Welcome to The New Journey,
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the program where we
meet real-life people
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with real-life testimonies with
real-life work and ministries
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for Jesus. Today
we'll meet a family
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of three that is actively
engaged in prison ministries.
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We'll meet the father
that was lost in crime
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but saved by Jesus.
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We'll meet the son that was torn
by his father's early lifestyle.
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We'll meet the wife that
loves and supports the family
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in ministry. This
could be your family, viewer,
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so tune in to check out
this story of amazing grace.
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I'm your host Aaron Chancy.
Come join us on The New Journey.
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I'd like to welcome my guests
Dennis, Travis, and Melody Page:
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a family of three that we have.
And we're going to talk about
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the family in
recovery in today's show.
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And exciting, exciting program.
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Dennis, I want
to start with you.
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You're the author of a
book From the Cell to the Cross.
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Can you tell us a little
bit about your inspiration
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for writing this
book? Well, you know, Aaron,
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I never thought myself to
ever be able to write a book.
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But I wanted to do God's will,
and after coming out of prison
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one day I was in a homeless
shelter and I just prayed
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to the Lord: "If you
want me to write a book,
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make it so clear to me that
there is no doubt in my mind
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that that's Your will. " OK.
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Within a couple days
I heard God very clearly
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say to me:
"Read Jeremiah 30:2. "
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Amen. And when I
opened to that verse it says:
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"Thus saith the Lord,
write everything I have spoken
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unto you in a book. " OK. OK.
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Praise the Lord! Can't
get any clearer than that.
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So the book is actually a
testimony of your life of how
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God has saved you from all the
things that you were involved in
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in your early
life, correct? Yes.
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It tells about the
power of God's grace,
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His pursuit of a sinner.
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And regardless of
where you are in life
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I'm sure that God is able
to pick you up from that point.
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OK. OK. Now you
have been on 3ABN before.
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You have shared your
testimony with Amazing Facts.
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Now for those who have not
seen or heard or don't know
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who Dennis Page is, can you
give us a little bit of that
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information of your early life?
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What led you to
the life of crime?
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Can you talk a
little bit about that?
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Yes. I grew up in
Buffalo, New York.
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And - cold place - I tell you
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you know I was greatly
influenced by my fears.
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Um, you know the Bible
principle in II Corinthians 3:18
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"By beholding
you become changed. "
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Truly that is very powerful
because - OK - the more I beheld
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the things in the media, the
more I watched those around me
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and you know looked
upon what they were doing,
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I was influenced by that - OK -
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and that led me off in
the wrong direction in life.
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You know that's interesting
that you should say that
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because in my own testimony
that's one of the things
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that led me to
that life of crime:
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looking around at the media,
looking around at friends.
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You know, I was a big fan
of the hip hop music videos
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and things like that. You
see all the money that's flashed
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and you see all the things
that are going on in this video.
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And it makes it seem
like "Wow, that's a good life.
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I want some of that. " And
it led me to that life of crime.
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That was one of the things that
led me to that life of crime.
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So you're saying that
media played a big role
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in that as well,
correct? Absolutely.
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OK. OK. So for about 20 years
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you were involved with selling
drugs as well as using drugs.
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Can you talk a little about
your involvement with drugs?
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How you got involved
with selling drugs...
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the purpose of selling drugs
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and some of the drugs that you
were on and the effects of them.
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Well you know at a young age
- probably about 12, 13 years
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old - I started using
marijuana and drinking.
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And then later I went
into using cocaine and - OK -
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meth and that. I
started selling because
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I couldn't see
spending my paycheck to buy it.
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So it wasn't hard; I
just wasn't into that.
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But - OK - you know,
later it became more about
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respect, power, and position,
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um, and about
having material things. OK.
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And so that really drew me
into it more in a deeper way
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that got me involved
in a drug ring - OK -
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and just
escalated from there. OK.
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So using drugs we often
know can be an addiction
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to a person's life, but will
you testify to the fact that
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selling drugs can be
an addiction as well?
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Absolutely - OK - because
there's addiction to pride.
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There's addiction to
power and position and respect
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and that's what a lot of
people get caught up in today.
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OK. Now when you were younger
was your father in the home?
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Or was he
present? Was he absent?
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Talk a little bit
about that experience.
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I never met my real father. OK.
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My mother remarried
when I was 8 years old,
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so all I knew was my stepdad.
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OK. But we weren't
a real tight family.
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Uh-huh. They worked a
lot; they did their thing.
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And we grew up and it
wasn't a Christian atmosphere.
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OK. It wasn't a
Christian atmosphere.
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OK. So it was kind of easy to
get involved since your mother
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and your stepfather were pretty
much working all the time.
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You were left alone at times.
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It was kind of easy to gravitate
to another kind of lifestyle.
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Absolutely. Because
you're looking for... love
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and acceptance... love and
acceptance, purpose in life.
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OK. A lot of youth today are
looking for where they fit in.
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Why are they here? OK.
And so they will gravitate
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to where they are accepted. OK.
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And whatever the circumstance
may be they're drawn into that.
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OK. And you know that's
interesting because you often
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hear people say: "Well
I got involved with gangs
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and drugs and things like that
because I was looking for that
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love. " Because the mother and
the father were not in the home.
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There was nobody that
seemed to care about them.
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And they tend to
gravitate to the gangs,
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the crime life, things
like that, because you feel
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a feeling of acceptance,
of love, from these groups of
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individuals. Right, right. OK.
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So, you know, is that the
best thing for a person to do?
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If a person does not
have a mother or a father
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in the home, or a grandmother,
somebody to care about,
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do you suggest that
they lean to that lifestyle?
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Or what's the
suggestion that they should do?
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Well I would highly
suggest that they get involved
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in a church program.
OK. Um, get involved in some
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type of ministry
where you're reaching out
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and partaking in helping others.
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OK. Because there you'll
really find joy and peace
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and you'll really
find meaning to life there.
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OK, OK. Now you talk a
little bit about in your book
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about getting involved
with spiritualism a little bit.
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Can you... can you talk
a little bit about that?
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Yeah, you know, this is crazy.
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You know, with all of the
other things going on in my life
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a friend of mine was deeply
involved in spiritualism -
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OK - since she was a little
girl. And one night we were
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talking and she just told me
that there was somebody there
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that wanted to talk to me. OK.
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And she explained to me
how this had been going on
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in her life. And so as
she gave me a description
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of the person it happened to be
a description of my grandmother
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she'd never met. My grandmother
had been dead for 15 years.
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So that kind of drew
me in because first of all
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I didn't know Bible
truth. Yes, what the Bible says
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about this.
Without knowing Bible truth
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when error is
presented what do you know? Yes.
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You know, you can only go on
with what you're experiencing.
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OK. So that's how I
got drawn into that.
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OK. So you were kind
of captivated in a life of
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spiritualism for a
while actually, correct? Yeah.
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OK. How did you? How were you
able to break free from that?
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Because Satanic pulls are
strong in our lives at times,
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and that... that can be
very, very powerful in the life.
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How were you able to
break free from spiritualism?
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Well you know, Aaron,
it was God's blessing.
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Only He could do that. OK.
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And it wasn't until I
had an experience with God
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that made me realize that
there was a God and He was real.
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OK. And in that
pursuit to know Him
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as I continued to pursue
for an understanding of God
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the Lord kind of,
you know, did His thing
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and just they were...
they were pushed at bay.
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OK. Now you were
involved in drugs for 20 years
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selling and using drugs yourself
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which eventually led
to you being incarcerated
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in a federal prison.
Talk a little bit about how
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you got to the
federal prison. What happened;
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the sentence you received. Shed
some light on that information.
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Well, I had this
profound experience with God
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that caused me to realize He was
real, so I picked up a Bible.
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As a drug dealer still selling
drugs, still living crazy,
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and started to
read the Bible. OK.
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Um, I was so convicted
that what I was doing in my life
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was wrong that I started,
you know, asking people for
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forgiveness and just
reconciling where I could.
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OK. And I tried to get
out of that lifestyle...
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and the harder I
tried the worse it got.
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I just couldn't do it. And then
one night when I finally said
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"God, please help me because
I'd rather die than continue
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living like that" - OK -
the next day I was arrested
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by the Secret Service. I
was brought up on a charge
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for threatening to assassinate
a federal agent. Wow!
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They had that on tape
during a phone conversation.
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And so that was God's
providential care for me there.
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Now I asked for help;
He said: "Here it is. "
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OK. You know, which was
interesting because my thought
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of God helping me was
"Lord, I'd like to go out to the
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country. Just maybe write for
You. Maybe smoke a little weed.
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Drink a little bit and you
know get to know You better. "
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But God had other plans.
He's about cleaning us up
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completely - yeah
- not just part way.
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OK. And so here I
went to federal prison.
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I was given a 5-year
plea agreement - OK -
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with an open end
meaning that I would accept
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five years and a judge would
give me whatever he desired
00:10:08.73\00:10:11.66
on top of that.
00:10:11.86\00:10:13.00
During that time I
continued studying the Bible
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and got to know Jesus
as my personal Savior.
00:10:16.66\00:10:18.81
Now in starting to
read the Bible, was it easy
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to understand? Was it hard?
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'Cause I hear so many people
when they start out reading
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the Bible they just say:
"I don't understand it. "
00:10:24.63\00:10:26.20
Especially the King James
version with all those wilts
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and wilt nots and do nots.
You know, people don't speak
00:10:28.45\00:10:30.69
like that in today's
terminology. Was it hard for you
00:10:30.79\00:10:33.52
to understand as you
were reading at first?
00:10:33.62\00:10:35.68
Or how did that come along?
00:10:35.88\00:10:37.13
You know, Aaron, I tell you
what: it was very difficult. OK.
00:10:37.33\00:10:39.24
But I was persistent because
- Amen - actually because
00:10:39.34\00:10:42.26
the way God made
Himself known to me
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was kind of silly, but I thought
my name was in that book.
00:10:44.25\00:10:46.58
So I read it very
carefully looking for my name -
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Dennis Page - OK - because
I thought there was something,
00:10:49.56\00:10:51.32
you know, in there about me. OK.
00:10:51.42\00:10:53.29
And I read from cover to
cover, and I just kept reading
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and kept reading. And
just like a little child
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when their parents begin
to talk to them and they're,
00:10:57.90\00:11:00.07
you know, the child
doesn't really understand.
00:11:00.17\00:11:02.66
But the more you talk to them
- yes - the clearer it becomes
00:11:02.87\00:11:06.05
to the child. So the
more we spend time with God
00:11:06.25\00:11:08.42
the clearer it becomes.
OK. So I'd encourage the reader
00:11:08.45\00:11:11.49
"Don't give up. Just keep
reading and continue to pray.
00:11:11.70\00:11:14.24
Ask for God's Spirit" - OK -
"to give you an understanding. "
00:11:14.34\00:11:17.88
OK. Now Travis, I want to
switch to you for a few seconds
00:11:18.08\00:11:21.05
and then Melody,
I'm coming to you.
00:11:21.18\00:11:22.61
Travis, I want to talk to
you a little bit about the
00:11:22.82\00:11:25.91
feelings that you were
going through, the emotions
00:11:26.02\00:11:28.08
that you were going through
because you were a young man
00:11:28.18\00:11:30.43
when your dad was going
through this type of lifestyle.
00:11:30.53\00:11:32.97
Tell me a little bit
about... talk to the viewers of
00:11:33.17\00:11:35.65
how you felt as your dad was
going through all these changes
00:11:35.75\00:11:38.97
in his life. Well, when he began
to go through these changes
00:11:39.07\00:11:43.88
he didn't
necessarily want me, you know,
00:11:43.99\00:11:47.44
involved with some of the things
that were going down in his life
00:11:47.55\00:11:50.75
so he - OK - sent me
away to live with my mom.
00:11:50.95\00:11:54.11
OK. But like I just, you know,
because I'd then been separated
00:11:54.31\00:11:59.29
from him I felt, you
know, lonely a little bit.
00:11:59.39\00:12:02.13
I missed him; I wanted
to see my dad of course. OK.
00:12:02.24\00:12:05.19
OK. So as a father,
Dennis, how were you able to
00:12:05.32\00:12:09.53
keep your son from
knowing exactly what you were
00:12:09.73\00:12:12.90
involved in? You were away for
prison for a couple of years.
00:12:13.00\00:12:15.76
You were involved
in this big drug ring.
00:12:15.96\00:12:18.20
The Feds were watching you.
00:12:18.40\00:12:19.88
How were you able to keep
all of this from your son?
00:12:20.08\00:12:22.38
Well you know, Aaron, I never
wanted him to get caught up
00:12:22.58\00:12:25.79
in that lifestyle - OK -
so I never made any drug deals
00:12:25.99\00:12:29.01
around him; I never
did any dope around him.
00:12:29.11\00:12:31.24
Um, when... At the
time that I told his mother
00:12:31.45\00:12:35.40
he'd have to come live
with her full time was because
00:12:35.61\00:12:39.01
there was a hit
put out on my life.
00:12:39.11\00:12:40.41
Things were getting
real crazy and I knew that...
00:12:40.72\00:12:44.75
in the back of my mind I
knew one day something drastic
00:12:44.95\00:12:47.73
may happen to me and
I didn't want him there
00:12:47.93\00:12:49.98
when that happened. OK. So
I thought it was best for him
00:12:50.08\00:12:52.43
to just stay with his mom.
And then shortly after that
00:12:52.63\00:12:55.34
I caught my case
and I went to prison.
00:12:55.44\00:12:58.48
OK. So you also communicated
while you were in prison?
00:12:58.58\00:13:02.58
Yes. At that time,
Travis, did you know
00:13:02.79\00:13:05.68
where your father was at or
you weren't necessarily sure?
00:13:05.78\00:13:09.06
No. I mean, I was a little
kid. I honestly thought he was
00:13:09.26\00:13:12.87
on vacation or something.
A two-year vacation...
00:13:12.97\00:13:15.53
That'd be nice for a
2-year vacation. Yeah. OK, OK.
00:13:16.74\00:13:19.84
How old were you when
all this stuff was going on?
00:13:19.97\00:13:22.50
When your dad was away in
prison about how old were you
00:13:22.60\00:13:25.61
at that time? Well, when
he first went to prison I was
00:13:25.81\00:13:28.69
about seven years old. OK.
And when he got out of prison
00:13:28.79\00:13:33.96
I was about ten almost. OK.
00:13:34.16\00:13:38.18
About 10 years old, OK.
00:13:38.38\00:13:40.11
I want you to do something
for me right now, Travis.
00:13:40.31\00:13:42.52
Something real important. I
want you to look into the camera
00:13:42.62\00:13:44.72
and I want you to
talk to the viewers.
00:13:44.93\00:13:46.89
I want you to talk to the
many sons and the many daughters
00:13:46.99\00:13:50.31
out there that their
mothers and their fathers
00:13:50.41\00:13:53.35
are incarcerated
or away from them.
00:13:53.55\00:13:55.38
Talk to them. Give them
some words of encouragement
00:13:55.59\00:13:58.01
that can help them
over their situation.
00:13:58.21\00:14:00.10
Now you may feel
like your parents may have
00:14:00.40\00:14:05.76
abandoned you
with going to prison.
00:14:05.96\00:14:08.04
They may have
been taken abruptly.
00:14:08.24\00:14:10.23
But the best thing you
can do is pray for them.
00:14:10.43\00:14:13.23
Just know that, you know,
they still care about you.
00:14:13.43\00:14:17.27
They don't want to be
away from you but don't really
00:14:17.37\00:14:21.45
have much of a choice.
Uh-huh. So pray for them.
00:14:21.56\00:14:23.99
Write them letters.
Talk to them on the phone.
00:14:24.19\00:14:26.32
Just communicate with them
and let them know how you're
00:14:26.52\00:14:30.06
feeling - OK -
about the situation.
00:14:30.16\00:14:32.70
You know one of the reasons
I asked because I remember when
00:14:32.90\00:14:35.54
I was... when I got incarcerated
on a 5-year sentence...
00:14:35.74\00:14:38.66
I remember going to prison.
My oldest son, he was just born
00:14:38.87\00:14:43.13
a month and a half prior
to me getting incarcerated
00:14:43.33\00:14:46.09
on the charge. And while
I was in the county jail,
00:14:46.19\00:14:49.93
when I was in prison, his mother
would bring him to visit me.
00:14:50.03\00:14:52.33
And because I had
never spent time with him
00:14:52.53\00:14:55.01
he didn't know who I was.
00:14:55.21\00:14:56.78
So he would come to the prison
and as we were in the interview
00:14:56.98\00:15:00.32
room he would be whining
and hollering and crying so loud
00:15:00.42\00:15:03.96
because who is this
strange guy holding me?
00:15:04.16\00:15:06.78
Who? I don't know him. I
don't see him on a daily basis
00:15:06.88\00:15:09.34
and every time I come
see him he's in all white.
00:15:09.54\00:15:11.69
Who is this gentleman? So,
you know, it was kind of hard
00:15:11.89\00:15:15.16
I know even for me to
deal with seeing my son
00:15:15.37\00:15:18.10
not knowing how he's feeling
about it because he was young.
00:15:18.30\00:15:22.13
And he's whining and
crying. I can't hold him.
00:15:22.16\00:15:24.84
They'd have to take him
out of the visiting room.
00:15:24.94\00:15:26.81
So, you know, I wanted to know.
00:15:27.01\00:15:29.08
And I think fathers and
mothers should definitely know
00:15:29.28\00:15:32.15
how it affects the
children when they're...
00:15:32.26\00:15:34.85
Because when a family -
when a father or mother -
00:15:35.05\00:15:37.16
is incarcerated or
whoever gets incarcerated,
00:15:37.36\00:15:39.39
the whole family does
time. Everybody does time.
00:15:39.59\00:15:41.87
One may be behind bars but
the others are still doing time
00:15:42.07\00:15:45.74
as well. The
others are still doing...
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.26
Melody, at what point did
you meet Travis and Dennis?
00:15:48.36\00:15:51.88
I met Dennis when he
was already out of prison.
00:15:52.19\00:15:55.85
He was over in England
for ministry - OK - and I was
00:15:56.05\00:15:59.20
living there
and working as well.
00:15:59.30\00:16:01.41
And through God's
providential care, He showed me
00:16:01.61\00:16:05.62
and He showed him...
for me personally... that
00:16:05.82\00:16:08.39
he is the one that He
wants me to... ummm...
00:16:08.59\00:16:12.55
join my life with. OK, OK.
00:16:13.89\00:16:16.49
So at that point, Dennis,
when you met your wife Melody,
00:16:16.69\00:16:19.09
she wasn't your wife at
that point, you were involved in
00:16:19.29\00:16:21.85
ministry. So you were
out of prison at this time.
00:16:22.05\00:16:23.78
You were actively engaged
in ministry. At this point,
00:16:23.98\00:16:27.04
how long had you been
involved in ministry work?
00:16:27.14\00:16:28.91
Probably about 2-1/2
years or three years.
00:16:29.11\00:16:33.27
Yes. I had been
speaking at churches and - OK -
00:16:33.51\00:16:35.17
doing prison ministries.
OK. I got invited to speak
00:16:35.37\00:16:40.11
in Canada. While I was there
one of the people there that I
00:16:40.31\00:16:43.79
had met had family in England.
OK. And I told them I was
00:16:43.89\00:16:46.44
going to go over and I
was going to meet this woman
00:16:46.54\00:16:48.35
that I had met
and been talking to.
00:16:48.45\00:16:50.27
OK. And they said:
"Well, when you're over there
00:16:50.47\00:16:52.29
go to my brother's
church. " So our first meeting
00:16:52.49\00:16:55.73
together and our first
experience together was
00:16:55.83\00:16:58.78
going to a church and
doing a program there.
00:16:58.88\00:17:01.72
OK, OK. So as a family -
Travis, Dennis, and Melody -
00:17:01.92\00:17:05.42
you're all involved in
prison ministries work.
00:17:05.62\00:17:09.20
Now I want to
talk to each one of you
00:17:09.40\00:17:11.45
about your experience
of going into the prison.
00:17:11.66\00:17:14.16
So I'll start with you, Dennis.
What's it like going back
00:17:14.26\00:17:16.43
into the prison and being
able to minister to people
00:17:16.53\00:17:19.26
that you were once like. You
were once in prison yourself.
00:17:19.36\00:17:22.05
What's it like going
back in there and being able
00:17:22.25\00:17:23.52
to minister? It's a
real blessing because
00:17:23.62\00:17:25.84
I have a way of connecting
with them because I was there -
00:17:26.05\00:17:29.17
because you were there before
- you know, and they can see
00:17:29.27\00:17:31.01
and relate to that. OK. I
always try to encourage them
00:17:31.21\00:17:34.80
to make
different choices in life.
00:17:35.00\00:17:37.09
OK. Because what happens
is if we continue the same
00:17:37.29\00:17:41.14
lifestyle that brought
us into that facility -
00:17:41.34\00:17:44.72
uh-huh - and that's
all our children see
00:17:44.92\00:17:47.67
then what hope
do they have? Yeah.
00:17:47.97\00:17:49.95
And so it's been a real
blessing to go back in and just
00:17:50.15\00:17:52.05
convey my experience and
just to give them some questions
00:17:52.26\00:17:56.39
that will provoke some thought.
OK. Get them to think about
00:17:56.53\00:17:59.12
their lives and where they're
going in their life direction.
00:17:59.32\00:18:01.10
OK. As a family, how long
have all three of you been
00:18:01.30\00:18:04.58
involved actively in
prison ministry work?
00:18:04.68\00:18:06.53
About three years.
About three years... OK.
00:18:06.56\00:18:09.00
Now Travis, you're 18 years old.
Going inside of the prison...
00:18:09.20\00:18:12.78
how is the experience for
you going inside of the prison?
00:18:12.88\00:18:15.56
Well it's interesting.
Most kids my age don't
00:18:15.76\00:18:19.06
see the inside of the
prison and hopefully they don't
00:18:19.26\00:18:21.99
unless they're
doing ministry. Yeah.
00:18:22.19\00:18:23.94
OK. But I mean it's nice
to see, you know, the joy
00:18:24.14\00:18:28.55
that we can bring them
just by going in and sharing -
00:18:28.65\00:18:32.27
OK - a little bit of the
gospel message with them.
00:18:32.47\00:18:34.70
Giving them some
treats and a package.
00:18:34.90\00:18:37.19
OK. Stuff like that.
Brought a lot of joy to me
00:18:37.39\00:18:40.25
and I mean it's like, you
know, helped me realize that
00:18:40.45\00:18:44.87
I mean not everybody
in prison is a bad person.
00:18:45.07\00:18:47.75
A bad person... that's
correct. That's correct.
00:18:47.95\00:18:49.35
You know, often times we have
this idea that because they're
00:18:49.56\00:18:52.19
behind bars well they
did some heinous crime.
00:18:52.29\00:18:55.09
What I find and what you'll
find as you go into the prisons
00:18:55.29\00:18:58.39
is that not
everybody is a bad person.
00:18:58.49\00:19:00.35
A lot of times circumstances,
situations, led to something.
00:19:00.55\00:19:04.60
Or a person may have begun
selling drugs... not for the
00:19:04.74\00:19:07.06
purpose of being rich and
famous, not wanting thousands
00:19:07.16\00:19:09.19
of dollars every day...
just simply to provide money
00:19:09.29\00:19:11.91
just for your family
because you have nothing.
00:19:12.01\00:19:13.94
So that's a great point, Travis,
that you know not everybody
00:19:14.14\00:19:16.67
is a bad person in prison.
We often have this view...
00:19:16.77\00:19:20.38
Because what's showing on
TV? The crime, things like that.
00:19:20.58\00:19:23.44
But a lot of times they
don't say the reasoning why.
00:19:23.57\00:19:26.38
I needed to feed my
family; I needed to do this.
00:19:26.48\00:19:28.71
So there are actually some
good people that are actually
00:19:28.91\00:19:31.87
in prison. And you know
the beauty of it is that Jesus
00:19:31.97\00:19:34.41
died on the cross for each and
every last one of them. Amen.
00:19:34.61\00:19:36.38
Even for that murderer
that's in prison or that rapist
00:19:36.58\00:19:39.90
that is in prison or that
child molester that's in prison.
00:19:40.00\00:19:42.14
Right. Jesus has died for
each and every last one of us
00:19:42.34\00:19:44.73
on planet earth. That's amazing!
00:19:44.93\00:19:46.48
Ms. Melody: can you speak a
little bit about your experience
00:19:46.68\00:19:49.43
of going inside of a prison?
For me it's a huge blessing
00:19:49.53\00:19:52.31
to be involved in
this kind of ministry.
00:19:52.51\00:19:54.29
OK. To have an
opportunity to share -
00:19:54.49\00:19:56.77
um - through words and song
00:19:56.97\00:19:59.83
God's love for the
men and women behind bars.
00:20:00.03\00:20:03.58
But like you
pointed out, God also...
00:20:03.78\00:20:06.24
or Jesus also died for them.
00:20:06.44\00:20:07.94
And yes, for each
and every one of us
00:20:08.14\00:20:10.90
whether it be in
the prison situation
00:20:11.10\00:20:14.14
or like us here...
sitting here right now.
00:20:14.35\00:20:16.86
OK. Now would you three
encourage other families
00:20:17.06\00:20:20.61
to get involved
in prison ministries?
00:20:20.81\00:20:22.74
Oh, absolutely. OK.
You know, it's interesting,
00:20:23.04\00:20:25.42
because Jesus
pointed out in Matthew 25:36-
00:20:25.52\00:20:29.05
uh-huh - you know, "I was in
prison and you came on to Me. "
00:20:29.25\00:20:32.64
Sure. He's telling us
there and to the world today
00:20:32.84\00:20:36.45
that He has children that
are in prison - in prison, yes -
00:20:36.65\00:20:40.04
and that we are to go
and minister to them - yes -
00:20:40.24\00:20:43.62
because in doing so we
have ministered unto Him.
00:20:43.73\00:20:46.18
Oh yeah, oh yeah. And the
interesting thing about it is
00:20:46.38\00:20:48.25
that a lot of times
people won't come to us.
00:20:48.46\00:20:50.86
People can be broken and hurting
with so many different things
00:20:51.06\00:20:54.21
or they could be incarcerated
and they can't come to a person.
00:20:54.41\00:20:57.71
So a lot of time we have
to get up off our shoulders,
00:20:57.91\00:21:00.44
get out of the
seat, and we have to go.
00:21:00.65\00:21:02.29
That's why in the Bible it
says: "Go ye therefore... "
00:21:02.49\00:21:04.84
That means get up and go...
00:21:05.04\00:21:06.68
even into the prisons,
even into the homeless shelters.
00:21:06.88\00:21:09.45
Things like that. Now Dennis,
you speak about in your book
00:21:09.75\00:21:12.57
how when you got out of prison
00:21:12.77\00:21:14.68
you went into a
homeless shelter.
00:21:14.78\00:21:16.86
What was your reasoning for
going into the homeless shelter?
00:21:17.06\00:21:20.62
Well, Aaron, the biggest
mistake a lot of people make
00:21:20.75\00:21:23.81
when they come out of
prison is they go back to
00:21:24.01\00:21:25.85
where they were before. Yes.
00:21:25.95\00:21:27.43
Sometimes they say -
and I've heard this a lot -
00:21:27.63\00:21:29.82
"I don't have no choice. " OK.
00:21:30.02\00:21:31.34
But I say... Matthew 6:33 says,
00:21:31.54\00:21:35.34
you know, "seek the Lord. "
00:21:35.74\00:21:38.08
"Seek ye first
the kingdom of God
00:21:38.29\00:21:39.97
and all these things
will be added unto you. " Yes.
00:21:40.17\00:21:42.65
And so I
trusted in that promise.
00:21:42.79\00:21:44.61
And when my parole officer asked
me: "Where do you want to go? "
00:21:44.81\00:21:47.38
OK... and I
couldn't go back, you know.
00:21:47.58\00:21:50.71
I was the black sheep of
the family. My family was really
00:21:50.91\00:21:53.75
concerned about - you
know - is he changed or not?
00:21:53.95\00:21:57.05
What's going to
happen when he comes?
00:21:57.25\00:21:58.51
They didn't want all that...
00:21:58.61\00:21:59.92
Jail house religion or
what you were going through...
00:22:00.02\00:22:01.37
They didn't want all that
baggage that I went to prison
00:22:01.57\00:22:03.25
with. OK. They
didn't know it was gone.
00:22:03.35\00:22:05.40
OK. You know, and
that's a key point because
00:22:05.61\00:22:07.51
many families so to speak
divorce from the person that
00:22:07.71\00:22:13.02
has been incarcerated
simply because they may have
00:22:13.12\00:22:16.04
been incarcerated
several times in their life
00:22:16.24\00:22:17.98
and the person may say:
"Well I'm going to do better
00:22:18.18\00:22:19.66
when I get out... I'm
going to be a better person. "
00:22:19.77\00:22:21.30
And the family trusts
that time and time again
00:22:21.50\00:22:24.42
and then they finally just
kind of get fed up with it.
00:22:24.63\00:22:27.10
Right? And so that's why I chose
to live in a homeless shelter.
00:22:27.30\00:22:30.29
OK. Because what God put
in my heart is I must allow my
00:22:30.49\00:22:34.36
family to see what
truth has done for me. OK.
00:22:34.46\00:22:37.86
And I have to be patient
00:22:38.06\00:22:39.41
and I have to give
them the time to see that
00:22:39.61\00:22:41.34
and realize that maybe some
of my family members may take
00:22:41.55\00:22:43.91
longer - OK - than others. OK.
00:22:44.01\00:22:47.03
OK. So I chose to
live in a homeless shelter.
00:22:47.23\00:22:49.65
And I stayed there
until God said "move. "
00:22:49.85\00:22:52.28
OK, OK. Because I also
saw an opportunity minister
00:22:52.49\00:22:54.81
to broken people
that were there. Uh-huh.
00:22:54.91\00:22:56.69
OK. So totally how much time
did you spend in that homeless
00:22:56.72\00:23:00.36
shelter once you
were released from prison?
00:23:00.46\00:23:02.34
I stayed there for a whole year,
Aaron. A whole year? Um-hmm.
00:23:02.54\00:23:04.38
A whole year. Now after you
got out of the homeless shelter,
00:23:04.58\00:23:07.28
after you left there, and I'm
sure you were able to minister
00:23:07.48\00:23:09.94
to people even while you
were in the homeless shelter...
00:23:10.04\00:23:11.80
After you left there,
what was your next move?
00:23:12.00\00:23:14.60
I had been praying
to the Lord for a home.
00:23:14.90\00:23:17.85
OK. And first of all, a job.
00:23:18.05\00:23:20.20
OK. Nobody
wanted to give me a job.
00:23:20.40\00:23:21.74
And I was able to get a job.
00:23:21.94\00:23:23.91
I will say this
for people coming out:
00:23:24.11\00:23:27.59
that we don't look
at the money part of it.
00:23:27.79\00:23:30.50
God said He'll supply all of our
needs according to His riches
00:23:30.70\00:23:32.92
in glory by Christ
Jesus in Philippians 4:19.
00:23:33.02\00:23:35.43
OK. And He promised that those
needs would be taken care of.
00:23:35.64\00:23:38.72
So I had a job.
He provided a home...
00:23:38.92\00:23:42.72
an environment again
where I could bring my son
00:23:42.92\00:23:45.93
into and then teach
him about Jesus Christ.
00:23:46.03\00:23:48.47
OK, OK. Amen. Now
I want to focus just
00:23:48.67\00:23:51.76
for a few minutes back
onto prison ministry work
00:23:51.86\00:23:53.95
that the family is involved in.
00:23:54.15\00:23:56.00
When you go inside of
the prisons, Dennis...
00:23:56.20\00:23:58.57
and I'm going to come
to Travis and Melody, what
00:23:58.77\00:24:00.96
exactly do you do specifically
in the prisons, Dennis?
00:24:01.06\00:24:03.53
I encourage them. Share
testimony and encourage them
00:24:03.73\00:24:06.80
through scripture - OK -
and just ask them to like I said
00:24:06.90\00:24:10.13
earlier think about their
life and how they can impact
00:24:10.23\00:24:13.49
their children's lives...
even while they're still
00:24:13.59\00:24:15.69
incarcerated. OK.
Travis, what's your involvement
00:24:15.79\00:24:18.83
when you go into the prison?
Well, because I just turned 18
00:24:19.03\00:24:23.59
not too long ago, I've only
been able to go into the very
00:24:23.79\00:24:26.87
large facilities for a
couple weeks, but - OK - usually
00:24:26.97\00:24:30.57
you know I'll hand out packages.
00:24:30.77\00:24:33.01
Just talk to
individuals a little bit.
00:24:33.21\00:24:35.51
Dad uses me as sort of a
representative to show that
00:24:35.81\00:24:40.22
you know you can get your
children back into your life.
00:24:40.42\00:24:43.26
OK. Is it kind of scary
for you, Travis? Going inside
00:24:43.46\00:24:46.38
of the prisons? You
know, pulling up to it
00:24:46.49\00:24:48.32
and you know I've seen
prisons where they're real old,
00:24:48.42\00:24:50.75
the walls real big and a
whole bunch of razor wire there.
00:24:50.85\00:24:53.70
Is it a little scary?
Even though you're not
00:24:53.90\00:24:55.76
going there to do time, is
it a little scary just going
00:24:55.86\00:24:58.73
there to minister?
Well, the first time
00:24:58.84\00:25:02.02
when I went to a county
jail it was a little scary
00:25:02.22\00:25:05.47
I have to admit. OK. It
wasn't the most comfortable,
00:25:05.67\00:25:08.07
you know, being
around new people - OK -
00:25:08.27\00:25:11.51
in general not to
mention the fact it's jail.
00:25:11.71\00:25:14.83
Oh yeah.
00:25:15.03\00:25:17.46
OK. But now that we've
gone three more times now...
00:25:17.66\00:25:21.09
You kind of start getting
used to it - yeah - after
00:25:21.29\00:25:22.39
a little bit. OK. Ms.
Melody: what do you do
00:25:22.49\00:25:25.35
when you go
inside of the prison?
00:25:25.45\00:25:26.67
What's your involvement
in this family ministry?
00:25:26.87\00:25:28.99
I minister to the
men and women behind bars
00:25:29.19\00:25:33.80
through songs. OK. I
know they're blessed by that.
00:25:34.00\00:25:36.75
Yes, thank the Lord.
Amen. And He's promised
00:25:36.95\00:25:40.18
if you use what you have,
how little it is in your eyes -
00:25:40.28\00:25:43.31
OK - He will bless it
00:25:43.44\00:25:45.22
and He can use
it for greater good.
00:25:45.32\00:25:47.63
OK; Amen. Dennis, I
want to come back to you.
00:25:47.93\00:25:50.17
And I want you to look into the
cameras and I want you to talk
00:25:50.37\00:25:53.79
to the many fathers out
there. The many ones that are
00:25:53.99\00:25:57.63
going through these transitions
in life, that are incarcerated,
00:25:57.83\00:26:01.84
that are struggling,
that have family out there.
00:26:02.04\00:26:03.95
Talk to them a little
bit. Give them some words
00:26:04.15\00:26:06.03
of encouragement of
things that they can do
00:26:06.13\00:26:07.74
in leaning on Jesus
and even choosing Jesus.
00:26:07.84\00:26:09.91
Talk to the viewers.
00:26:10.11\00:26:11.53
I just want to encourage
you. You know, we've often tried
00:26:11.83\00:26:15.74
to do it our way so much.
00:26:15.84\00:26:17.84
And there comes a point in
time that I just want to say
00:26:18.04\00:26:21.42
give Jesus a chance.
Give Him a real chance
00:26:21.52\00:26:24.14
to work in your life.
Amen. To reveal Himself to you.
00:26:24.24\00:26:27.43
And also think about your
children, because as I was
00:26:27.56\00:26:30.61
sharing earlier if all we
have to reveal to our children
00:26:30.71\00:26:34.54
is the lifestyle that brought
us to the point of incarceration
00:26:34.64\00:26:37.65
then what hope do they have?
00:26:37.85\00:26:39.80
And truly, the Lord only
came to save us from sin.
00:26:40.00\00:26:43.78
He loves us and just wants
to deliver us from those things
00:26:43.98\00:26:46.54
that are wrong. And so I
encourage you to write to
00:26:46.74\00:26:50.93
your children. Form that
relationship with Christ.
00:26:51.03\00:26:53.77
Write to your
children; encourage them to make
00:26:53.97\00:26:56.48
that same choice...
to walk in that way.
00:26:56.68\00:27:00.59
And reveal to them... and I
can't point this out enough...
00:27:00.80\00:27:05.31
but reveal to them that
there is joy, there is peace,
00:27:05.51\00:27:09.54
and there is purpose
in being a Christian.
00:27:09.74\00:27:13.97
Amen. Taste and see
that the Lord is good.
00:27:14.17\00:27:16.07
Travis, talk to the young
people that are going to watch
00:27:16.17\00:27:17.97
this show and speak to
their hearts of why they should
00:27:18.07\00:27:22.03
choose Jesus. Well,
He's always willing to
00:27:22.13\00:27:25.53
be there for you. I mean,
hopefully your parents will
00:27:25.73\00:27:29.29
be there with you too.
But even as you grow older
00:27:29.39\00:27:32.40
your parents may
not always be around.
00:27:32.61\00:27:34.62
You know, Jesus is always
there to take care of you,
00:27:34.82\00:27:38.24
to listen to your problems.
You can always talk to God
00:27:38.44\00:27:41.31
and can always put your
burdens, whether it be at school
00:27:41.51\00:27:46.03
or starting a life,
you know, growing up.
00:27:46.24\00:27:49.43
You can always put your
burdens on His shoulders
00:27:49.73\00:27:52.31
and trust that He'll
take care of things for you.
00:27:52.51\00:27:56.69
OK. Viewers, this has
been a fantastic program
00:27:56.99\00:28:00.95
of seeing a family in recovery.
00:28:01.15\00:28:03.15
A family that is actively
involved in prison ministries.
00:28:03.35\00:28:06.45
We have Dennis, we
have Travis, we have Melody
00:28:06.65\00:28:08.84
that are all involved.
00:28:09.04\00:28:10.17
This can be your family.
Your family may be struggling.
00:28:10.37\00:28:12.82
The father or the mother
may be away from the home.
00:28:13.02\00:28:15.49
We encourage you to get
involved in The New Journey
00:28:15.69\00:28:18.78
with Jesus Christ.
00:28:18.98\00:28:20.78