¤ ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
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¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ ¤
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Hello I'm Shelley Quinn and we
welcome to 3ABN Today. We want
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to thank you for your prayers
for this ministry. It is the
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mending broken people network
and we want to thank you for
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your financial support.
Today we have one of my favorite
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people here. I interviewed
her in 2004. I hadn't seen her
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since but I never forgot her
and as many interviews as you do
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around here that's a lot of
years from 2004. But sometimes
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you meet someone whose trust
in God, whose enthusiasm for the
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work of the Lord is just
special. And we have someone
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special with
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us today. But first, let me read
this. In Matthew 21 and verse 22
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Jesus said, Whatever things you
ask in prayer believing you will
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receive. Let me introduce you to
somebody who believes that with
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all of her heart. And she's got
all the miracle stories to go
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with it and that's Cheryl
Erickson, Cheryl thank you for
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being here again today.
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Thank you so much for having me.
Um it's been a few years and a
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lot of water under the bridge,
a lot of stories to tell but
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it's great to
be here, Thank You.
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Well you know it's interesting
Your ministry name is Pumpkin
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People and Produce. What can you
do with a pumpkin patch? You're
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going to find out. God has
done amazing things through your
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ministry. Okay before we begin
you like music. Well I know that
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our audience does and we have
somebody here that's one of my
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favorite singers. Stephanie Dawn
She has such a connection with
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the Lord and she's going
to be singing Day by Day.
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¤ ¤
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¤ Day by day and
with each passing moment ¤
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¤ Strength I find to
meet my trials here ¤
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Trusting in my
Father's wise bestowment ¤
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¤ I've no cause
for worry or for fear ¤
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¤ He whose heart is
kind beyond all measure ¤
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¤ Gives unto each
day what He deems best ¤
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¤ Lovingly it's part
of pain and pleasure ¤
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¤ Mingling toil
with peace and rest ¤
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¤ Every day the
Lord Himself is near me ¤
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¤ With a special
mercy for each hour ¤
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¤ All my cares he fain
would bear and cheer me ¤
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¤ He whose name is
Counselor and Power ¤
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¤ The protection of
His child and treasure ¤
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¤ Is a charge that
on Himself He laid ¤
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¤ As your days your
strength shall be in measure ¤
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¤ This the
pledge to me He made ¤
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¤ ¤
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¤ Help me then in
every tribulation ¤
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¤ So to trust thy
promises, Oh Lord ¤
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¤ That I lose not
faith's sweet consolation ¤
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¤ Offered me
within Thy Holy Word ¤
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¤ Help me Lord when
toil and trouble meeting ¤
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¤ E'er to take as
from the Father's hand ¤
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¤ One by one the days
the moments fleeting ¤
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¤ Till I reach
the promised land ¤
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Mm, thank you, Stephanie Dawn.
One of my favorite singers.
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There's such a purity to
her voice and her messages all
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the time. Well I'm Shelley Quinn
We welcome you to 3ABN Today and
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we have someone special with us
here today. Her name is Cheryl
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Erickson and I'm just going to
give you the bottom line right
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now. God began a ministry
through Cheryl who's a farmer's
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wife, a farmer herself but
God began a ministry through her
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that has allowed and provided
the funds to build 22 churches.
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Do you think there's something
that God can do with you? She's
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written this precious book. It's
a devotional really and it's
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called Missionary Pumpkins:
Miracle stories from God's
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pumpkin patch. And she's got
the miracle stories. There's 31
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chapters in here and they're
just short little one or two
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page chapters, but they're
beautiful. And it's all about
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prayer, trusting in God
and making yourself available.
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So Cheryl miracle stories from
God's pumpkin patch. Tell us
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again how you
began this ministry.
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Okay. Well like you said we're
farmers in the year 2000 farming
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was not good and my husband said
to me, Why don't you take that
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little seven-acre patch
up on hill and see if you can
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experiment with some specialty
crops and see if we could make
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some money that way. So I looked
into lavender, I looked into
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herbs, I looked into alfalfa.
I finally decided to raise one
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acre of pumpkins. So that year
I harvested 1100 pumpkins and
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sold them to the local grocery
store. But we could easily see
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that this was very labor intense
and it would not work for making
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a living. So my husband said to
me you can just save the money
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and give it to missions. So I
didn't know what I wanted to do
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with it that first year, so
I just saved it and that winter
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one of the conference workers
came to speak in our church and
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he just mentioned in passing the
need for churches in India. He
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said um India is only 2-3
percent Christian but at this
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time people were coming to
the Lord by the thousands and he
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said, If they don't have a
church they tend to fall away.
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So the light came on and I knew
what I wanted to do. I wanted
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to build churches in India. And
so over the years, over the 21
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years I was able to earn almost
$200,000 and build 25 churches.
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There's actually 22 in India
and two in Tanzania and one in
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Nicaragua.
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That is so amazing. So tell us
about...I mean your book is full
00:10:03.26\00:10:08.60
of miracle stories. You know
this book would appeal to anyone
00:10:08.64\00:10:12.74
from eight and beyond because
it's one of these things that
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it's written from your heart and
it touches your soul to see the
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lessons God can teach you
through something like this
00:10:23.72\00:10:26.12
but some of the miracles.
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Tell us about the
miracle of prayer.
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Okay. Oh boy! I had so many
miracles happen. Let me just
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start from the very beginning.
The first year when I decided to
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plant these pumpkins I had
no market. And I just went ahead
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and I planted 2000 plants
and hoped for the best. So all
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summer I was calling every
grocery store, every convenience
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store, every farmer's market
whatever I could think about
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and they all told me the same
thing: We have a supplier. So I
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got all the way to September
almost time to sell pumpkins.
00:11:01.32\00:11:04.53
I still didn't have a market.
And I had been to the local
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grocery store in Jamestown and
he called me one day the first
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part of September and he said
the Hutterites, they're similar
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to Amish, who had been supplying
their store, their crop froze.
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And so he said do you still have
pumpkins? And I said, Yes I do.
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And he said I'll take your
pumpkins this year. So we had a
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verbal agreement that I would
give him 1000 pumpkins by the
00:11:30.45\00:11:34.09
first of October and the only
problem was I could maybe show
00:11:34.12\00:11:41.43
that picture of the pumpkin
patch now and you could see.
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This is an acre and a half of
pumpkins and you kind of get an
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idea of what an overwhelming
task this is. So anyway the
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only problem was in North
Dakota frost comes early and you
00:11:57.81\00:12:00.92
want to pick your pumpkins by
the middle of September or they
00:12:00.95\00:12:03.99
might freeze. And the problem
was I only had 200 orange
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pumpkins. And I didn't know what
I was going to do and so I tried
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several different things. I put
them on a trailer and I hauled
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them out in the sun. The only
problem was that half the time
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it was too cold during the night
and they didn't warm up very
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much during the day and I
wasn't making any progress and I
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couldn't fit all the pumpkins
on the trailer, so I didn't know
00:12:30.75\00:12:34.48
what to do. So I called the
extension agent in Jamestown and
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an extension agent is somebody
who helps farmers with their
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questions and people like me who
have a question about raising
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crops and he said you can't
ripen a green pumpkin. So I
00:12:46.56\00:12:50.93
called another extension agent,
same thing, you can't ripen a
00:12:50.97\00:12:54.74
green pumpkin. And then I
called the one in Fargo that was
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supposed to know more than any
of them and he said you can't
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ripen a green pumpkin. Throw
them over the hill. But I didn't
00:13:01.84\00:13:05.88
give up. I kept praying and
those days the first thing I did
00:13:05.91\00:13:10.85
when I had a crisis was panic
and the second thing I did was
00:13:10.89\00:13:13.09
worry and the third thing I
did was pray. And thank the Lord
00:13:13.12\00:13:16.39
during the years I reversed that
order and didn't get to worried
00:13:16.42\00:13:21.80
about things. So one day I
was visiting with our neighbor
00:13:21.83\00:13:27.17
Auntie Carol and she is somebody
I really admire. She's the best
00:13:27.20\00:13:30.67
gardener ever and I thought you
know she probably knew all the
00:13:30.71\00:13:35.28
answers. I just mentioned to her
this problem I had that you know
00:13:35.31\00:13:40.12
I have this agreement and
I don't have enough orange
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pumpkins. And she said bring
them inside and they will ripen
00:13:42.58\00:13:46.96
She said pumpkins need the
temperature to be 80 degrees
00:13:46.99\00:13:49.92
and they will turn orange. I
said, you mean if I would bring
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these pumpkins in the shop
and turn the floor heat up to 80
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they will turn orange? And she
said yes I know they well. And I
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did and within 24 hours I
could see them turning orange.
00:14:03.17\00:14:06.41
That's amazing! (Yes) What's
amazing is that none of the
00:14:06.44\00:14:09.94
extension agents knew that.
00:14:09.98\00:14:11.65
I know and you know I wrote back
to him. I sent him an email and
00:14:11.68\00:14:15.45
he was very humble. He said
I learned something. So if it
00:14:15.48\00:14:20.26
hadn't been for Auntie
Carol there wouldn't have been a
00:14:20.29\00:14:22.79
second year. I had a picture of
Auntie Carol and she is 95 years
00:14:22.82\00:14:27.03
old now. I just spoke with her
last week. She's doing well and
00:14:27.06\00:14:31.10
I really thank her for her
help. I did have another miracle
00:14:31.13\00:14:35.80
related to this. When I brought
them in the shop and put them on
00:14:35.84\00:14:40.51
the floor and turned the floor
heat up to 80 my husband said,
00:14:40.54\00:14:44.85
Well when we turned off the
floor heat last spring it wasn't
00:14:44.88\00:14:47.75
working so you're going to have
to crawl out into the slough, a
00:14:47.78\00:14:52.72
slough is a small lake and you
know fiddle with this and see if
00:14:52.75\00:14:54.79
we can get it going. You know
what? When we turned it on it
00:14:54.82\00:14:58.46
worked. So just so many
supernatural things have
00:14:58.49\00:15:03.37
happened that I just have
to believe. Now can I tell you
00:15:03.40\00:15:06.70
about my second year. (Oh
please) Okay. So I thought
00:15:06.74\00:15:09.30
raising one acre of pumpkins
went well and how about raising
00:15:09.34\00:15:14.14
two acres of pumpkins. So that
sounded like a good idea at the
00:15:14.18\00:15:18.45
time but I had 5000 pumpkins.
And I didn't know what I was
00:15:18.48\00:15:24.19
going to do will all of those
pumpkins. And so I got on the
00:15:24.22\00:15:29.19
phone and I called every grocery
store, convenience store, gas
00:15:29.22\00:15:33.86
station, hardware store. I even
sold 225 to our bank. And all
00:15:33.90\00:15:40.67
the businesses had pumpkins but
I still had 2500 pumpkins left.
00:15:40.70\00:15:45.27
And what was I going to do with
these. And so I finally said to
00:15:45.31\00:15:49.14
the Lord I don't know who else
to call. I've called everybody
00:15:49.18\00:15:54.48
within a hundred-mile radius. I
just don't know who else to call
00:15:54.52\00:15:57.32
And the very next day the
man from the Farmer's Market in
00:15:57.35\00:16:03.93
Fargo called me and he said,
I hear you have pumpkins. And I
00:16:03.96\00:16:07.10
said Yes I do. And he said I'll
take them all, 1000, 2000, I'll
00:16:07.13\00:16:11.87
take them all. And so like after
Peter and John healed that lame
00:16:11.90\00:16:15.77
man, I went walking and leaping
and praising God (Multiple
00:16:15.80\00:16:20.44
voices) Oh, I was so excited.
So I have a picture of that big
00:16:20.48\00:16:24.61
pile of pumpkins that I hauled
in. That's a lot of cargo. Yeah
00:16:24.65\00:16:29.12
that was a wonderful answer
to prayer. And it taught me that
00:16:29.15\00:16:34.09
sometimes God waits till you are
completely desperate, when you
00:16:34.12\00:16:39.19
have no way to turn. Kind of
like in the Bible when they were
00:16:39.23\00:16:43.90
crossing the Jordan River and
they had to stick their feet in
00:16:43.93\00:16:45.70
the water before it parted.
I think we have to come to the
00:16:45.73\00:16:49.24
place in our lives that we give
up on our own efforts and just
00:16:49.27\00:16:52.87
say God have mercy
on me. And He will.
00:16:52.91\00:16:54.24
Well I think He likes to show
us sometimes he will give us an
00:16:56.85\00:17:02.28
idea and we begin on it
but sometimes we forget that we
00:17:02.32\00:17:06.92
should be day by day asking for
His direction in it. And I think
00:17:06.96\00:17:12.76
He just likes to remind us that
Okay, I'll just let you worry
00:17:12.79\00:17:17.17
yourself to death here for a
minute till you pray to me and
00:17:17.20\00:17:19.43
you pray and then all of a
sudden God shows up and does
00:17:19.47\00:17:23.71
something amazing. And He
has with you...You told a story
00:17:23.74\00:17:29.24
before where...as I'm recalling
it's probably just from the book
00:17:29.28\00:17:35.45
but there was a freeze and
everything froze except...tell
00:17:35.48\00:17:39.75
us about that.
00:17:39.79\00:17:41.52
Yeah, this was incredible.
In North Dakota we usually get
00:17:41.56\00:17:45.69
frost the middle of September or
right around there. This year it
00:17:45.73\00:17:48.00
froze the middle of August. And
all of the crops in the region
00:17:48.03\00:17:53.07
froze, all the soybeans, all
the crops, all of the pumpkins,
00:17:53.10\00:17:58.74
except for my
little pumpkin patch.
00:17:58.77\00:18:03.11
That was dedicated
to the Lord 100 percent.
00:18:03.14\00:18:05.18
Yes, yes, and I just thought
that was another supernatural
00:18:05.21\00:18:09.35
intervention. My faith was
growing year by year. And I
00:18:09.38\00:18:15.92
remember one year especially it
was really hot and really dry.
00:18:15.96\00:18:21.23
And I always walked in my
pumpkin patch every day and I
00:18:21.26\00:18:24.17
would pray and I would talk
to God and I could just feel His
00:18:24.20\00:18:27.70
presence there you know. And
I looked down at the plants. It
00:18:27.74\00:18:31.17
was actually the fourth driest
August on record. And I looked
00:18:31.21\00:18:35.51
down at those plants and they
were all wilty and sorry looking
00:18:35.54\00:18:39.95
and I said to God you know these
pumpkins could sure use a drink
00:18:39.98\00:18:43.45
of water. And He said to me,
If I can make a pumpkin out of
00:18:43.49\00:18:47.89
nothing I can certainly make a
pumpkin without water. And that
00:18:47.92\00:18:51.46
year I had 5000 pumpkins.
It was another miracle.
00:18:51.49\00:18:56.26
Wow, that is a miracle. But
didn't you have an invasion of
00:18:56.30\00:19:00.70
...can you tell us about that.
00:19:00.74\00:19:03.57
Yeah, one year the cucumber
beetles decided to hold their
00:19:03.61\00:19:06.98
national convention in my field.
And I was walking in my field
00:19:07.01\00:19:11.08
one day and I go what's that?
This little yellow bug and I
00:19:11.11\00:19:15.42
went and looked and I said, got
a black stripe down its back.
00:19:15.45\00:19:19.55
That's a cucumber beetle. And
the thing about cucumber beetles
00:19:19.59\00:19:22.56
they can destroy your crop. They
can eat the whole green plant
00:19:22.59\00:19:27.36
plus they lay eggs to eat the
blossoms in the fall. So it's a
00:19:27.40\00:19:35.67
very serious problem. So I
looked and there was one and
00:19:35.70\00:19:39.61
there was two, and there was 20
and there was 2000 and they were
00:19:39.64\00:19:44.25
just everywhere. And so I was
able to spray them and get rid
00:19:44.28\00:19:49.35
of them and I still had a great
crop that year. You know I just
00:19:49.38\00:19:52.22
want to say that God is faithful
and no matter what kind of
00:19:52.25\00:19:55.72
problem I had every year I had
enough money to build a church.
00:19:55.76\00:19:59.76
And it was so wonderful. It
really increased my faith. I've
00:19:59.79\00:20:04.17
got to tell one more story. This
is one of my favorites. Um I had
00:20:04.20\00:20:08.04
a patch you know of three
separate fields that I rotated
00:20:08.07\00:20:12.61
because if you don't rotate them
you end up getting disease and
00:20:12.64\00:20:15.51
stuff. And so on the third year
the patch was beside the slough.
00:20:15.54\00:20:20.62
And we, of course, have a lot
of geese there and when we had
00:20:20.65\00:20:25.32
soybeans or corn or another
crop they just walked up on
00:20:25.35\00:20:28.79
shore and ate them all. And it
was just acres of the plant. And
00:20:28.82\00:20:35.36
so I said I was going to try
and raise them there because I
00:20:35.40\00:20:39.77
couldn't think of any other
option and my husband said that
00:20:39.80\00:20:44.01
would be suicide to plant your
pumpkins there. There will be
00:20:44.04\00:20:46.34
nothing left of them. Do
you know, not one goose ate one
00:20:46.37\00:20:52.05
piece of my plants.
00:20:52.08\00:20:53.55
So God had His
hand over your pumpkins.
00:20:53.58\00:20:57.22
He did and it was just like
in the Bible when God closed the
00:20:57.25\00:21:01.26
lion's mouth for Daniel. He
closed those geese mouths and
00:21:01.29\00:21:04.03
they didn't eat a thing. So just
time after time there was things
00:21:04.06\00:21:09.16
like that. One time all of
the pumpkins froze. My pumpkins
00:21:09.20\00:21:13.37
froze. God let them freeze. And
so I was all panic and worry and
00:21:13.40\00:21:18.57
pray. And so I went out and
I put a pumpkin seen beside the
00:21:18.61\00:21:24.98
ones that had died because
I thought well I'll still try.
00:21:25.01\00:21:29.45
This is freezing. I should
explain this. In the spring I
00:21:29.48\00:21:33.22
had just planted them. Do you
have any idea how much work that
00:21:33.25\00:21:36.46
is. It is 400 deep knee bends.
And I just got them all planted.
00:21:36.49\00:21:41.73
They were just up really nice
and then it froze and so they're
00:21:41.76\00:21:46.40
all level with the ground. And
so I went out and I just put a
00:21:46.43\00:21:49.97
pumpkin seed beside these
plants which was a lack of faith
00:21:50.01\00:21:54.21
because the old ones grew and
the new ones grew. So I had 8000
00:21:54.24\00:21:58.85
pumpkins that year Are
you serious? When it froze.
00:21:58.88\00:22:01.82
I always had so many people help
me with pumpkin harvest. It was
00:22:01.85\00:22:04.95
so much fun. I have the best
church in the world and they
00:22:04.99\00:22:07.96
would show up about 60 people
and the neighbors and my friends
00:22:07.99\00:22:13.09
and they would all help us pick
and we would have somebody that
00:22:13.13\00:22:16.46
would be picking and somebody
would put them in a trough that
00:22:16.50\00:22:19.90
the Bobcat would take to
the washing station. We washed
00:22:19.93\00:22:23.81
every pumpkin and dried them put
them in bins then take them back
00:22:23.84\00:22:27.58
to the shop. It was like a
factory. It was like the body of
00:22:27.61\00:22:31.68
Christ, just everybody working
together. And so, yeah, it was
00:22:31.71\00:22:37.62
just a wonderful experience to
see them all into the bins and
00:22:37.65\00:22:42.82
to the shop.
00:22:42.86\00:22:44.59
Okay we're going to get into
this story of she actually that
00:22:44.63\00:22:48.30
to go to India to dedicate one
of the churches you built, but
00:22:48.33\00:22:53.57
before we get there tell us some
of the lessons that God taught
00:22:53.60\00:22:59.24
you through this. I mean you've
dedicated to him. You're seeing
00:22:59.27\00:23:03.85
his hand move constantly. But
He also...You've got some great
00:23:03.88\00:23:09.12
object lessons. The name of the
book by the way is Missionary
00:23:09.15\00:23:13.86
Pumpkins and it's Miracle
Stories From God's Pumpkin Patch
00:23:13.89\00:23:19.26
and this is the kind of book
just builds your faith when you
00:23:19.29\00:23:24.97
see...any time it's you and God
you're in the majority. You may
00:23:25.00\00:23:29.37
feel like you're all alone.
But He taught you some really
00:23:29.40\00:23:35.18
valuable lessons.
00:23:35.21\00:23:36.54
He did. Well one of the first
lessons I learned actually the
00:23:36.58\00:23:41.58
very first year. The name of my
business was Pumpkin People and
00:23:41.62\00:23:46.96
Produce. And I had the idea
that I was going to make pumpkin
00:23:46.99\00:23:50.93
people. So there would be like
a snowman: A big pumpkin on the
00:23:50.96\00:23:56.16
bottom and a medium one and one
on the top and I was going to
00:23:56.20\00:23:58.90
dress them up. So I went to the
second-hand store and I bought
00:23:58.93\00:24:02.64
out this that looked like a
pilgrim or a biker or somebody
00:24:02.67\00:24:11.38
really old-fashioned, little kid
just different things, I would
00:24:11.41\00:24:15.72
dress them up. And they were
going to sell like hotcakes.
00:24:15.75\00:24:18.42
And people were going to want
to buy two or three of them, you
00:24:18.45\00:24:21.69
know. You know what? I did not
sell one, not one pumpkin person
00:24:21.72\00:24:25.89
And so that was the last thing
God taught me that we just have
00:24:25.93\00:24:30.77
to trust Him and that sometimes
when He says no it's for a very
00:24:30.80\00:24:34.10
good reason. If I had gone
that way instead of just selling
00:24:34.14\00:24:37.74
pumpkins. I wouldn't make $100
instead of $200,000. No so that
00:24:37.77\00:24:45.48
was a very good lesson. Another
lesson I learned which I didn't
00:24:45.51\00:24:48.38
know...you hear the expression
One bad apple will spoil the
00:24:48.42\00:24:52.35
the barrel. It's not so with
pumpkins. No matter how hard you
00:24:52.39\00:24:57.93
try there are going to be some
pumpkins that spoil. Sometime an
00:24:57.96\00:25:02.36
insect will eat a little bit and
it'll start to spoil around that
00:25:02.40\00:25:06.17
or sometimes somebody picking
the pumpkin will drop it and
00:25:06.20\00:25:11.31
it'll bruise it on the inside
and spoil or if you knock the
00:25:11.34\00:25:14.48
stem off it'll spoil there.
So you're going to have some of
00:25:14.51\00:25:17.21
that. And what you don't want to
see when you go out to the shop
00:25:17.25\00:25:19.75
is flies buzzing around your bin
and oozing on the floor because
00:25:19.78\00:25:24.89
that means one has spoiled. But
the nice thing is that it can
00:25:24.92\00:25:30.59
touch all of the pumpkins beside
it but they are unaffected which
00:25:30.63\00:25:33.83
taught me that relating to peer
pressure, if you are put in an
00:25:33.86\00:25:38.83
ungodly environment you don't
have to succumb just because the
00:25:38.87\00:25:45.57
people around you are dishonest
or bad language or whatever you
00:25:45.61\00:25:52.01
want to say. You don't have
to be that way. You can be this
00:25:52.05\00:25:57.29
clean bright shining pumpkin.
00:25:57.32\00:25:58.65
Amen, that's a great
object lesson for all of us but
00:25:58.69\00:26:03.53
particularly this would be a
good book for teenagers to read
00:26:03.56\00:26:07.00
because it's so sweet and
written from the heart. Now
00:26:07.03\00:26:12.53
let's talk about 25
churches. That's amazing.
00:26:12.57\00:26:16.54
Yeah, it is amazing.
00:26:16.57\00:26:17.91
You began in 2001 or...
00:26:17.94\00:26:21.08
I started in the year 2000.
00:26:21.11\00:26:25.41
2000. So 25 churches and your
last pumpkin harvest was 2020
00:26:25.45\00:26:29.58
Things move on. But what
Cheryl's doing now is during
00:26:29.62\00:26:37.66
COVID she wrote the book.
The book is titled Missionary
00:26:37.69\00:26:40.33
Pumpkins: Miracle Stories from
God's Pumpkin Patch. And I'll
00:26:40.36\00:26:48.10
let you explain in just a minute
why there's 31 chapters. But
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.81
it's really written for
devotional where it starts off
00:26:50.84\00:26:53.98
with the scripture. Here's one
Anchors: Which hope we have as
00:26:54.01\00:26:59.35
an anchor for the soul but
sure and steadfast. And then she
00:26:59.38\00:27:03.59
tells the stories of how God
led, how God answered prayers,
00:27:03.62\00:27:09.42
how God taught her patience
and taught her these different
00:27:09.46\00:27:13.40
object lessons. This precious
book. But you actually...what
00:27:13.43\00:27:20.84
year was it that you got to go
to India (2006) 2006 to see what
00:27:20.87\00:27:29.84
your missionary work was doing.
And you got to dedicate the
00:27:29.88\00:27:33.72
church. (I did) Tell us about it
00:27:33.75\00:27:35.08
Oh, it was so exciting. Every
since I was a little girl I
00:27:35.12\00:27:38.09
wanted to be a missionary. You
know we used to sing the song
00:27:38.12\00:27:41.12
about go sailing to the mission
land and it seemed to be the
00:27:41.16\00:27:44.49
highest calling any Christian
should have and I really wanted
00:27:44.53\00:27:48.60
to be a missionary all my life.
But I've learned through this
00:27:48.63\00:27:51.87
you don't have to go across
the seas to be a missionary. God
00:27:51.90\00:27:54.80
calls you to do your ministry
wherever you are and He has put
00:27:54.84\00:27:58.67
something in your hand and you
need to answer Him. But I did
00:27:58.71\00:28:02.38
get to go to India 2006. Several
people has asked me you know
00:28:02.41\00:28:06.82
why don't you go to India
and see your churches and I said
00:28:06.85\00:28:09.58
well I can build another church
for the amount of money, it
00:28:09.62\00:28:12.39
would take me to go to India.
And my Dad called my bluff. He
00:28:12.42\00:28:15.76
said well, I would pay your way.
I said Oh and I didn't know what
00:28:15.79\00:28:19.43
to say. But I did get to go and
I went on a Maranatha trip and
00:28:19.46\00:28:24.07
we had a 100 village campaign.
Oh this was in Andhra Pradesh
00:28:24.10\00:28:28.94
just in case anybody wants
to know. All my churches are in
00:28:28.97\00:28:32.37
Andhra Pradesh. And we had
a team...My team had about 10
00:28:32.41\00:28:37.05
members on it and we were
assigned 12 churches to go visit
00:28:37.08\00:28:41.08
and what we would do is we would
go visit these villages every
00:28:41.12\00:28:44.79
day and invite them to the
meetings. And the gospel workers
00:28:44.82\00:28:47.99
had been there for like three
months with them and so they
00:28:48.02\00:28:51.43
kind of knew a little bit about
it. I have a picture of some of
00:28:51.46\00:28:56.70
the homes they live in. It was
like something that you would
00:28:56.73\00:29:02.44
picture in a mission story.
I mean in a 1000 years ago they
00:29:02.47\00:29:06.44
say that India hasn't changed in
a 1000 years but it will change
00:29:06.47\00:29:09.88
change you. It really did change
my life. So we would visit these
00:29:09.91\00:29:13.35
every day and we would say are
you coming to the meetings. And
00:29:13.38\00:29:16.38
then they would go (head side
to side). See that's yes. It was
00:29:16.42\00:29:19.75
strange because you thought what
are they saying and they would
00:29:19.79\00:29:23.02
all come. They brought them
on these big trucks that looked
00:29:23.06\00:29:27.86
kind of like a grain truck only
they're called lorries and they
00:29:27.90\00:29:31.33
would just be packed on there
like cattle. And every evening
00:29:31.37\00:29:35.70
we had 1500 people and then
on the last evening we had 5000
00:29:35.74\00:29:40.28
people. And it was in the open
air and you could look up and
00:29:40.31\00:29:45.21
see the moon and I often would
look up and just talk to God and
00:29:45.25\00:29:49.05
say, Are you seeing these
people? Are you calling them to
00:29:49.08\00:29:53.66
your name? And so every night
they would come just like I said
00:29:53.69\00:29:58.56
by the hundreds and I understood
what it meant in the Bible when
00:29:58.59\00:30:01.26
it said Jesus couldn't move
because of the press. That's the
00:30:01.30\00:30:05.47
way they were. A lot of them had
not seen a white person and this
00:30:05.50\00:30:09.54
missionary thing was totally new
to them so they would all crowd
00:30:09.57\00:30:13.04
around you and they would bow
their head and they wanted you
00:30:13.07\00:30:15.54
to put your hands on their head
and bless them and have a prayer
00:30:15.58\00:30:18.78
I probably said 200 prayers a
night. There were just so many
00:30:18.81\00:30:21.78
people. And then they would sit
on the ground and my job was to
00:30:21.82\00:30:26.59
tell the felt children's story.
But they were all like children
00:30:26.62\00:30:31.59
They didn't even know the story
of Adam and Eve. I mean they
00:30:31.63\00:30:34.03
didn't know anything. And so I
really enjoyed doing that and I
00:30:34.06\00:30:38.63
had a little translator with
me. I'll tell you about her in a
00:30:38.67\00:30:42.37
minute. But anyway when they
would look at this video, this
00:30:42.40\00:30:46.71
movie of Jesus they were so
touched. You know every time He
00:30:46.74\00:30:52.48
healed a blind person they would
cheer and when He was baptized
00:30:52.51\00:30:57.35
they would cheer and they were
just coming to the Lord. It was
00:30:57.39\00:31:01.32
so thrilling to see that happen.
And at the end, I don't know how
00:31:01.36\00:31:06.56
many hundred were baptized.
We weren't allowed to go because
00:31:06.59\00:31:09.80
they didn't want to excite any
prejudice from the government
00:31:09.83\00:31:12.60
and stuff like that. But it was
probably the top three most fun
00:31:12.63\00:31:19.81
things in my life going to
India You know what people don't
00:31:19.84\00:31:22.68
realize is there's still a caste
system in India and when you
00:31:22.71\00:31:29.38
are in the lower part of that
caste system no one ever seems
00:31:29.42\00:31:35.46
to accept you. They don't want
to touch you and they shun you
00:31:35.49\00:31:39.73
and so when missionaries come
and they're showing the love of
00:31:39.76\00:31:45.43
Christ and they're
touching...the idea of touching
their head to bless
00:31:45.47\00:31:49.87
them that's so precious
00:31:49.90\00:31:51.27
to them. But they're not used
to that acceptance and of course
00:31:51.31\00:31:56.08
they have thousands of Gods
so it's interesting to find...I
00:31:56.11\00:32:03.08
mean when they discover that
there is one true God who really
00:32:03.12\00:32:05.59
loves them they will come in
droves. But they've got to have
00:32:05.62\00:32:10.79
a church. So you got
some pictures to show us?
00:32:10.83\00:32:13.29
Yeah I want to show you first
the ox cart. Ah we had a big
00:32:13.33\00:32:17.47
parade through the town and our
team got to ride on the ox cart.
00:32:17.50\00:32:23.27
They had it all decorated
up and all the town would come
00:32:23.30\00:32:26.34
because it was the nicest
building in the town and very
00:32:26.37\00:32:30.61
excited and like I said before
(the church?) the church. If
00:32:30.65\00:32:34.55
they didn't have a church they
would say well you're God is not
00:32:34.58\00:32:38.12
very special and your God is not
worth anything so it was really
00:32:38.15\00:32:42.79
imperative that they'd see
it was a big deal and that they
00:32:42.82\00:32:45.69
would come. So it was really fun
being on this ox cart and we got
00:32:45.73\00:32:49.60
there and then I had a picture
of the dedication, the actual
00:32:49.63\00:32:53.87
plaque and so on that was
written the date and you know
00:32:53.90\00:33:00.68
it was a pumpkin church
and everything and so that was
00:33:00.71\00:33:04.15
really fun when I got to do that
But probably the most fun thing
00:33:04.18\00:33:08.22
was the next Sabbath we got
to have a communion service with
00:33:08.25\00:33:13.32
the new congregation. And so as
I was washing the feet of this
00:33:13.36\00:33:21.26
lady that was my new sister in
the Lord and I looked up at her
00:33:21.30\00:33:25.63
and I wanted to remember her
face. And I can't wait till I
00:33:25.67\00:33:30.31
get to heaven. I'm going to
look her up and I'm going to say
00:33:30.34\00:33:32.77
didn't we meet in India?
It's going to be such a thrill.
00:33:32.81\00:33:35.98
(That's precious) So back to
my little translator, I have a
00:33:36.01\00:33:40.12
picture of her too. She's in the
middle here. She was 22 at the
00:33:40.15\00:33:46.15
time and just a precious,
precious soul. She had a strong
00:33:46.19\00:33:52.53
relationship with the Lord. She
was raised Hindu and when she
00:33:52.56\00:33:57.83
was in 7th grade her parents put
her in the Seventh-day Adventist
00:33:57.87\00:34:00.57
school across the street from
where she was raised. And that
00:34:00.60\00:34:05.97
year she met Jesus and she asked
Him into her heart and she was
00:34:06.01\00:34:09.58
baptized. After that the people
from Asian Aid sponsored her all
00:34:09.61\00:34:18.32
the way through high
school (Praise God) and then she
00:34:18.35\00:34:21.16
went to a
00:34:21.19\00:34:22.52
state college. Well she took
business at the state college
00:34:22.56\00:34:25.43
but because she was convicted
not to take her exams on Sabbath
00:34:25.46\00:34:29.66
she couldn't receive her degree.
So I was really impressed with
00:34:29.70\00:34:34.60
her level of dedication. And
so later I had the privilege of
00:34:34.64\00:34:40.08
paying her way through Spicer
Memorial College. She got her
00:34:40.11\00:34:43.75
MBA and she's married to a
pastor and a history teacher at
00:34:43.78\00:34:48.08
Spicer. We still talk. In fact
she emailed me this morning.
00:34:48.12\00:34:51.19
(How precious) Yeah
it's a really fun...
00:34:51.22\00:34:55.69
You know what I love about
you is you are reflecting, you
00:34:55.72\00:35:01.36
radiate the love of God and
that's something that you'll
00:35:01.40\00:35:06.03
find in the book Missionary
Pumpkins: Miracle Stories from
00:35:06.07\00:35:11.07
God's Pumpkin Patch by Cheryl
Erickson. This is a precious
00:35:11.11\00:35:16.91
book. It's an easy read but
there's a deep heart connection
00:35:16.95\00:35:23.32
and it shows you how God can use
anyone, anyone. You could be in
00:35:23.35\00:35:32.83
a nursing home. God can use
you in ministry. You can have a
00:35:32.86\00:35:37.80
ministry of prayer. But it's
all about...It's not about the
00:35:37.83\00:35:42.84
pumpkins. It's about the things
you built, God built through you
00:35:42.87\00:35:47.48
You've raised the funds for 25
churches. That's just so amazing
00:35:47.51\00:35:52.61
So when you were there
with Maranatha were you doing...
00:35:52.65\00:36:00.62
usually, you've got some kind
of a...that was yours was the
00:36:00.66\00:36:04.09
Sabbath School felts.
00:36:04.13\00:36:05.99
Yeah. We went to each village
and we did a little program
00:36:06.03\00:36:10.00
every day. So I would do a felt
story there and then I would do
00:36:10.03\00:36:14.17
it again in the evening, a
different story in the evening
00:36:14.20\00:36:17.44
when they all came.
00:36:17.47\00:36:18.81
So tell us why
you wrote the book.
00:36:18.84\00:36:22.08
Okay. Well this is interesting
because October 22nd is kind of
00:36:22.11\00:36:27.45
of a famous day for
members of our church.
00:36:27.48\00:36:30.82
Now you can't just drop that.
There's people who are watching
00:36:30.85\00:36:35.46
that don't know...they don't
know what October 22nd...why is
00:36:35.49\00:36:39.76
is it famous?
00:36:39.79\00:36:41.13
Okay October 22nd, 1844
many people were looking for the
00:36:41.16\00:36:46.20
return of Jesus.
00:36:46.23\00:36:48.04
And that's people of
all denominations. It was a
00:36:48.07\00:36:50.47
world thing.
00:36:50.51\00:36:51.84
Uh-huh. And Jesus didn't come
and so it was called the great
00:36:51.87\00:36:56.61
disappointment. They
later discovered that they had
00:36:56.64\00:37:02.85
misinterpreted the prophecies.
00:37:02.88\00:37:05.32
But it was kind of...After
October 22nd when they were
00:37:05.35\00:37:10.69
studying it out further that
was kind of the beginning of the
00:37:10.73\00:37:14.46
Seventh-day Adventist movement
because you had people from
00:37:14.50\00:37:18.27
Baptist, Methodist and all
different kinds of churches who
00:37:18.30\00:37:22.50
came together to study this out
figure out why and that's how it
00:37:22.54\00:37:27.54
started isn't it?
So October 22nd...
00:37:27.58\00:37:32.01
Yeah. My pumpkin harvest was
over, I had hauled in the last
00:37:32.05\00:37:34.88
pumpkins (This is 2020) 2020
and so I went up to my field
00:37:34.92\00:37:39.82
for the last time and it was
very emotional for me. You know
00:37:39.85\00:37:45.53
I had been doing this
21 years. It was only...
00:37:45.56\00:37:47.60
And these were circumstances
beyond your control that you...
00:37:47.63\00:37:51.37
Right. I didn't want to quit
and it was something I had to do
00:37:51.40\00:37:54.37
So 21 years was almost a third
of my life and it was just me,
00:37:54.40\00:37:59.77
you know, I'm the pumpkin lady.
That's just how I identify. And
00:37:59.81\00:38:04.58
so it was really hard to quit.
And I loved everything about it.
00:38:04.61\00:38:08.12
I loved planting and I loved
weeding it. Actually weeding is
00:38:08.15\00:38:11.75
my favorite job. You saw the
size of my patch...Yeah. I would
00:38:11.79\00:38:17.16
hoe until...I loved it and
I loved picking them, I loved
00:38:17.19\00:38:22.96
washing them, I loved selling
them. So it had to come to an
00:38:23.00\00:38:26.77
end and so I walked up to the
patch for the last time, I have
00:38:26.80\00:38:29.80
not been up to the patch since.
It's too painful. And I kneeled
00:38:29.84\00:38:34.81
down right there in the field
and I looked up in the sky.
00:38:34.84\00:38:38.08
There was all these black clouds
and then I saw them part and
00:38:38.11\00:38:42.72
there was a blue clear sky and I
just looked up to God and I said
00:38:42.75\00:38:47.56
What now, Lord? I said I raised
pumpkins for you, Oh I'm a crier
00:38:47.59\00:38:54.33
for 21 years and do you have
an assignment for me now. And I
00:38:54.36\00:39:01.80
actually said here am I, send me
And God put it upon my heart to
00:39:01.84\00:39:05.84
write this book and to hopefully
glorify His name and share with
00:39:05.87\00:39:10.65
other people His power and His
answered prayers and how He's
00:39:10.68\00:39:14.65
a personal God (Amen) He really
is right there with us. And so I
00:39:14.68\00:39:22.36
wrote it and the winter of 2021
and if you remember that was the
00:39:22.39\00:39:26.63
peak of COVID. Everything was
gloomy and dark and this is a
00:39:26.66\00:39:32.47
happy book. This is a book where
things turn out right. This is a
00:39:32.50\00:39:36.44
book where God answers prayer
and so I wanted it to be an
00:39:36.47\00:39:42.21
encouragement to
people that would read it.
00:39:42.24\00:39:43.75
And what are you doing
with the proceeds of this book?
00:39:43.78\00:39:46.92
Yeah I wanted to keep earning
money to build churches in India
00:39:46.95\00:39:49.82
I guess the best way to describe
me is addicted. I just cannot...
00:39:49.85\00:39:54.82
You're addicted to service, huh?
00:39:54.86\00:39:56.19
Yes I wanted to keep building
churches and so I've sold $8000
00:39:56.22\00:40:02.76
so far and churches now cost
$30,000. When I first started
00:40:02.80\00:40:08.90
they were $3500. And sometimes
I could build two churches in a
00:40:08.94\00:40:13.84
year. But times have changed and
so I have sold like 800 books so
00:40:13.88\00:40:21.32
far but I need to
sell a lot more. So...
00:40:21.35\00:40:25.62
I want to just say you can...
there are several ways that you
00:40:25.65\00:40:29.52
can get this book, but let me
tell you one way right now. You
00:40:29.56\00:40:34.00
can...When you sell through
a publisher no author gets much
00:40:34.03\00:40:41.57
money. Royalties are very tiny.
But you can go directly to you
00:40:41.60\00:40:46.34
and that's
CherylErickson@yahoo.com
00:40:46.37\00:40:51.41
You can order directly from her.
She gets a much bigger portion
00:40:51.45\00:40:57.29
that she...100 percent of
the proceeds are still going to
00:40:57.32\00:41:02.16
fund church building in India.
And we've got a picture we're
00:41:02.19\00:41:06.13
going to show in just a minute
and these precious faces, how
00:41:06.16\00:41:10.67
excited they are to be in a
church. But you can get it on
00:41:10.70\00:41:15.54
Amazon.com it's call Missionary
Pumpkins: Miracle Stories From
00:41:15.57\00:41:24.85
God's Pumpkin Patch. And boy it
is...It's not trying to talk you
00:41:24.88\00:41:31.45
into going into the pumpkin
business. But you know what as
00:41:31.49\00:41:35.69
you read in this book, because
it is such a happy book, it is a
00:41:35.72\00:41:42.20
book that will cause your heart
to overflow with hope as you
00:41:42.23\00:41:46.57
realize how close and personal
God is and how if you will be
00:41:46.60\00:41:52.37
as Cheryl, as Isaiah, say Lord
here am I, send me. He will give
00:41:52.41\00:42:01.08
you something, a purpose. God
wants your life to be purpose
00:42:01.12\00:42:05.42
driven and He will give you a
purpose. So you can also buy it
00:42:05.45\00:42:09.32
at the ABC store, the Seventh-
day Adventist ABC if you want to
00:42:09.36\00:42:15.00
go online and look again
the name is Missionary Pumpkins.
00:42:15.03\00:42:21.04
Put picture back up because
it's a sweet picture, Missionary
00:42:21.07\00:42:27.01
Pumpkins: Miracle Stories
From God's Pumpkin Patch.
00:42:27.04\00:42:31.55
I just want to say something
here to about what I've done
00:42:31.58\00:42:37.65
here is just a drop in
the bucket. You know it's so
00:42:37.69\00:42:41.29
insignificant. But if each one
of us chooses a project...What
00:42:41.32\00:42:45.59
if each one of us would build 25
churches, you know. Pretty soon
00:42:45.63\00:42:49.96
the bucket is full. I wrote a
story, the next to last story in
00:42:50.00\00:42:53.27
the book called What Is That In
Your Hand? Remember the story of
00:42:53.30\00:42:57.77
Moses in Exodus 4 and God is
calling him to lead the children
00:42:57.81\00:43:00.98
of Israel and he's arguing and
he's giving his excuses and I
00:43:01.01\00:43:05.15
can't speak and I can't you know
all this and God finally said
00:43:05.18\00:43:09.62
what is that in your hand? And
when he threw it down it turned
00:43:09.65\00:43:14.39
into a serpent, you know in the
story. So God says what is that
00:43:14.42\00:43:20.53
in your hand. Just stop right
now and think a minute. What has
00:43:20.56\00:43:25.70
get out of your comfort zone and
go door to door and you know all
00:43:28.80\00:43:32.77
this. Well I don't believe in
that, I mean I love to go door
00:43:32.81\00:43:35.14
to door but if you're doing
something you hate doing you're
00:43:35.18\00:43:39.81
going to burn out. You're not
going to continue to doing it.
00:43:39.85\00:43:43.25
Pick something you love. I love
to garden so this was a perfect
00:43:43.28\00:43:48.06
fit for me. They say oh that's
so much work. No, cooking is
00:43:48.09\00:43:52.43
work. But and I love to sell
and I love fall. It was just a
00:43:52.46\00:43:58.33
perfect fit. So just stop and
think for a minute. What do you
00:43:58.37\00:44:00.87
like to do? You know like some
men they like to work with wood
00:44:00.90\00:44:04.44
They can make these beautiful
plaques for the walls and for
00:44:04.47\00:44:09.34
the entrance to your house,
the welcome sign. If you make
00:44:09.38\00:44:13.75
bird houses and what if you like
to cook. I know a lady who has a
00:44:13.78\00:44:17.35
cookie business and she sells
most of her cookies. She makes a
00:44:17.39\00:44:20.99
lot of money. And I know another
lady that has a bread business.
00:44:21.02\00:44:24.13
And she's made a lot of money.
You don't have to sell something
00:44:24.16\00:44:29.26
to have a ministry. I know this
97-year-old lady who has a card
00:44:29.30\00:44:34.90
ministry. She has big tubs of
things that she puts together on
00:44:34.94\00:44:38.44
a card writes and encouraging
note to somebody every day.
00:44:38.47\00:44:41.44
I mean just stop to think what
do you have in your hand that
00:44:41.48\00:44:46.65
you can use for God?
00:44:46.68\00:44:49.58
Amen. I had a little lady show,
you'll love this story. I think
00:44:49.62\00:44:52.85
it was my very first year here
and I answered the phone and
00:44:52.89\00:44:58.09
this little lady was talking to
me. She was like 98 and she said
00:44:58.13\00:45:02.93
Oh honey I'm in a nursing home
and oh honey I was a missionary
00:45:02.96\00:45:08.64
I was a pastor's wife and she
said I can't do anything for the
00:45:08.67\00:45:13.27
Lord anymore and she said, but
I want you to know I pray for
00:45:13.31\00:45:16.98
you every day and I pray for the
people at 3ABN. And I said to
00:45:17.01\00:45:21.52
her Congratulations I said
you have been promoted to the
00:45:21.55\00:45:27.59
greatest ministry there is.
And she said what do you mean?
00:45:27.62\00:45:31.16
And I said what is the ministry
of our risen and exalted Savior?
00:45:31.19\00:45:37.07
He is at the right hand of
the throne of the Father and the
00:45:37.10\00:45:42.97
Bible says He intercedes for us
day by day and He's able to save
00:45:43.00\00:45:48.61
to the uttermost. So sometimes
when you feel that you've been
00:45:48.64\00:45:55.38
put on a shelf somewhere,
God can still use you no matter
00:45:55.42\00:46:00.29
where you are. I mean would you
have believed in your wildest
00:46:00.32\00:46:03.83
imagination...Farmers are not
wealthy people. Would you have
00:46:03.86\00:46:09.60
believed in your wildest
imagination that God could use
00:46:09.63\00:46:13.54
you to build 25
churches in India?
00:46:13.57\00:46:17.54
No. In fact, I have a picture a
couple pictures I'd like to show
00:46:17.57\00:46:21.68
I took a picture of some pumpkin
seeds in my hands because to me
00:46:21.71\00:46:27.78
it is such a miracle that a
handful of seeds can turn into a
00:46:27.82\00:46:32.09
church. You know...
00:46:32.12\00:46:33.79
And we've got a picture
of a church (two voices) So
00:46:33.82\00:46:37.36
that's a handful
of pumpkin seeds.
00:46:37.39\00:46:40.40
But it's prayer and dedication.
That's what it's all about. So
00:46:40.43\00:46:47.14
are you staying in touch with
some of the people from India?
00:46:47.17\00:46:50.91
I am. Yeah actually the first 12
years I raised pumpkins I sent
00:46:50.94\00:46:56.24
my money to Elder Chuck Wilson
in the General Conference. I
00:46:56.28\00:47:00.02
still, keep in contact with
him. He was so fun to work with
00:47:00.05\00:47:03.79
because he went to India
every year and did meetings and
00:47:03.82\00:47:07.59
dedicated my church. And he
would make me a scrapbook of
00:47:07.62\00:47:11.99
all these pictures and he would
keep a journal and it was almost
00:47:12.03\00:47:14.80
as if I was there. It was really
fun. And then my last year I've
00:47:14.83\00:47:20.07
been working with
Stanley Ponniah in the General
00:47:20.10\00:47:24.67
Conference. He is an Indian so
he really understands this and
00:47:24.71\00:47:28.64
he went and did meetings
and has really been influential
00:47:28.68\00:47:32.91
there too. So it has been really
fun. But no I never would have
00:47:32.95\00:47:39.35
guessed that...Well I just did
it year by year. I didn't say
00:47:39.39\00:47:41.82
well I'm going to raise pumpkins
for 20 years or whatever. It's
00:47:41.86\00:47:45.86
just that I really didn't want
to stop. Every year was more fun
00:47:45.89\00:47:48.86
than the year before. And it
got so much easier. You know at
00:47:48.90\00:47:53.03
first I was constantly on the
phone trying to get customers
00:47:53.07\00:47:56.27
and at the end, they were sold
from the time they were picked.
00:47:56.30\00:48:01.71
I had major grocery stores
in Fargo and in Jamestown,
00:48:01.74\00:48:06.92
warehouse in Jamestown they
bought them all, all I had every
00:48:06.95\00:48:11.05
year. So it got a lot easier but
it was fun, it was fun every day
00:48:11.09\00:48:16.99
I even was happy to
clean up the spoiled pumpkins.
00:48:17.03\00:48:21.86
Okay so tell us about the price
of your book and I mean you've
00:48:21.90\00:48:24.87
got like a package. Tell
us about that real quick.
00:48:24.90\00:48:27.60
Okay the price of the book is
$16.95 and if you buy 10 you get
00:48:27.64\00:48:35.04
10 percent off. And actually
you can consider it a donation
00:48:35.08\00:48:38.48
because I'm giving every penny
toward building churches in
00:48:38.51\00:48:42.55
India. Also if you don't want
to buy a book but you want to
00:48:42.58\00:48:45.59
support the project you can give
directly to Maranatha and you
00:48:45.62\00:48:50.26
just write on your check Pumpkin
Churches or Missionary Pumpkins
00:48:50.29\00:48:54.63
and they have a fund set up
and (Maranatha 916-774-7700)
00:48:54.66\00:48:56.67
when I finally get to $30,000
then they're going to build the
00:48:56.70\00:48:59.93
church.
00:48:59.97\00:49:01.30
Now don't you have like a craft
project. There was a reason you
00:49:01.34\00:49:03.41
did 31 chapters. Tell us.
00:49:03.44\00:49:05.84
Yes I did chapter to counteract
the 31 evil days of Halloween.
00:49:05.87\00:49:09.34
People think that's funny
that I raise pumpkins and I hate
00:49:09.38\00:49:12.75
Halloween so much but my
pumpkins...Actually, I'll tell
00:49:12.78\00:49:17.59
you something funny. I never
said anything to the grocery
00:49:17.62\00:49:19.92
stores because I felt like once
they bought them they were their
00:49:19.95\00:49:22.19
pumpkins. They could do with
them what they wanted. But they
00:49:22.22\00:49:24.83
never decorated with Halloween.
They always only had a fall
00:49:24.86\00:49:28.76
arrangement but it was really
nice. And now I have a family
00:49:28.80\00:49:32.40
pack because my dream is for
people to read this as a family.
00:49:32.43\00:49:36.67
One story a night during the
month of October and in there
00:49:36.71\00:49:40.74
there's a craft called Pumpkin
Prayer Craft and there is an
00:49:40.78\00:49:47.42
activity book for preschoolers
and a Pumpkin Prayer Activity
00:49:47.45\00:49:50.95
Book and a Pumpkin Prayer
Activity Book for 7-11 years old
00:49:50.99\00:49:55.99
So if they like
that it is $19.95 Yeah.
00:49:56.02\00:50:01.73
Once again you can go
to CherylErickson@yahoo.com
00:50:01.76\00:50:13.11
You can order a book from
her that way or you can go
00:50:13.14\00:50:17.21
Amazon.com or you can go to the
ABC Book Stores. So go online
00:50:17.25\00:50:23.15
there and order. But I never
thought how...you know Jesus
00:50:23.18\00:50:28.66
said that the fields are ripe
and you have been one of His
00:50:28.69\00:50:35.76
laborers in the harvest field
to build all these churches and
00:50:35.80\00:50:41.87
I have to say that your
enthusiasm you can see your love
00:50:41.90\00:50:47.01
for the Lord. So now Cheryl
is speaking at...You're getting
00:50:47.04\00:50:51.81
ready to go to a women's
ministry She speaks at churches.
00:50:51.85\00:50:56.35
She speaks for youth groups and
by the way this book has been
00:50:56.38\00:50:59.92
very popular with the school
system. There are schools that
00:50:59.95\00:51:04.09
are using it to teach
their kids. It's a great little
00:51:04.13\00:51:07.46
devotional for family night. It
only takes two or three minutes
00:51:07.50\00:51:13.64
to get through each story.
But if you would like to get in
00:51:13.67\00:51:18.81
touch with this handmaiden of
the Lord and invite her to come
00:51:18.84\00:51:22.54
to your church or to your
women's ministry here's how you
00:51:22.58\00:51:26.92
can get in touch with Cheryl.
00:51:26.95\00:51:28.28
If you would like to contact
or know more about Pumpkin
00:51:28.32\00:51:31.45
People and Produce you can do so
in the following ways: You can
00:51:31.49\00:51:35.02
write to them at 2325-
68th Ave SE, Buchanan, ND 58420
00:51:35.06\00:51:42.60
You can call
them at (701) 320-2685
00:51:42.63\00:51:52.21
or send them an email
at CherylErickson@yahoo.com
00:51:52.24\00:52:00.88
¤ ¤
00:52:00.92\00:52:04.39