions
that you're gonna get married
00:15:59.12\00:16:01.42
and sit on the front
porch in your rocking chair
00:16:01.62\00:16:04.39
with your
grandbabies on your knees.
00:16:04.59\00:16:06.49
So it's hurtful. Yes.
00:16:06.70\00:16:08.60
But obviously your
husband hurt you quite a bit.
00:16:08.80\00:16:11.37
Um-hmm. So now
you're out to get even
00:16:11.57\00:16:14.50
but you're
attracted to these bad boys.
00:16:14.70\00:16:17.07
Tell us about that.
00:16:17.47\00:16:18.81
So I... because
of that attraction
00:16:19.57\00:16:21.98
you know I got
involved with somebody
00:16:22.18\00:16:23.88
that I thank the Lord now
00:16:24.08\00:16:27.32
because of the result of it
and the growth that could come
00:16:27.52\00:16:30.55
from it, developing not only
a relationship with his family
00:16:30.75\00:16:34.92
but also my daughter
came from this relationship.
00:16:35.12\00:16:37.93
And I refer to her
as my "saving grace. "
00:16:38.33\00:16:40.06
And she's like: "Mom, why
didn't you call me Grace? "
00:16:40.26\00:16:41.73
And I'm like: "Because I didn't
realize until 5 years after you
00:16:41.93\00:16:44.47
were born that you were
truly my saving grace. "
00:16:44.67\00:16:47.34
And so because of that
relationship came Natalie,
00:16:47.54\00:16:50.64
and she has been just an
ultimate blessing for my life.
00:16:50.84\00:16:53.68
And I know that God...
even though I was going down
00:16:53.88\00:16:57.38
my own path that God
was going to steer me back.
00:16:57.58\00:17:00.28
And He did that by
stopping me in my tracks.
00:17:00.48\00:17:03.02
Like there's only
so much you can party
00:17:03.22\00:17:05.32
with having a baby in tow.
I mean I found a way to do it
00:17:05.52\00:17:08.16
but there's only
so much you can do.
00:17:08.36\00:17:10.09
And so when she
came into the picture
00:17:10.49\00:17:12.13
it slowed everything
down. I experienced love.
00:17:12.33\00:17:16.03
You know, this trueness of
love with having her in my arms
00:17:16.23\00:17:19.53
and the love that she
gave back even just as a baby.
00:17:19.73\00:17:22.17
Yeah. But when you say
that it slowed things down
00:17:22.37\00:17:25.64
you still continued
partying? What did you do?
00:17:25.84\00:17:29.58
You're living alone,
right? You and Natalie?
00:17:29.78\00:17:32.25
Um-hmm. How did you handle that?
00:17:32.45\00:17:33.92
Well, I still
continued smoking marijuana.
00:17:34.12\00:17:36.62
And so instead of going out
to find it people would bring it
00:17:36.82\00:17:39.45
to me. People would come over.
00:17:39.65\00:17:41.92
As she got older I
was... When we'd get off work
00:17:42.92\00:17:46.70
I'd pick her up from daycare
and I would take her what we
00:17:46.90\00:17:49.00
called "lemonade hour. "
My friends and I would meet
00:17:49.20\00:17:51.30
at happy hour, and she would
have lemonade and French fries
00:17:51.50\00:17:54.07
and we would have a
couple of cocktails.
00:17:54.27\00:17:55.94
And so I took her everywhere.
00:17:56.34\00:17:58.67
I just didn't live like...
Of course, the places I could.
00:17:58.87\00:18:01.54
Actually one time I had a friend
who was like Oh no, you can
00:18:01.74\00:18:04.31
bring her to the bar...
it's children-friendly. "
00:18:04.51\00:18:06.28
When we walked in there
and they were like: "No,
00:18:06.48\00:18:08.65
we don't have high chairs. "
00:18:08.85\00:18:10.19
And I was like: "I told you
I couldn't bring her here! "
00:18:10.22\00:18:12.12
But if I could
take her to a party
00:18:12.52\00:18:14.96
to any type of
an event I took her.
00:18:15.16\00:18:17.33
I always took her
with me. It was never:
00:18:17.53\00:18:19.23
"Let me find a
place for you to go"
00:18:19.43\00:18:21.26
because she was my
responsibility even though
00:18:21.46\00:18:23.73
I was acting unresponsible
with her at the time.
00:18:23.93\00:18:27.20
Though I did... and
thankfully because God is
00:18:28.00\00:18:30.31
so gracious and good
He protected both of us
00:18:30.51\00:18:32.57
in that situation. Amen!
00:18:32.77\00:18:34.38
But you said she's
under five years old
00:18:34.58\00:18:38.15
when you're taking her out
to these places. Yes. Um-hmm.
00:18:38.35\00:18:41.38
And something happened.
00:18:41.98\00:18:45.89
Now I just have to
give you a little hint.
00:18:46.09\00:18:48.72
Natalie's parents are really
strong believers in prayer,
00:18:50.19\00:18:56.16
especially the mother and
the mother's prayer group.
00:18:56.36\00:18:59.83
All this time
they're praying for you.
00:19:00.24\00:19:03.64
You mean my parents?
I'm sorry... I said, Natalie
00:19:03.84\00:19:06.98
but I mean Tenisha's
parents. So all this time
00:19:07.18\00:19:10.11
they are praying for her.
00:19:10.31\00:19:12.61
And did they know you
were taking her to bars
00:19:12.81\00:19:15.88
and partying?
Praise God they didn't.
00:19:16.08\00:19:17.79
When you think about it they
probably would have taken her
00:19:18.99\00:19:20.92
from me. I'm sure!
00:19:21.12\00:19:22.82
But what? How did God
00:19:23.02\00:19:27.36
finally get your attention?
Because you keep saying
00:19:27.76\00:19:31.33
she was 5 and under. Something
happened when she was five?
00:19:31.53\00:19:34.54
Yeah. How did God
get your attention?
00:19:34.74\00:19:36.84
So when she five years old...
00:19:37.04\00:19:39.81
I remember this
like it was yesterday.
00:19:40.01\00:19:42.21
We were sitting
down to have dinner
00:19:42.41\00:19:43.88
and I would always... I had
these little short wine glasses
00:19:44.08\00:19:47.62
that I used for our juice
and I also used for my wine.
00:19:47.78\00:19:51.25
And I would pour her grape
juice in hers and I would pour
00:19:51.45\00:19:54.66
wine in mine. And I
remember sitting there
00:19:54.86\00:19:56.79
and she said: "Mom, I can't
wait till I'm an adult like you
00:19:56.99\00:19:59.69
so I can drink wine as well. "
00:19:59.89\00:20:01.53
And that was just like a
stab. That was like "Uh! "
00:20:01.73\00:20:04.30
Right in my heart
like "What am I doing? "
00:20:04.50\00:20:06.74
And I realized that
evening that I was not raised
00:20:07.14\00:20:10.21
in a home that
drank. I was not raised
00:20:10.41\00:20:12.31
with this type of environment
& what was I bringing her into?
00:20:12.51\00:20:16.81
That I was teaching
her that drinking was fun.
00:20:17.01\00:20:19.25
That it was OK. It
was a time to socialize.
00:20:19.45\00:20:21.98
I didn't want her
to have that experience
00:20:23.39\00:20:26.15
and so to me, it was God
just like saying: "Hey! "
00:20:26.35\00:20:29.26
Basically hitting me
on the head like "Wake up!
00:20:29.46\00:20:32.46
This is what
you're doing to her. "
00:20:32.66\00:20:34.03
And so that night
was the first night
00:20:34.53\00:20:37.93
that I prayed:
"Lord, please help me! "
00:20:38.13\00:20:41.17
"Please help me. " I
didn't know how to pray.
00:20:41.37\00:20:43.51
I didn't know what to
pray because in the past
00:20:43.71\00:20:46.31
you know with having
praying parents the Holy Spirit
00:20:46.51\00:20:48.91
was always tugging in my ear
like "Hey, what are you doing? "
00:20:49.11\00:20:52.41
And I just
realized at that moment
00:20:53.52\00:20:56.85
I have to change
things for her. I really do.
00:20:58.15\00:21:00.96
And so that was the first
night I prayed "Lord, help me. "
00:21:01.16\00:21:03.73
Though I didn't listen
right away. For two months
00:21:04.93\00:21:07.80
I continued to drink
but every time that I drank
00:21:08.00\00:21:10.83
I was sick... sick to my
stomach. I would wake up with
00:21:11.03\00:21:13.17
a migraine and I was like: "May-
be I'm allergic to this now? "
00:21:13.37\00:21:16.27
But I think the Lord...
He's got a sense of humor,
00:21:16.47\00:21:18.81
right? And He's just like:
"OK, you're going to continue
00:21:19.01\00:21:21.11
even though you
told Me to help you?
00:21:21.31\00:21:22.91
Let Me show you what it's
really doing to your insides. "
00:21:23.11\00:21:26.31
Yeah, yeah. So at that point -
um-hmm - when you start feeling
00:21:26.51\00:21:31.49
sick, at what point did
you walk back into a church?
00:21:31.69\00:21:35.66
Well I had actually gone
to church a few months before
00:21:36.56\00:21:39.13
that. OK. There
was an event happening
00:21:39.33\00:21:42.23
at our church
called "Fire Rekindled. "
00:21:42.43\00:21:45.17
And our pastor would do this
event before a big evangelism
00:21:45.37\00:21:48.34
series... or it was
the evangelism series...
00:21:48.54\00:21:50.41
but it was seven weekends
of kind of reviving the church
00:21:50.61\00:21:53.27
to return to God. Build a
closer relationship to Him.
00:21:53.48\00:21:57.48
And so my uncle called me
and asked me to go to church
00:21:57.68\00:22:00.95
with him that Sabbath.
00:22:01.15\00:22:02.58
Prior to that...
Sorry, I keep on going back,
00:22:02.78\00:22:04.99
but prior to that
just a few months before
00:22:05.19\00:22:07.09
I told Natalie: "Hey, we
should probably go to church
00:22:07.29\00:22:09.72
this Sabbath. "
And she's like: "Mom,
00:22:09.92\00:22:11.39
church is boring. " At
that point, she was four
00:22:11.59\00:22:14.23
'cause she turned five in March.
00:22:14.43\00:22:15.76
"Mom, church is
boring; I don't want to go. "
00:22:15.80\00:22:17.60
And I was like: "Oh wait, I
used to think church was fun
00:22:17.80\00:22:19.93
when I was little. " And
so I compromised with her that
00:22:20.14\00:22:23.44
she went to an Adventist
school because my parents said
00:22:23.64\00:22:26.41
"We will pay for her to
go to an Adventist academy. "
00:22:26.61\00:22:29.04
And so she was going
to the Adventist academy.
00:22:29.24\00:22:31.71
And I said: "Well let's go to
the church where all you friends
00:22:31.91\00:22:33.75
go. " So we went
there. So I started kind of
00:22:33.95\00:22:36.72
taking her back to church
because I wanted her to have
00:22:36.92\00:22:40.39
the experience I
did when I was little
00:22:40.59\00:22:42.29
of just being
in a church family.
00:22:42.49\00:22:44.63
And so my uncle had reached
out to me and said: "Hey,
00:22:44.83\00:22:47.00
let's... come with me
to church this Sabbath. "
00:22:47.20\00:22:49.56
And when I went to church
that Sabbath I heard a testimony
00:22:49.76\00:22:52.03
of the speaker that was
there that made me realize
00:22:52.23\00:22:54.84
that God can take us
from the depths of the earth,
00:22:55.04\00:22:58.61
from the darkness that we have
lived in and take us completely
00:22:58.81\00:23:01.64
into light and to ministry.
00:23:01.84\00:23:03.55
And when I heard this...
So this was the speaker's
00:23:03.75\00:23:06.68
testimony of what
God had done in his life.
00:23:06.88\00:23:10.19
Yeah. OK. And so
00:23:10.39\00:23:12.42
that kind of just... that
story: I would tell everybody
00:23:12.62\00:23:15.66
about it. I was
like: "Man, this pastor
00:23:15.86\00:23:17.76
and this was the
life that he walked in
00:23:17.96\00:23:19.49
and God has him all the
way over here working for Him,
00:23:19.69\00:23:22.26
traveling all over the
place. What an amazing story
00:23:22.46\00:23:24.90
what God has done to
him! " I really really just
00:23:25.10\00:23:28.40
could identify with
him and what his story was.
00:23:29.27\00:23:33.11
And so... You could
identify with the dark side
00:23:33.51\00:23:36.51
and you were ready for
God to turn that around.
00:23:36.71\00:23:39.35
Ready for God
to change it, yeah.
00:23:39.55\00:23:40.88
And so at that point we
were going kind of off and on
00:23:41.15\00:23:44.65
to church after I
heard his testimony.
00:23:44.85\00:23:46.96
'Cause you know in my life
I worked one Sabbath a month.
00:23:47.16\00:23:49.49
One Saturday a month
at the job that I had.
00:23:49.69\00:23:51.99
And you were a dietitian?
I was a dietitian. OK.
00:23:52.19\00:23:54.50
And on those weekends my
parents would take Natalie.
00:23:55.30\00:23:57.73
And it was my freedom. I
would party from Friday night
00:23:57.93\00:24:01.14
till I had to go to
work on Saturday morning.
00:24:01.34\00:24:03.61
And then once it was
over would start up again
00:24:03.81\00:24:05.61
until I had to pick
her up on Sunday afternoon.
00:24:05.81\00:24:07.88
And so it was that transition
time where I knew that God
00:24:08.28\00:24:12.11
just kept on tapping me
on the shoulder like: "Hey,
00:24:12.31\00:24:14.88
this is the time. " And
in my eyes, Jesus, you know,
00:24:15.08\00:24:17.99
was coming soon as I was seeing
these things that were happening
00:24:18.19\00:24:20.86
in the world around me.
00:24:21.02\00:24:22.36
And I recognized I needed to
change but I didn't know-how.
00:24:22.39\00:24:26.13
Yeah... I don't
think any of us know-how.
00:24:26.33\00:24:29.36
But at least you knew to
Whom you should look. Yes.
00:24:29.56\00:24:33.74
So you hear this testimony
of this pastor. Um-hmm.
00:24:33.94\00:24:37.34
Now God gives
you the wake-up call
00:24:37.54\00:24:40.78
of your daughter -
yep - who is now...
00:24:40.98\00:24:45.71
You know, children truly
do become what they behold.
00:24:45.91\00:24:49.72
Doesn't matter what
you're telling them.
00:24:49.92\00:24:51.99
But if they watch
your life pattern...
00:24:52.19\00:24:56.22
This is why sin gets
passed from one generation
00:24:56.73\00:25:02.20
to another is because kids
are becoming what they behold.
00:25:02.40\00:25:06.47
So when she is
saying: "Wow! I can't wait
00:25:06.67\00:25:09.30
till I'm old enough to drink
wine instead of grape juice"
00:25:09.50\00:25:12.77
God's got your attention. Yeah.
00:25:12.97\00:25:14.88
But tell us how He
really captured your heart
00:25:15.08\00:25:20.95
because I would say
anybody that has been brought up
00:25:21.15\00:25:27.12
in the church, walked away...
You were out 18 years! Um-hmm.
00:25:27.32\00:25:32.73
So you left at 18;
you were out 18 years.
00:25:32.93\00:25:35.86
I would say that
you knew the rules
00:25:36.06\00:25:40.84
of religion but not
the relationship. Right.
00:25:41.04\00:25:45.64
And I always say
rules without relationship
00:25:45.84\00:25:49.31
result in rebellion. Yes!
00:25:49.51\00:25:51.31
So how did God? You know
we put filters on our ears
00:25:51.51\00:25:56.45
when we're out there 'cause
you don't want to hear from
00:25:56.65\00:25:58.65
the Holy Spirit. You
know, the Holy Spirit
00:25:58.85\00:26:01.56
isn't speaking just to
pass along information.
00:26:01.76\00:26:04.73
He's speaking so that we
can act, that we can respond.
00:26:04.93\00:26:09.03
Um-hmm. And we kind
of filter Him out some
00:26:09.23\00:26:12.43
& He can be kind of silent then
if we're not going to listen.
00:26:12.63\00:26:16.00
How did He really begin to
make that change in your life?
00:26:16.20\00:26:21.14
Yeah, so that night when I
just prayed "Lord help me...
00:26:21.34\00:26:24.81
like really help me.
I don't know what to do;
00:26:25.01\00:26:27.52
I don't know how to do this. "
00:26:27.72\00:26:29.05
There were things that were
happening in the world around us
00:26:29.22\00:26:32.75
that... it just kept on...
those signs kept on popping up.
00:26:32.95\00:26:35.96
Like He kept on showing
me "Jesus is coming soon. "
00:26:36.16\00:26:38.99
And I saw these things happen-
ing and I kept on saying: "Lord,
00:26:39.39\00:26:42.53
but I don't know-how.
I've tried this before
00:26:42.73\00:26:44.87
and I don't know how
to do this, you know? "
00:26:45.07\00:26:47.44
And so what the
Lord doesn't reveal to us
00:26:47.64\00:26:52.21
in our conscious
state, right? He reveals to us
00:26:52.41\00:26:54.91
in a dream perhaps, you know?
00:26:55.11\00:26:57.15
And so there were things
that started to occur around me
00:26:57.35\00:27:00.65
that I realize this doesn't
work with having a relationship
00:27:00.85\00:27:03.32
with Jesus. I'm
basically committing adultery
00:27:03.52\00:27:06.79
you know by continuing in this
relationship with worldly men.
00:27:06.99\00:27:10.46
And so He revealed to
me: "You can't have a 100%
00:27:10.66\00:27:14.26
committed relationship with
Me and still, dabble with...
00:27:14.46\00:27:17.77
with the
world... with worldly men.
00:27:17.97\00:27:19.80
You need to cut this
out. " It's sexual immorality.
00:27:20.00\00:27:22.04
It's sexual
immorality, you know. And so
00:27:22.24\00:27:25.14
it was like I woke up
that morning and said:
00:27:25.34\00:27:26.98
"OK, I'm done... I'm done. "
00:27:27.18\00:27:28.54
And I cut off relationships.
I cut off things that I knew
00:27:28.74\00:27:32.08
and people that I knew
that were trying to set me up
00:27:32.28\00:27:35.18
you know with others. I
was like: "OK, Lord, here
00:27:35.38\00:27:37.19
I am... I'm all
Yours. " You know?
00:27:37.39\00:27:38.92
And so as I continued
to pray: "Lord, help me! "
00:27:39.32\00:27:41.66
You know He guided me
back to reading His Word where
00:27:41.86\00:27:45.26
I went to a church one
Sabbath and they talked about
00:27:45.46\00:27:48.53
the Believe the Prophets series.
00:27:48.73\00:27:50.63
And I just prayed:
"Lord, I don't know how to read
00:27:50.83\00:27:53.40
the Bible. I've
never read it before
00:27:53.60\00:27:55.24
from beginning to
end my whole life. "
00:27:55.44\00:27:57.07
And there it was right in front
of me: "Believe the Prophets.
00:27:57.27\00:27:59.27
Read Scripture and
Ellen White's writings. "
00:27:59.47\00:28:03.01
And I was like: "Wow God! You're
already answering my prayers! "
00:28:03.21\00:28:07.55
You know? And so I started it.
00:28:07.75\00:28:10.12
As I started to read
and I started to study
00:28:10.32\00:28:12.55
the Lord was able to
basically turn up my hearing aid
00:28:12.75\00:28:16.99
and I could hear
Him better. Right?
00:28:17.69\00:28:19.66
And so it started with
giving up that sexual immorality
00:28:19.86\00:28:24.37
that I knew that this
was just making me empty.
00:28:24.57\00:28:27.24
It was draining me of the
life that God wanted me to have.
00:28:27.44\00:28:30.77
And then I realized you know
00:28:31.37\00:28:33.64
another thing. I was
sleeping one night and I dreamt
00:28:33.84\00:28:37.81
that I couldn't find a
Starbucks. And I was like:
00:28:38.01\00:28:40.45
"Well this is weird... there's
Starbucks all over the place. "
00:28:40.65\00:28:42.68
And that morning I realized that
00:28:43.18\00:28:45.35
in my dream, a voice
told me "Stop letting caffeine
00:28:45.55\00:28:48.62
run your day. " And
so I woke up that morning
00:28:48.82\00:28:51.26
and I said: "OK,
Lord... I'm quitting caffeine. "
00:28:51.46\00:28:53.53
And so I started
with those two things
00:28:53.73\00:28:55.76
and just continued to pray.
And as I continued to pray...
00:28:55.96\00:28:58.50
Well now wait a
minute! Wait a minute! Back up!
00:28:58.70\00:29:01.30
Because there are so
many people and you know
00:29:01.50\00:29:04.57
we don't often talk about
caffeine being an addiction
00:29:04.77\00:29:07.71
but... And there may be some
people who have a cup of coffee
00:29:07.91\00:29:11.28
and they don't feel
addicted but there are some...
00:29:11.48\00:29:13.42
You were addicted; you
had to have your caffeine.
00:29:13.62\00:29:16.85
You had headaches without it
and everything else. Exactly.
00:29:17.05\00:29:19.52
So when you just
gave up caffeine -
00:29:19.72\00:29:24.79
and that's a Holy
Spirit-empowered movement,
00:29:24.99\00:29:29.03
action - what
did you go through?
00:29:29.23\00:29:31.63
And did you know as a
nutritionist what to do?
00:29:31.83\00:29:34.74
Drink extra water? How
did you do that? Yeah...
00:29:34.94\00:29:36.74
yes... the first couple of days
00:29:36.94\00:29:40.34
was just I was very tired.
00:29:40.54\00:29:42.28
And as coffee was
brewing at my work
00:29:42.48\00:29:45.65
I would smell it and it was
like the devil sitting over here
00:29:45.85\00:29:49.58
and God over here!
00:29:49.78\00:29:51.95
"Just have a sip...
you will feel better.
00:29:52.65\00:29:54.19
It will take away that cloudy-
ness that you're feeling. "
00:29:54.39\00:29:57.49
And then God saying: "No,
no, no, you don't need it.
00:29:57.69\00:30:00.26
Draw upon Me. I will give
you the strength and the energy
00:30:00.46\00:30:02.70
you need. " And so I
would pray throughout the day:
00:30:02.90\00:30:05.27
"Lord, please help me. I
can't do this without You...
00:30:05.47\00:30:07.90
please help me. " Explain
to... Some of our viewers
00:30:08.10\00:30:10.71
are sitting there going:
"Big deal... you're drinking
00:30:10.91\00:30:13.54
caffeine... " yeah...
"what's the big deal? "
00:30:13.74\00:30:16.34
Why is caffeine so bad for us?
00:30:16.54\00:30:18.91
Well, in my thought
it's just like another drug.
00:30:19.51\00:30:23.02
Right? It stimulates
the brain in such a way
00:30:23.22\00:30:25.55
where we become addicted
to it just like any drug.
00:30:25.75\00:30:28.72
It is causing us to be
in a state of mind not like
00:30:28.92\00:30:32.03
marijuana or cocaine or heroin
00:30:32.23\00:30:34.06
but it gives you
that burst of energy
00:30:34.26\00:30:36.67
that makes you think
that you're thinking better
00:30:36.87\00:30:39.83
and you're more clear
but it's just re-wiring...
00:30:40.04\00:30:43.47
sorry... re-wiring
the way our brain works.
00:30:43.67\00:30:47.34
So it stimulates it
and makes us feel excited
00:30:47.54\00:30:49.74
and then we go through this
low and then we need it again.
00:30:49.94\00:30:52.95
And it's that addiction
pattern that we develop.
00:30:53.15\00:30:56.75
The reason we're going
through that low is caffeine is
00:30:56.95\00:30:59.85
very dehydrating. Oh
yeah! You know, if you
00:31:00.06\00:31:02.79
and our body is...
most of our body is water
00:31:02.99\00:31:07.23
and when you start taking
the water out of the body...
00:31:07.43\00:31:10.23
People don't realize. They're
drinking these energy drinks
00:31:10.43\00:31:13.80
that have this high caffeine.
They feel like they're hydrating
00:31:14.00\00:31:17.14
and they're having
just the opposite. Right.
00:31:17.34\00:31:20.41
I had a doctor tell me one time
00:31:20.61\00:31:23.14
a long time ago... he said:
00:31:23.35\00:31:24.88
"Well if you drink a cup
of coffee in the morning... "
00:31:25.08\00:31:27.25
he said... "you need to
drink extra water because
00:31:27.45\00:31:30.39
that coffee is taking
that out of you. " Yes.
00:31:30.59\00:31:32.79
So here, people...
Some people LIVE on coffee -
00:31:32.99\00:31:35.82
right - and don't
realize that the reason they're
00:31:36.02\00:31:38.43
so tired is because
they're dehydrating their body
00:31:38.63\00:31:43.06
and injuring their kidneys. OK.
00:31:43.26\00:31:45.17
Plus it ruins your
sleep cycle, right?
00:31:45.37\00:31:47.20
So you don't sleep as well
the next night and then you need
00:31:47.40\00:31:49.27
more the next day so
it's a vicious cycle.
00:31:49.47\00:31:51.77
OK, so God now has...
the bad boys, worldly men,
00:31:51.97\00:31:57.61
sexual immorality...
God has cut you free
00:31:57.81\00:32:01.48
from the cord of the wicked
that was binding you. Yes, yep.
00:32:01.68\00:32:03.89
Now caffeine. Yep.
He's cut you free from
00:32:04.95\00:32:07.89
the cord of the wicked. What
about the marijuana and alcohol?
00:32:08.09\00:32:11.59
Uh... so alcohol
was the next thing
00:32:11.79\00:32:14.96
and I had decided that
I needed to do a cleanse.
00:32:15.16\00:32:17.57
Because of giving up caffeine
I realized that my body was
00:32:17.77\00:32:20.27
lacking a lot of things. OK.
So in August... So in May 2015
00:32:20.47\00:32:24.97
is when I had recognized
I don't want my daughter
00:32:25.17\00:32:28.88
to be drinking. It took me
a couple of months to finally
00:32:29.08\00:32:32.08
just completely give it
up and so August of 2015 is
00:32:32.28\00:32:35.12
when I said: "OK, Lord,
I'm surrendering this to You. "
00:32:35.32\00:32:37.55
Which was the
hardest month of my life
00:32:38.62\00:32:41.02
because being a social person
00:32:41.22\00:32:42.99
always wanting to
go where everyone is
00:32:44.09\00:32:46.19
doing what
everyone else is doing
00:32:46.39\00:32:47.83
I had to also stop
hanging out with the friends
00:32:48.03\00:32:50.83
that were going to happy hour
which was my normal routine.
00:32:51.03\00:32:53.50
Bad company corrupts good
morals. Yes, very much so.
00:32:53.70\00:32:56.87
And so I love...
and I love them dearly
00:32:57.07\00:32:58.94
and we have a friendship now as
I have kind of separated that.
00:32:59.14\00:33:03.28
I don't need it anymore. I
realize that God can help me.
00:33:03.48\00:33:05.18
The temptation is no
longer there I should say.
00:33:05.38\00:33:07.32
And so I remember one evening
00:33:07.72\00:33:09.88
when everyone was going to happy
hour and I chose to go home
00:33:10.09\00:33:13.05
and Natalie and
I went for a walk.
00:33:13.25\00:33:14.72
And I remember thinking: "Lord,
if life with You is lonely
00:33:15.12\00:33:18.69
I don't want it to be
lonely, Lord. Please show me
00:33:18.89\00:33:21.96
that You're here with
me. That I don't need alcohol
00:33:22.16\00:33:25.87
to help me be filled
with joy and happiness
00:33:26.07\00:33:29.94
because of the
people I'm with. "
00:33:30.14\00:33:31.61
And as I was on my walk it was
like the presence of Jesus...
00:33:31.81\00:33:34.98
Like He grabbed my hand
and said: "I am here with you.
00:33:35.18\00:33:38.88
I am walking with you. You
will never feel lonely again. "
00:33:39.08\00:33:42.38
Amen! And I used to
be in a group of people
00:33:42.58\00:33:44.82
and still had that loneliness.
And now I can be all by myself
00:33:45.02\00:33:47.96
you know and I know
Jesus is right there with me
00:33:48.16\00:33:50.79
holding my hand. And so I don't
even worry about that any more.
00:33:50.99\00:33:54.06
I love that so much, Tenisha,
00:33:54.26\00:33:57.07
because I call it
practicing the presence of God.
00:33:57.27\00:34:00.14
And when I recently
went through some surgeries
00:34:00.34\00:34:04.34
and I've always prayed
for people who are having
00:34:04.54\00:34:08.68
a difficult time, people
who are grieving the loss
00:34:08.88\00:34:11.51
of a loved one,
people who are discomforted.
00:34:11.71\00:34:16.18
I've always prayed: "Lord,
give them a divine awareness
00:34:16.38\00:34:19.59
of Your presence. " Um-hmm.
A supernatural awareness.
00:34:19.79\00:34:22.52
I mean we can say intellectually
00:34:22.72\00:34:26.76
"Oh yes, we know
that the Bible says
00:34:26.96\00:34:29.40
in Ephesians 3:16-20 "Jesus
lives in our hearts by faith.
00:34:29.60\00:34:33.97
The Holy Spirit's in us. "
00:34:34.17\00:34:35.94
But we don't always
recognized His presence.
00:34:36.14\00:34:39.47
And I began
praying that for myself.
00:34:39.67\00:34:42.74
And all of a sudden
it's like you're saying:
00:34:42.94\00:34:45.48
it's like you feel
like He's holding your hand.
00:34:45.68\00:34:47.55
You realize He's with you when
He said: "I'll never leave you
00:34:47.75\00:34:51.19
and never forsake you"
He meant it! Amen. Yes.
00:34:51.39\00:34:53.92
Now I want to point out one
thing 'cause I don't want to
00:34:54.12\00:34:56.29
leave people with
the wrong impression. OK.
00:34:56.49\00:34:58.33
You, although... I
mean you're a dietitian.
00:34:59.29\00:35:02.66
You're a mother.
Even though you drank
00:35:02.86\00:35:05.47
you were very responsible
because you told me in the
00:35:05.67\00:35:08.04
green room you
would have two drinks
00:35:08.24\00:35:10.74
'cause she's taking her
daughter to happy hour with her
00:35:10.94\00:35:13.64
she'd have two drinks
and she'd eat afterwards.
00:35:13.84\00:35:16.08
And everybody made sure
that she was perfectly sober
00:35:16.28\00:35:19.88
when she got in the
car with her daughter. Yes.
00:35:20.08\00:35:23.05
So it's not like you -
other than maybe with the men
00:35:23.25\00:35:27.82
you were rather reckless - yes -
00:35:28.02\00:35:29.96
but as far as a
drinker you were not
00:35:30.16\00:35:32.66
a reckless sloshy drunk.
00:35:32.86\00:35:37.47
Correct. OK. Correct.
00:35:37.67\00:35:39.00
All right, so... And I
think that's because of praying
00:35:39.20\00:35:41.67
parents. I do too!
00:35:41.87\00:35:43.57
Because I think there would
have been many opportunities
00:35:43.77\00:35:46.88
for me to have
that blackout moment.
00:35:47.08\00:35:49.74
But I strongly believe because
my parents were constantly
00:35:49.94\00:35:52.81
praying for me that
God always had His angels
00:35:53.01\00:35:55.58
with me and kept me safe in
these very horrible situations
00:35:55.78\00:36:00.69
that I would put myself in.
00:36:00.89\00:36:02.22
Amen! Amen! Yeah.
00:36:02.32\00:36:04.09
So now the alcohol's
gone? The alcohol's gone.
00:36:04.29\00:36:07.73
Let's talk about
the marijuana. OK.
00:36:07.93\00:36:09.50
Well, the marijuana
was really hard for me.
00:36:09.90\00:36:13.40
Because of the age of 16
starting it and just increasing
00:36:13.60\00:36:17.27
the intake it
became like a best friend.
00:36:17.47\00:36:19.94
It became what was
my coping mechanism?
00:36:20.14\00:36:22.88
If there was stress at work,
00:36:23.08\00:36:24.41
if there was
stress in a relationship,
00:36:24.45\00:36:25.78
if there was any type of stress
00:36:25.95\00:36:27.52
you know, somebody
annoyed me then I could just go
00:36:27.72\00:36:29.58
home and get high and forget
about it and be happy again.
00:36:29.78\00:36:32.45
And so though I through
the years had tried to quit
00:36:32.85\00:36:35.62
marijuana... When you
start a new job you have to take
00:36:35.82\00:36:38.66
a drug test, and I would
just go through these panics
00:36:38.86\00:36:40.93
'cause I hoped I
passed this test.
00:36:41.13\00:36:42.70
And so I tried to quit
many times and it was very very
00:36:43.67\00:36:46.20
difficult... the need for
it. I would throw things out
00:36:46.40\00:36:49.27
and then go back and
buy everything again.
00:36:49.47\00:36:51.34
And then it was unfortunate
that Colorado became a state
00:36:51.54\00:36:54.34
that legalized marijuana so
it was like going to the 7/11.
00:36:54.54\00:36:57.35
You could find it anywhere.
00:36:57.55\00:36:58.88
And so I continuously prayed.
00:36:59.28\00:37:03.08
And I recognized at that
moment that God had removed
00:37:03.28\00:37:06.45
addictions to me in
such a certain way to help me
00:37:06.65\00:37:09.32
get rid of this one.
00:37:09.52\00:37:11.26
And so marijuana helped
me to be more promiscuous.
00:37:11.46\00:37:15.20
Marijuana helped
me... I needed coffee
00:37:15.40\00:37:18.63
to stay functioning
after smoking all night.
00:37:18.83\00:37:21.47
And then marijuana also
helped me drink more, right?
00:37:21.67\00:37:24.64
And so here I gave up these
things and like: "Well what do I
00:37:24.84\00:37:26.91
need it for now? Is
it a coping mechanism? "
00:37:27.11\00:37:30.11
Well, Jesus says:
"All you need is Me.
00:37:30.31\00:37:32.78
I can help you with this. "
00:37:32.98\00:37:34.32
And so again that pastor
came back and shared 'cause
00:37:34.35\00:37:36.92
he came back and did a
two-week Revelation seminar.
00:37:37.12\00:37:39.45
And he shared that first
night that he was there that
00:37:39.65\00:37:42.76
marijuana is what led him
into the life that he lived.
00:37:42.96\00:37:46.06
And it was just like
this lightbulb went off
00:37:46.26\00:37:48.26
and I was like: "Lord,
that's all I needed to hear. "
00:37:48.46\00:37:50.70
So I went home and
I threw everything out
00:37:50.90\00:37:53.23
and I said: "I'm done. "
00:37:53.64\00:37:55.10
And so thankfully
only through the strength
00:37:55.30\00:37:58.47
that God gives us, right?
We can do "all things through
00:37:58.67\00:38:00.68
Christ who strengthens us. "
00:38:00.88\00:38:02.21
Only through the strength
that He gave me every day
00:38:02.24\00:38:04.18
was I able to
resist it moving forward.
00:38:04.38\00:38:07.22
And there would be times
that would come up where my
00:38:07.62\00:38:09.75
coping mechanism would
be you know finding a joint,
00:38:09.95\00:38:13.32
finding
something to smoke it with.
00:38:13.52\00:38:15.36
That it was no longer there
and I would fall on my knees
00:38:15.56\00:38:18.46
and pray: "Lord, please
help me get through this. "
00:38:18.66\00:38:21.06
It was also a very emotional
time because when you use
00:38:21.46\00:38:24.07
a drug to mask your feelings
00:38:24.27\00:38:26.20
you finally have
to let everything out.
00:38:26.40\00:38:28.30
And so I went into a... You
used it for at least 20 yrs.
00:38:28.50\00:38:31.31
Yes! at that point. Every
time that I didn't want to
00:38:31.51\00:38:34.51
cry or I didn't want
to go through that emotion
00:38:34.71\00:38:36.88
that's what I used and
now I had to learn how to
00:38:37.08\00:38:39.18
go through those emotions.
Which I knew that God was
00:38:39.38\00:38:42.22
helping me through
that. Yeah... amen.
00:38:42.42\00:38:45.22
So it's amazing
00:38:45.42\00:38:49.26
that here you are
00:38:49.46\00:38:52.89
and now God is just
taking... He's cutting you
00:38:53.40\00:38:57.20
free from each
cord that's binding you.
00:38:57.40\00:39:00.07
Um-hmm. And wait till you hear
00:39:00.27\00:39:03.61
how God has led her since
she surrendered her whole life
00:39:03.81\00:39:07.01
to Him. You're free!
00:39:07.21\00:39:10.61
What is God doing?
00:39:11.01\00:39:12.75
Well, God's
doing a lot of things.
00:39:13.15\00:39:15.02
That verse
always comes to my mind
00:39:15.98\00:39:17.95
that He will give MORE
than we can even ask or imagine.
00:39:18.15\00:39:21.22
Right? And so when I finally
00:39:21.42\00:39:23.53
was just released from all
of these what I call addictions
00:39:23.73\00:39:27.90
the last one being food
00:39:28.10\00:39:29.76
again God... Now, wait a minute.
OK, hit the pause button. OK.
00:39:30.67\00:39:34.80
You were a
dietitian. I was a dietitian.
00:39:35.00\00:39:37.67
But what do you mean
you had a food addiction?
00:39:37.87\00:39:39.71
Well, I was an over-eater.
00:39:39.91\00:39:42.08
I would eat till
my heart was content.
00:39:42.28\00:39:44.31
And I would eat
anything. I had no restrictions,
00:39:44.71\00:39:47.68
no limitations. And so
00:39:47.88\00:39:51.39
God revealed to me in a dream
00:39:51.59\00:39:53.99
that I had an addiction to food.
00:39:54.19\00:39:56.69
My dream was
actually sitting at a buffet
00:39:56.89\00:39:58.86
and eating everything
that I could possibly imagine.
00:39:59.06\00:40:01.43
So food was a
coping mechanism as well.
00:40:01.63\00:40:03.40
Food was a coping mechanism
as well. You know, if I had
00:40:03.60\00:40:05.47
a bad day: French fries.
00:40:05.67\00:40:07.00
If I broke up with
a boyfriend: pizza.
00:40:07.04\00:40:09.40
I mean there were
foods that identified...
00:40:09.60\00:40:11.31
Potato chips. If I
was stressed at work,
00:40:11.51\00:40:13.17
those were things
that I would grab onto.
00:40:13.38\00:40:15.71
And so God revealed
to me again in that day
00:40:15.91\00:40:19.25
I woke up and I
started my first cleanse.
00:40:19.45\00:40:21.58
I started my first
fast. I did a Daniel fast.
00:40:21.78\00:40:24.92
And I tell you, all the
other drugs and addictions
00:40:25.12\00:40:29.02
nothing compared to food.
And as we talked about earlier
00:40:29.22\00:40:32.16
you need food to live, right?
00:40:32.36\00:40:34.10
I was a dietitian. I
talked about food all day.
00:40:34.30\00:40:36.63
I taught people how to eat well,
how to manage their diabetes
00:40:36.83\00:40:39.33
with a healthy diet.
And I recognized at the end
00:40:39.53\00:40:42.80
of that week like: "Lord,
that was what was holding me.
00:40:43.00\00:40:46.37
You know, that was really hold-
ing me from really connecting
00:40:46.57\00:40:50.21
with You. Just eating
till all hours of the night. "
00:40:50.41\00:40:52.68
Being cloudy of mind.
Sugar and fat and all the things
00:40:52.88\00:40:55.98
that were hindering
my mind to be clear.
00:40:56.18\00:40:59.12
And so that was the
final big addiction.
00:40:59.65\00:41:03.32
'Cause there's a lot of little
things - right? that come up
00:41:03.53\00:41:05.46
over the years that we recognize
that God is still working
00:41:05.66\00:41:08.00
in us. But those
were the 5 big ones
00:41:08.20\00:41:09.96
that He said:
"Now... now you are ready.
00:41:10.17\00:41:14.57
You'll see that I am the God who
can do all of this for you. "
00:41:14.77\00:41:18.01
Was food as
difficult as marijuana? Yes.
00:41:18.21\00:41:21.04
Yeah, because you
still have to keep eating.
00:41:21.98\00:41:23.81
And it's a daily
self-control... daily.
00:41:24.01\00:41:28.85
You know, it's
breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
00:41:29.05\00:41:31.42
You have to eat it. I
think that some of our
00:41:31.62\00:41:35.22
bad food habits is just because
00:41:35.42\00:41:37.79
we're always in such a
rush and we get into a pattern
00:41:37.99\00:41:40.70
of looking what's convenient
and sometimes processed food
00:41:40.90\00:41:44.53
or packaged foods
are just so much easier
00:41:44.73\00:41:47.54
to say: "Oh, I'll
just eat this. " Yes.
00:41:47.70\00:41:49.50
And that's part of
it. But God delivered you
00:41:49.70\00:41:52.91
and you finally started practic-
ing what you were preaching
00:41:53.11\00:41:56.44
about good
nutrition. Yes... sure did!
00:41:56.64\00:41:59.28
That's wonderful. So you
are sharing your testimony.
00:41:59.48\00:42:05.15
You shared it at your
home church, right? Yes, yes.
00:42:05.35\00:42:08.19
Tell us what the ladies of
the church talked to you about
00:42:08.39\00:42:12.76
afterward. So that...
I think it was in 2019
00:42:12.96\00:42:17.00
the first time that
I shared my testimony.
00:42:17.20\00:42:18.53
So for four years, God was
working through me on how to
00:42:18.73\00:42:21.54
share the testimony of
what He had done in my life.
00:42:21.74\00:42:24.61
And so that Sabbath
after I shared and came down
00:42:24.81\00:42:28.44
and was greeting
everyone one of the ladies
00:42:28.64\00:42:31.05
from my church said: "We
have been praying for you
00:42:31.25\00:42:33.92
for 18 years and today
God answered our prayers. "
00:42:34.12\00:42:37.69
Glory to God! And not
just... That showed me
00:42:37.89\00:42:40.56
there that the power of prayer
00:42:40.76\00:42:44.56
needs to be...
Well, the power of prayer
00:42:44.76\00:42:49.66
is what God leads us to
do. He provides that power
00:42:49.86\00:42:53.00
to us when we pray, but
that persevering attitude
00:42:53.20\00:42:57.01
that we have toward others
who have left the church -
00:42:57.21\00:42:59.24
absolutely - or who
we think is going astray
00:42:59.44\00:43:02.54
all we need to do is
pray for them. Those ladies
00:43:02.74\00:43:04.35
never came to me and said:
"Tenisha, the life that you're
00:43:04.55\00:43:06.41
living is wrong. "
They prayed consistently
00:43:06.61\00:43:10.05
and fervently
for 18 years for me
00:43:10.25\00:43:12.55
and never said
anything to me other than that.
00:43:12.75\00:43:15.06
And you know, I have...
This is what I believe: Um-hmm -
00:43:15.26\00:43:18.86
I believe that like my
sister was in a life of drugs.
00:43:19.06\00:43:23.16
I prayed for her earnestly.
00:43:23.37\00:43:25.20
When you walk away from God
00:43:25.40\00:43:27.20
He tells us II
Chronicles 15:5 I think
00:43:27.40\00:43:30.47
somewhere in there,
He says: "You reject Me
00:43:30.67\00:43:33.38
I'll reject you. " God's not
going to force Himself on us.
00:43:33.58\00:43:37.28
You walk away from Him you're
saying: "Don't want You. "
00:43:37.68\00:43:41.75
He says: "OK...
00:43:41.95\00:43:43.32
I will put handcuffs of
love. I've given you free will.
00:43:43.52\00:43:46.89
I'm not going to
force Myself on you. "
00:43:47.09\00:43:48.62
But boy, when you've
got somebody praying for you
00:43:48.82\00:43:52.36
when you're praying for
that child that walked away
00:43:52.56\00:43:54.83
that's like the
key that unlocks that
00:43:55.03\00:43:56.90
and gives God permission
to be working in their life.
00:43:57.10\00:44:00.74
And my sister used to tell me:
"I knew you were praying for me.
00:44:00.94\00:44:04.44
There's so many times
that I should have been dead,
00:44:04.64\00:44:06.61
I should have
been this. " Um-hmm.
00:44:06.81\00:44:08.34
And it was that earnest prayer
00:44:08.54\00:44:11.38
and I believe
strongly in praying others back
00:44:11.58\00:44:15.85
to the Lord. But now
tell us what you're doing.
00:44:16.05\00:44:19.39
God did something
that was amazing to me
00:44:19.59\00:44:23.59
when you're praying
"What can I do for You? "
00:44:23.79\00:44:25.49
What did He have
you to start doing?
00:44:25.69\00:44:27.13
Yep. So even before I got
re-baptized in October of 2015
00:44:27.33\00:44:32.87
the Lord told me: "It's
time for you to start holding
00:44:33.07\00:44:35.44
women's Bible
studies in your home. "
00:44:35.64\00:44:37.31
"It's time for you to show
them what I have done for you
00:44:37.51\00:44:40.21
and that He could do
the same thing for them. "
00:44:40.41\00:44:42.68
So I would put
together Bible studies.
00:44:42.88\00:44:44.95
I had no idea what I was doing
00:44:45.15\00:44:47.05
but I prayed
for the Holy Spirit.
00:44:47.25\00:44:48.72
He promises us the
Holy Spirit, right? Amen.
00:44:48.92\00:44:51.09
And so I started
holding Bible studies in my home
00:44:51.29\00:44:53.99
in August of 2015.
00:44:54.19\00:44:55.89
And each time...
It was once a month
00:44:56.09\00:44:59.63
and each time I would pray
for God to bring somebody new.
00:44:59.83\00:45:02.50
And He would bring
somebody new. And each time
00:45:02.70\00:45:05.00
that person or
somebody else would leave and go
00:45:05.20\00:45:07.34
"This is just what I needed.
" And we started with Eve
00:45:07.54\00:45:10.17
and went through
the women of the Bible.
00:45:10.37\00:45:11.77
And about a year later
some friends that lived
00:45:11.97\00:45:14.34
on the other side of town
said: "Hey, why don't you come
00:45:14.54\00:45:16.21
to our house and start
doing the Bible studies there? "
00:45:16.41\00:45:18.65
And so He started with that.
00:45:19.05\00:45:21.35
And then I just started saying
"yes" to helping in church
00:45:21.55\00:45:25.65
in any way that I can
'cause the pastor preached about
00:45:25.85\00:45:28.12
the parable of the
talents. And I'm like: "OK, God,
00:45:28.32\00:45:31.16
You give me singing - which
my daughter is so much better
00:45:31.36\00:45:35.26
singing than me -
but He started: "Hey,
00:45:35.46\00:45:37.37
you feel comfortable with
singing. " And then from there
00:45:37.57\00:45:39.33
He just started showing me:
"These are the other talents
00:45:39.53\00:45:42.14
that I have for you. " So
the parable of the talents
00:45:42.34\00:45:45.67
says if you have
one and you use it
00:45:45.87\00:45:48.78
God's gonna give
you more, Right? Yep.
00:45:48.98\00:45:50.75
And He'll give you
more! That is a sure promise.
00:45:50.95\00:45:53.55
And so from there
He just moved me into
00:45:53.95\00:45:56.69
what I now love to do the
most is prayer ministries.
00:45:56.89\00:45:59.99
I love to pray with people.
00:46:00.19\00:46:01.76
I'm the prayer
coordinator at my church.
00:46:01.96\00:46:03.53
And I just enjoy doing for
others what others did for me
00:46:03.73\00:46:09.10
and that's praying to God
00:46:09.30\00:46:10.63
and just helping them
in any way that they can.
00:46:10.67\00:46:13.23
And my boss gave me this
sign: My secret is prayer.
00:46:13.44\00:46:17.17
Amen! And so I just
love that because it is.
00:46:17.37\00:46:20.91
"We should just pray about that.
Why are we even gonna stress?
00:46:21.11\00:46:23.68
Let's just pray. " And
so that is what I feel God
00:46:23.88\00:46:26.95
has just grown me into.
00:46:27.15\00:46:28.88
How He called me out of the
world through the prayer of my
00:46:29.08\00:46:31.25
parents, through that small
women's group at my church,
00:46:31.45\00:46:33.99
and then through my own prayers.
00:46:34.19\00:46:35.72
He pulled me out and
then helping me overcome
00:46:35.92\00:46:38.63
these addictions
was all through prayer
00:46:38.83\00:46:40.93
and that's how I
was able to do that.
00:46:41.13\00:46:42.80
Amen! Prayer and the
power... When you pray you're
00:46:43.20\00:46:47.34
bringing down the power...
bringing down God's blessings
00:46:47.54\00:46:51.17
and the power of the
Holy Spirit. Exactly.
00:46:51.37\00:46:52.81
And that's one thing I
think that was life-changing
00:46:53.01\00:46:56.01
for me. I know it was
life-changing for my sister
00:46:56.21\00:46:59.01
is that I taught her pray
every day to be filled with
00:46:59.28\00:47:01.98
the Holy Spirit. And
God taught you that. Yeah.
00:47:02.18\00:47:04.89
So tell us what
you're doing now.
00:47:05.29\00:47:09.49
I mean God just
keeps... it's like... He just...
00:47:09.69\00:47:14.06
You're a flower
that's still blossoming. Yes.
00:47:14.26\00:47:17.20
What's God got you doing now?
00:47:17.40\00:47:18.97
So after years of praying
that I could go into full time
00:47:19.17\00:47:22.27
ministry wherever it is
that He would have me go
00:47:22.47\00:47:25.71
I would go. And
then I got a call
00:47:26.04\00:47:28.78
from a friend who told me that
there was a position available
00:47:29.14\00:47:31.38
at the Voice of
Prophecy. And I said: "OK,
00:47:31.58\00:47:35.95
I will apply for it. "
And I interviewed for it
00:47:36.15\00:47:38.39
and just prayed: "Lord, if this
is where You would have me be
00:47:38.59\00:47:40.99
then this is where I would go. "
00:47:41.19\00:47:43.02
And the Lord
just opened that door.
00:47:43.73\00:47:46.63
This is where I learned when you
are doing things in God's will
00:47:46.83\00:47:50.47
how the doors just
kind of fly open for you.
00:47:50.67\00:47:53.00
Because when you are praying
for things God doesn't want you
00:47:53.20\00:47:55.10
to have and you kind of push
through the door and keep on
00:47:55.30\00:47:58.37
pushing it's like: "No, no,
no, I'm not opening that door! "
00:47:58.57\00:48:00.81
And right there
with that moment in time
00:48:01.21\00:48:03.58
so anything else that I
was praying for that the door
00:48:03.78\00:48:07.08
didn't open I left
here. And I said: "OK, God,
00:48:07.28\00:48:10.35
I see how You worked through
this prayer. I prayed to work
00:48:10.55\00:48:12.75
in ministry. I prayed
for this position at the VOP
00:48:12.95\00:48:15.56
and every door just kind of
opened like it was the easiest
00:48:15.76\00:48:19.89
thing that I had to do. "
00:48:20.10\00:48:21.43
And so now I'm working
at the Voice of Prophecy.
00:48:21.83\00:48:23.73
It has been a blessing
to be there. I'm part of the
00:48:23.93\00:48:25.90
evangelism team. And
from there God is just
00:48:26.10\00:48:29.57
expanding more of the
talents God has given me to do.
00:48:29.77\00:48:33.17
I'm a part of the team that
goes to Calgary in preparation
00:48:33.38\00:48:36.38
for Revelation Speaks Peace
00:48:36.58\00:48:38.21
and I get to lead the other
prayer ministry coordinators
00:48:38.41\00:48:40.75
therein making what I
think is the most important job
00:48:40.95\00:48:44.45
is prayer... starting
with prayer for any event.
00:48:44.65\00:48:47.12
Amen and Amen!
00:48:47.32\00:48:48.86
So the prayer...
Explain this because
00:48:49.06\00:48:53.13
how I say it,
Tenisha: prayer... communion...
00:48:53.33\00:48:58.07
communicating,
that's communion - um-hmm -
00:48:58.47\00:49:01.47
is the most important
part of any relationship.
00:49:01.67\00:49:06.24
Most important com-
munication skill is to listen.
00:49:06.64\00:49:10.08
But if you can't
communicate with your spouse
00:49:10.48\00:49:15.88
your relationship is...
or your child or your boss...
00:49:16.08\00:49:19.95
your relationship
suffers. I actually say
00:49:20.16\00:49:23.29
conversation IS
the relationship.
00:49:23.49\00:49:26.49
That's how relationships begin.
00:49:26.70\00:49:28.96
So when we pray
we're just talking to God
00:49:29.16\00:49:32.77
as... Well yes, He is
our Savior, He is our Lord.
00:49:32.97\00:49:36.77
But we're talking
to Him as our Father,
00:49:36.97\00:49:40.78
as our Friend, and He
DOES definitely respond.
00:49:40.98\00:49:45.58
What is the most powerful thing
00:49:45.98\00:49:48.12
that you've
learned about prayer?
00:49:48.32\00:49:49.82
Wow! The most powerful thing
that I've learned about prayer:
00:49:51.62\00:49:55.99
one thing that I keep in
mind every time is that I'm not
00:49:57.03\00:50:01.06
bringing God down to me
but He is lifting me up to Him.
00:50:01.26\00:50:04.07
That's good! And so
one of my favorite things
00:50:04.27\00:50:06.10
to do during prayer is
imagine myself kneeling
00:50:06.30\00:50:08.64
before the throne of God
00:50:08.84\00:50:10.41
in that reverence and
beauty and the love and rainbow
00:50:10.61\00:50:14.01
and everything that's
beautiful behind that.
00:50:14.21\00:50:16.38
And so being in
prayer with God like you said
00:50:16.78\00:50:19.51
is... is this communication.
00:50:19.71\00:50:22.82
Like our best friend...
we can tell Him anything.
00:50:23.02\00:50:26.12
One of my favorite quotes is
00:50:26.32\00:50:27.66
"Let Jesus be
our only confidant. "
00:50:27.69\00:50:29.72
We want to share with
everybody else in the world
00:50:29.92\00:50:31.76
what's going on,
but He is the only One
00:50:31.96\00:50:34.76
who can help us
with that problem. Amen!
00:50:34.96\00:50:36.77
And so that is what
I've learned about prayer:
00:50:36.97\00:50:38.90
that Jesus is the
only One who can help us.
00:50:39.10\00:50:41.20
In the presence of God
and the presence of the angels
00:50:41.40\00:50:43.91
we are with Him through prayer.
00:50:44.11\00:50:45.61
And we can come BOLDLY
before His throne of grace
00:50:45.81\00:50:49.28
to find mercy and
grace in our time of need.
00:50:49.48\00:50:52.35
And as our High Priest
who's been tempted in every way
00:50:52.55\00:50:56.79
as we have been tempted:
He is interceding for us.
00:50:56.99\00:51:00.92
And the Bible says
that He is "able to save
00:51:01.12\00:51:04.99
to the uttermost. " Why would
we want to go tell somebody else
00:51:05.19\00:51:08.73
our pitiful little stories
when we can go to somebody -
00:51:08.93\00:51:12.57
Amen! that can
actually, change us? Yeah!
00:51:12.77\00:51:15.30
Tenisha, I am so excited that
00:51:15.50\00:51:18.87
God has taken you... and
I'm not going to say full circle
00:51:19.07\00:51:24.45
'cause you weren't there
in the beginning. You didn't
00:51:24.65\00:51:26.78
have that relationship
but there was still good seed
00:51:26.98\00:51:30.22
that was planted.
Yes. And then God did not
00:51:30.42\00:51:34.32
forsake you during those
18 years but He's brought her
00:51:34.52\00:51:37.63
back and He's giving
her the desires of her heart
00:51:37.79\00:51:41.26
because He's made His desires
her desires now. Um-hmm, yep.
00:51:41.46\00:51:46.33
And we are just so
thankful that you came to share
00:51:46.53\00:51:50.44
'cause I know this is
going to truly bless many people
00:51:50.64\00:51:54.58
and help you. We're not
quite through with Tenisha.
00:51:54.78\00:51:58.01
She's got a
little advice for us.
00:51:58.21\00:52:00.28
But we do need to
go to our news break.
00:52:00.48\00:52:03.59
Stay with us...
we'll be right back.
00:52:03.79\00:52:05.79