The following program discusses sensitive issues. 00:00:01.36\00:00:03.60 Parents are cautioned that some material 00:00:03.63\00:00:05.47 may be too candid for younger children. 00:00:05.50\00:00:08.00 Welcome to The New Journey, 00:00:08.04\00:00:09.87 a program about real life people 00:00:09.90\00:00:11.97 with real life testimonies doing real life ministry 00:00:12.01\00:00:14.71 for Jesus Christ. 00:00:14.74\00:00:16.08 I'm your host, Pastor Marquis Johns. 00:00:16.11\00:00:18.01 Join us on The New Journey. 00:00:18.05\00:00:19.81 I'm not only the host 00:00:55.48\00:00:57.35 of The New Journey television program, 00:00:57.39\00:01:00.42 I'm also a full-time pastor 00:01:00.46\00:01:01.92 at Allegheny's Conference Metropolitan 00:01:01.96\00:01:03.86 Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:01:03.89\00:01:05.59 And there are these occasions in the life of a pastor 00:01:05.63\00:01:09.10 where you get to learn that what you're doing 00:01:09.13\00:01:11.73 is actually impacting your congregants 00:01:11.77\00:01:14.77 and fellow Christians. 00:01:14.80\00:01:16.91 In February, we had the opportunity 00:01:16.94\00:01:19.31 to baptize today's guest, Brother Kenneth Ambrose Sr., 00:01:19.34\00:01:24.48 his wife, and six of their children. 00:01:24.51\00:01:28.02 Just before that baptism, and or shortly thereafter, 00:01:28.05\00:01:31.79 he received news 00:01:31.82\00:01:33.86 that was not only devastating to him personally 00:01:33.89\00:01:36.46 but was devastating to his family. 00:01:36.49\00:01:38.76 And we here at Metro have tried our best 00:01:38.79\00:01:40.80 to pray with and minister to him 00:01:40.83\00:01:44.73 through this difficult process. 00:01:44.77\00:01:46.87 On today's show, what we'll do is we'll hear something 00:01:46.90\00:01:49.70 just a little bit different than we're used to listening. 00:01:49.74\00:01:52.11 This is a story not about a new journey only 00:01:52.14\00:01:55.78 but about a journey. 00:01:55.81\00:01:57.41 A journey that the Lord impressed me should be shared 00:01:57.45\00:02:00.32 with as many people we possibly share with. 00:02:00.35\00:02:03.89 So I would like to invite at that point, 00:02:03.92\00:02:06.12 Brother Kenneth Ambrose Sr. 00:02:06.15\00:02:09.09 It's a pleasure to be here, Pastor Johns. 00:02:09.12\00:02:10.59 Thank you very much for being with us. 00:02:10.63\00:02:12.46 Now we know that your story is not... 00:02:12.49\00:02:15.13 It's not going to be easy getting through this. 00:02:15.16\00:02:16.90 I know. 00:02:16.93\00:02:18.27 This is going to be one of those stories, 00:02:18.30\00:02:21.44 one of those testimonies if you will, 00:02:21.47\00:02:22.87 that by God's grace will reach perhaps someone's heart. 00:02:22.90\00:02:27.04 We'll get them to appreciate life 00:02:27.08\00:02:29.38 as they currently are experiencing. 00:02:29.41\00:02:32.21 And I want to talk about 00:02:32.25\00:02:33.58 and I want to pick up from just... 00:02:33.62\00:02:35.98 Let's pick up from January of this year. 00:02:36.02\00:02:37.65 When did you get the news that we are referring to? 00:02:37.69\00:02:40.36 When did you get the news that you had... 00:02:40.39\00:02:42.82 Tell us about your health? 00:02:42.86\00:02:44.19 Lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 00:02:44.23\00:02:46.36 2008 going to 2009, 00:02:46.39\00:02:49.90 I had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and I went for a checkup 00:02:49.93\00:02:53.97 because I'm a physical person, you know, 00:02:54.00\00:02:55.80 I always do the right thing, eat the right food, no smoking, 00:02:55.84\00:02:59.34 no drink, I was born into the Christian faith. 00:02:59.37\00:03:02.58 And I worked for the government. 00:03:02.61\00:03:05.61 I've been through a lot of asbestos, 00:03:05.65\00:03:08.18 lead, paint, mold, and you name it, chemicals, 00:03:08.22\00:03:11.99 I worked for the navy or army base. 00:03:12.02\00:03:15.86 I've been exposed to a lot of stuff like that. 00:03:15.89\00:03:17.79 I don't know if that contributed to 00:03:17.83\00:03:19.29 what I'm going through now 00:03:19.33\00:03:20.90 but myself and my brother was in the same, 00:03:20.93\00:03:24.33 you know, place. 00:03:24.37\00:03:25.70 He got it before me but it so happened 00:03:25.73\00:03:28.27 that my own progressed to the fourth stage 00:03:28.30\00:03:32.04 when I caught it. 00:03:32.07\00:03:34.04 By the time you caught it, it was already in stage four? 00:03:34.08\00:03:36.58 It was already in stage four, yes. 00:03:36.61\00:03:38.55 I've been fighting this, 00:03:38.58\00:03:39.91 I thought I could beat it by the grace of God. 00:03:39.95\00:03:41.75 So I took a lot of treatment and it went into remission. 00:03:41.78\00:03:46.72 Then... When did it go into remission? 00:03:46.76\00:03:48.52 In 2010. Okay. 00:03:48.56\00:03:51.19 Felt good. 00:03:51.23\00:03:52.59 But a couple of months or six months 00:03:52.63\00:03:55.00 after it came back again. 00:03:55.03\00:03:58.63 Brought me to NIH Center. 00:03:58.67\00:04:02.27 What is NIH, for the viewers who don't know, what is NIH? 00:04:02.30\00:04:05.57 NIH, the medical center of health. 00:04:05.61\00:04:10.45 So they have a protocol for me there. 00:04:10.48\00:04:14.15 I went under the protocol, intense chemo every day, 00:04:14.18\00:04:20.36 intense chemo. 00:04:20.39\00:04:21.72 I got sick, I got everything coming to me. 00:04:21.76\00:04:24.23 So by the time I finally, three to four 00:04:24.26\00:04:27.26 or six, seven months, went away again. 00:04:27.30\00:04:31.07 And felt good again, looked for job, 00:04:31.10\00:04:34.34 going to work, it came back again. 00:04:34.37\00:04:36.50 When did it come back? 00:04:36.54\00:04:37.87 Came back in 2011, yeah, the second time. 00:04:37.91\00:04:40.84 That was... 00:04:40.88\00:04:42.21 From there on, that was downhill from there 00:04:42.24\00:04:44.75 as I went back to the hospital center, 00:04:44.78\00:04:48.95 they treated me again for the same thing 00:04:48.98\00:04:50.62 and my body was filled with so much of chemical, so much, 00:04:50.65\00:04:54.86 you know, saturated with chemicals, 00:04:54.89\00:04:56.93 my body couldn't take it anymore, 00:04:56.96\00:04:58.79 that's what the doctor told me. 00:04:58.83\00:05:00.16 Well, let's not get there just yet. 00:05:00.20\00:05:03.03 So January the second time it comes back. 00:05:03.06\00:05:05.63 Obviously, it is more aggressive... 00:05:05.67\00:05:07.80 More aggressive. 00:05:07.84\00:05:09.17 And so when did you break news 00:05:09.20\00:05:13.61 about the second reoccurrence to your wife? 00:05:13.64\00:05:17.38 Well, it seems it happened I told her, my wife, 00:05:17.41\00:05:22.25 what was going on 00:05:22.28\00:05:23.85 because she was in all the meetings with me, 00:05:23.89\00:05:25.75 the docs told me. 00:05:25.79\00:05:27.69 She was there when the doctor stopped the chemo 00:05:27.72\00:05:29.92 in the middle of the treatment, stopped all chemo 00:05:29.96\00:05:33.36 because they said, they said to me, was going away 00:05:33.40\00:05:36.16 and making it spread more in my body 00:05:36.20\00:05:38.40 and I said, "Stop it." 00:05:38.43\00:05:40.34 So when they're stopping they told me, 00:05:40.37\00:05:42.77 "Mr. Ambrose, there is nothing more 00:05:42.80\00:05:44.67 we can do for you and they gave me 00:05:44.71\00:05:46.88 six months to live." 00:05:46.91\00:05:51.68 May 4th they told me that. 00:05:51.71\00:05:55.48 So when did you share that information? 00:05:55.52\00:05:59.15 When did you call the children? 00:05:59.19\00:06:00.52 And how many kids do you and your wife have? 00:06:00.56\00:06:02.19 Well, me and my wife have six children. 00:06:02.22\00:06:04.03 Six children. How long have you been married? 00:06:04.06\00:06:05.66 Ten years. Ten years. Six kids. 00:06:05.69\00:06:07.86 When did you call the kids and say, 00:06:07.90\00:06:10.07 "You know, dad has news?" 00:06:10.10\00:06:12.37 Well, not right away because they were doing 00:06:12.40\00:06:14.24 so good at school, I didn't want to interrupt 00:06:14.27\00:06:16.54 what's going on. 00:06:16.57\00:06:17.91 I was trying to really beat this 00:06:17.94\00:06:20.11 and go another route, you know, 00:06:20.14\00:06:22.14 by doing herbal treatment and it was working for a while. 00:06:22.18\00:06:25.91 Even the folks are mature, helped me along the way, 00:06:25.95\00:06:29.58 you know, to get the herbal treatment. 00:06:29.62\00:06:32.19 But when I get back from the herbal treatment center, 00:06:32.22\00:06:37.23 the protocol changed for me. 00:06:37.26\00:06:39.39 I didn't get back on the protocol 00:06:39.43\00:06:41.46 where they teach me that what to do 00:06:41.50\00:06:44.00 and because it was a hard road to really 00:06:44.03\00:06:46.87 travel with that, you know, in Tennessee. 00:06:46.90\00:06:49.84 Yeah. 00:06:49.87\00:06:51.71 So you didn't tell them right away? 00:06:51.74\00:06:53.17 No. 00:06:53.21\00:06:54.54 But when did you eventually have, 00:06:54.58\00:06:56.14 you found yourself 00:06:56.18\00:06:57.51 that you have some breaking news? 00:06:57.55\00:06:59.55 Well, when I got more ill, when the lesions started 00:06:59.58\00:07:04.22 coming out in my legs and in my stomach, 00:07:04.25\00:07:07.86 it was very bad and it was, you know, 00:07:07.89\00:07:10.19 making me rotten all over to say the least. 00:07:10.23\00:07:13.60 I started telling them what I'm being going through. 00:07:13.63\00:07:15.83 Lot of crying... 00:07:15.86\00:07:17.20 Now, did they know that you had been 00:07:17.23\00:07:18.93 fighting cancer since away? 00:07:18.97\00:07:20.77 They didn't know but I have a positive outlook 00:07:20.80\00:07:23.04 and a positive mind. 00:07:23.07\00:07:24.41 It's like you look at me, you wouldn't think 00:07:24.44\00:07:26.17 nothing happened because I was always positive, 00:07:26.21\00:07:28.04 always praying, they always spurned at me, 00:07:28.08\00:07:30.78 so I never really... 00:07:30.81\00:07:32.15 I think, you know, I prayed so God will heal me, 00:07:32.18\00:07:35.75 cleanse me every day. 00:07:35.78\00:07:37.22 So they didn't think of nothing 00:07:37.25\00:07:38.79 but their grades started dropping at the time. 00:07:38.82\00:07:42.72 And that's what called you and your wife to decide, 00:07:42.76\00:07:45.39 "Well this time we are not going to tell them. 00:07:45.43\00:07:47.33 We're going to see if we can beat it." 00:07:47.36\00:07:49.76 And so you kind of stayed off from sharing 00:07:49.80\00:07:52.67 this unfortunate news with them. 00:07:52.70\00:07:54.94 But in May when you get to know that you only have six months, 00:07:54.97\00:07:59.84 again, I want to really kind of get the viewers to understand 00:07:59.87\00:08:03.21 what the process is from your perspective, 00:08:03.24\00:08:05.31 as well as probably possible the reaction children gave. 00:08:05.35\00:08:09.28 Now tell us the age range of your six children. 00:08:09.32\00:08:12.35 They are 15, 13, 12, and 10 because in the process 00:08:12.39\00:08:16.96 I have two set of twins in between. 00:08:16.99\00:08:18.33 Okay. Yeah. 00:08:18.36\00:08:19.69 So I told them and there was a lot of crying went on. 00:08:19.73\00:08:22.96 Like I said, their grades started dropping 00:08:23.00\00:08:25.10 and we showed them everything is going to be okay 00:08:25.13\00:08:28.30 because people over this world is praying for me, 00:08:28.34\00:08:30.81 all over the globe is praying for me. 00:08:30.84\00:08:32.77 I got into prayer line, my children praying for me, 00:08:32.81\00:08:35.74 the community church praying for me. 00:08:35.78\00:08:38.48 And every church I think of in this world, 00:08:38.51\00:08:39.85 praying for me. 00:08:39.88\00:08:41.22 There are lot of people know me, folks know me. 00:08:41.25\00:08:43.99 So when you told the kids in May, 00:08:44.02\00:08:47.66 first there was a lot of crying... 00:08:47.69\00:08:51.86 Was there a one common 00:08:51.89\00:08:53.93 or any one thing that one of the kids said 00:08:53.96\00:08:56.03 that really, really grabbed you, 00:08:56.06\00:08:58.63 that any one thing that any one of them said. 00:08:58.67\00:09:01.84 Yeah, they said a lot of them are praying for God 00:09:01.87\00:09:05.24 for a long time. 00:09:05.27\00:09:06.78 "Why God is not healing my father? 00:09:06.81\00:09:09.24 Why God is taking time for healing?" 00:09:09.28\00:09:11.71 So I tell them, "God do everything in His time 00:09:11.75\00:09:14.85 and it is not what we want and God has plan for you too." 00:09:14.88\00:09:20.49 I tell them they got to keep praying. 00:09:20.52\00:09:22.36 All we can do is pray 00:09:22.39\00:09:23.73 and ask God for healing and cleansing. 00:09:23.76\00:09:25.76 And I spent more time with my family, 00:09:25.79\00:09:28.06 but I think my spouse couldn't really take it 00:09:28.10\00:09:32.43 because I was this 00:09:32.47\00:09:33.80 big strong guy doing everything, 00:09:33.84\00:09:35.17 we go everywhere, 00:09:35.20\00:09:36.54 and all of a sudden I couldn't do it anymore. 00:09:36.57\00:09:38.67 How much weight have you lost? 00:09:38.71\00:09:40.18 I lost about 40 pounds. 00:09:40.21\00:09:42.91 Yeah, but I also changed my diet tremendously, 00:09:42.94\00:09:45.71 you know, that's the reason why I lost the weight. 00:09:45.75\00:09:48.58 It was strictly greens, right. 00:09:48.62\00:09:50.09 And our doctor told me 00:09:50.12\00:09:51.45 if I wasn't doing the greens, 00:09:51.49\00:09:53.25 and doing what I'm doing, I wouldn't have been here. 00:09:53.29\00:09:56.06 So that's what keep me here. 00:09:56.09\00:09:58.26 Praise, all the praises to God for helping me. 00:09:58.29\00:10:01.40 The best is going to come out. 00:10:01.43\00:10:03.40 And so the kids have been concerned 00:10:03.43\00:10:06.20 why God didn't showed up sooner for their dad. 00:10:06.23\00:10:09.97 So what is the family worship like? 00:10:10.01\00:10:13.68 What are you saying to the kids? 00:10:13.71\00:10:15.28 I'm sure that their concern is we're losing our dad 00:10:15.31\00:10:19.08 or we have been told that our dad isn't gonna be here. 00:10:19.11\00:10:21.45 What is the conversation like at home 00:10:21.48\00:10:24.02 on a day to day basis between you? 00:10:24.05\00:10:25.45 Sometimes they don't talk about it at all. 00:10:25.49\00:10:28.46 Some of them don't want to hear about it 00:10:28.49\00:10:30.53 because every time we talk about it, 00:10:30.56\00:10:33.90 it makes the kids feel very sad. 00:10:33.93\00:10:36.77 So I try to avoid the topic at all costs. 00:10:36.80\00:10:39.97 Only when we are praying, 00:10:40.00\00:10:41.77 we discuss it as much as possible 00:10:41.80\00:10:44.51 but always I try not to really... 00:10:44.54\00:10:46.11 Because when they go to school, it really upset them. 00:10:46.14\00:10:48.64 And their friends that know me, when they go to school 00:10:48.68\00:10:51.48 'cause I'm accustomed going to the school, 00:10:51.51\00:10:53.01 I'm playing the music for them 00:10:53.05\00:10:54.65 and talking with all the kids at school, 00:10:54.68\00:10:56.69 so they kind of miss me coming there 00:10:56.72\00:10:58.12 and doing all that stuff with the kids. 00:10:58.15\00:11:00.46 And they ask them, how am I doing? 00:11:00.49\00:11:05.43 And my kids tell them, everybody gets sad. 00:11:05.46\00:11:08.66 I mean, I don't want to kind of feeling for them, you know. 00:11:08.70\00:11:11.83 So I try to stay positive and strong at all costs. 00:11:11.87\00:11:16.00 So, Brother Ambrose, what led you and the family, 00:11:16.04\00:11:18.21 I'm going to go back a little bit, 00:11:18.24\00:11:19.57 we're going to get to May and the subsequent months, 00:11:19.61\00:11:22.81 but what led you and the family to come for the baptism 00:11:22.84\00:11:26.18 that we were having here in my show. 00:11:26.21\00:11:27.88 We had just completed a series in January, 00:11:27.92\00:11:31.59 at the end of February, the appeal was made 00:11:31.62\00:11:34.32 and we look up and you, your wife, kids 00:11:34.36\00:11:37.26 and we had the awesome privilege, 00:11:37.29\00:11:38.86 Pastor Billing and I have of baptizing all of you 00:11:38.89\00:11:41.80 at the same time. 00:11:41.83\00:11:43.16 But what was going on, 00:11:43.20\00:11:44.53 walk us through those couple of weeks 00:11:44.57\00:11:47.90 or that week that you led up to the series 00:11:47.94\00:11:50.37 and then led to your guys this decision to be baptized? 00:11:50.41\00:11:54.28 Well, when I was at NIH with an infection, 00:11:54.31\00:11:59.81 I spent a month and half in the hospital. 00:11:59.85\00:12:03.28 I got to my knees and prayed saying, 00:12:03.32\00:12:05.72 "God, if you bring me through this..." 00:12:05.75\00:12:08.96 Because I've been baptized, 00:12:08.99\00:12:10.33 I grew as a Seventh-day Adventist, 00:12:10.36\00:12:12.13 I was born as Seventh-day Adventist, 00:12:12.16\00:12:13.50 dedicated as Seventh-day Adventist, 00:12:13.53\00:12:14.86 I was baptized when I was 11 years of age, okay? 00:12:14.90\00:12:17.87 So I asked God, I said, 00:12:17.90\00:12:19.23 "God, please let me get through this. 00:12:19.27\00:12:22.37 I will rededicate myself and my family to you." 00:12:22.40\00:12:27.14 And He did. 00:12:27.18\00:12:28.51 Got me through it because I thought 00:12:28.54\00:12:29.88 I was never going to be here and I just Him every day, 00:12:29.91\00:12:33.11 making me live some more. 00:12:33.15\00:12:35.38 So I said, "Lord, just help me to get through this 00:12:35.42\00:12:39.39 with these kids and to see these kids grow." 00:12:39.42\00:12:42.02 And He brought me through, He brought me through 00:12:42.06\00:12:44.19 in the same time, I myself, I asked God, 00:12:44.23\00:12:48.96 "You spare my life and I will get my kids baptized." 00:12:49.00\00:12:51.87 And all my family baptized unto the Lord 00:12:51.90\00:12:54.20 and that's what I did. 00:12:54.24\00:12:55.77 Now I'm so happy that there was a very, very happy day for me, 00:12:55.80\00:12:59.27 a very emotional day for me. 00:12:59.31\00:13:01.61 And my son was very emotional and, you know, 00:13:01.64\00:13:04.38 that's what happened. 00:13:04.41\00:13:05.81 I'm so thankful for that. 00:13:05.85\00:13:07.68 So you really... 00:13:07.72\00:13:11.65 What spurred that decision was you wanting to be sure 00:13:11.69\00:13:16.52 that having forbid, you asked before the time, 00:13:16.56\00:13:20.93 you were unable to see your children. 00:13:20.96\00:13:22.70 Exactly. 00:13:22.73\00:13:24.07 You wanted to have been present to see your children 00:13:24.10\00:13:26.70 give their lives to Christ 00:13:26.74\00:13:28.44 and that through the process of baptism. 00:13:28.47\00:13:30.97 Yes. 00:13:31.01\00:13:32.34 And so this was the emphasis, this was what spurred you 00:13:32.37\00:13:33.71 on you to say, "Hey guys, 00:13:33.74\00:13:35.84 what we're going to get baptized." 00:13:35.88\00:13:37.21 Yes. 00:13:37.25\00:13:38.58 And so, you know, the appeal is made, 00:13:38.61\00:13:41.05 you've already been struggling 00:13:41.08\00:13:42.45 Since '08 with the cancer. 00:13:42.48\00:13:45.42 And you get... 00:13:45.45\00:13:47.62 One time it goes into remission 00:13:47.66\00:13:49.56 and we are, you know, rejoicing... 00:13:49.59\00:13:51.29 Rejoicing. 00:13:51.33\00:13:53.40 It comes back and it's more aggressive 00:13:53.43\00:13:55.26 and you go and you begin the chemo, 00:13:55.30\00:13:59.17 you let the kids know, you let everybody know, 00:13:59.20\00:14:01.14 "Hey, you know, it's not looking good." 00:14:01.17\00:14:05.04 But then the baptism happens 00:14:05.07\00:14:06.44 but then shortly after the baptism, 00:14:06.47\00:14:08.21 I mean, and I think that most people miss this, 00:14:08.24\00:14:10.08 Brother Ambrose, when you get baptized, 00:14:10.11\00:14:12.11 most people think that, "Oh, I've been baptized 00:14:12.15\00:14:13.82 and now everything is gonna get better, 00:14:13.85\00:14:15.52 everything is gonna be all right." 00:14:15.55\00:14:16.99 And the baptism ensures 00:14:17.02\00:14:19.45 where you will be in the life hereafter. 00:14:19.49\00:14:21.39 Exactly. 00:14:21.42\00:14:22.76 It does not ensure that the next day everything is, 00:14:22.79\00:14:24.89 you know, all the traffic is gonna part 00:14:24.93\00:14:26.70 so you can get through and, you know, 00:14:26.73\00:14:28.43 you're gonna go to your bank 00:14:28.46\00:14:29.80 and now where there was zero balance, 00:14:29.83\00:14:31.17 there is now hundreds of thousands of dollars. 00:14:31.20\00:14:33.37 It just ensures that you have now major call... 00:14:33.40\00:14:36.17 Exactly. 00:14:36.20\00:14:37.54 And so in February, you and the whole family, 00:14:37.57\00:14:39.34 you guys get baptized, we go through 00:14:39.37\00:14:41.38 the month of March, 00:14:41.41\00:14:45.18 April, and then May. 00:14:45.21\00:14:50.19 Let's go into that, let's go to May. 00:14:50.22\00:14:52.62 May was a rough time. 00:14:52.65\00:14:56.29 I'm in hospital and I'm taking treatment, 00:14:56.32\00:14:59.79 intense treatment. 00:14:59.83\00:15:01.16 I mean, I'm lying there and I'm crying 00:15:01.20\00:15:03.13 and even some doctor from this church 00:15:03.16\00:15:07.07 was one of my doctor. 00:15:07.10\00:15:08.60 I can't remember her name, but I saw her, 00:15:08.64\00:15:10.34 she was in this church. 00:15:10.37\00:15:11.77 She supported me, she prayed for me 00:15:11.81\00:15:13.68 and she, you know, gave me some encouraging words. 00:15:13.71\00:15:16.98 And everything was going well until I started seeing 00:15:17.01\00:15:23.02 the chemo was making the tumors spread more 00:15:23.05\00:15:29.16 and that's when they stopped it. 00:15:29.19\00:15:30.53 They say, "Well, this chemo, 00:15:30.56\00:15:31.93 we gave you the strongest chemo, 00:15:31.96\00:15:33.29 it's not working, you know, and they stopped it. 00:15:33.33\00:15:35.43 And they say, they called me, 00:15:35.46\00:15:37.33 they called all the doctors around 00:15:37.37\00:15:38.70 and discussed what they had to discuss. 00:15:38.73\00:15:40.74 They say, "Mr. Ambrose, we got to come to a conclusion 00:15:40.77\00:15:45.37 and a decision. 00:15:45.41\00:15:47.38 Now, we don't want to scare you." 00:15:47.41\00:15:49.88 I was positive, just to hear 00:15:49.91\00:15:51.85 what they'd say, friends gathered around 00:15:51.88\00:15:53.55 and everyone gathered around, 00:15:53.58\00:15:55.35 and said, "Mr. Ambrose, you got six months to live." 00:15:55.38\00:16:00.96 Okay, I say, "That's by man's standards 00:16:00.99\00:16:04.76 but God has some plans for me different." 00:16:04.79\00:16:08.06 So I get that positive feeling. 00:16:08.10\00:16:10.20 If I didn't cry, or didn't break down, 00:16:10.23\00:16:12.00 I didn't do anything, I just pray. 00:16:12.03\00:16:14.20 And the doctors that are around me, 00:16:14.24\00:16:17.61 asked the doctors, "Can I pray with you?" 00:16:17.64\00:16:19.71 And I prayed with the doctors and my friends. 00:16:19.74\00:16:21.51 So wait a minute. 00:16:21.54\00:16:22.88 You get a diagnosis 00:16:22.91\00:16:24.25 that you only have six months to live. 00:16:24.28\00:16:25.85 You call the doctors and said, "Can I pray with you?" 00:16:25.88\00:16:27.58 Yes. Okay. 00:16:27.62\00:16:28.95 I called the doctors around and said, 00:16:28.98\00:16:30.32 "I want to pray with you. 00:16:30.35\00:16:31.89 I want to thank you for the time 00:16:31.92\00:16:33.25 you took to treat me and tell me the truth 00:16:33.29\00:16:38.16 what's going on with me." 00:16:38.19\00:16:39.69 And I prayed, I prayed, and I prayed. 00:16:39.73\00:16:41.83 Some would get involved praying with me, 00:16:41.86\00:16:44.33 and I was positive about everything, you know, 00:16:44.37\00:16:47.10 but God have a different plans for me. 00:16:47.14\00:16:49.14 You know, so that's how I faced that battle. 00:16:49.17\00:16:53.27 That was from May 4th to June 4th, 00:16:53.31\00:16:56.98 June 4th to July 4th. 00:16:57.01\00:16:59.58 July 4th to August 4th. 00:16:59.61\00:17:02.42 August 4th to September 4th, Four months, 00:17:02.45\00:17:05.95 September 4th to October 4th is five months. 00:17:05.99\00:17:09.56 We're almost at the end of October. 00:17:09.59\00:17:11.46 Right. coming up is November. November. 00:17:11.49\00:17:13.26 Which will make six months. 00:17:13.29\00:17:15.23 Right. November 5th is my birthday. 00:17:15.26\00:17:17.20 That's when I wish to rest in peace. 00:17:17.23\00:17:20.54 Yeah. 00:17:20.57\00:17:21.90 How are you feeling today with November 5th 00:17:21.94\00:17:27.21 looming over you, coming that day... 00:17:27.24\00:17:32.01 I mean, I can imagine 00:17:32.05\00:17:33.92 what it would be like to wake up 00:17:33.95\00:17:35.45 with a time clock knowing that there is a particular day 00:17:35.48\00:17:38.95 that it should be my day of expiration 00:17:38.99\00:17:41.96 and you are very positive about the situation. 00:17:41.99\00:17:45.49 But as we approach that day, Brother Ambrose, 00:17:45.53\00:17:47.90 how are you feeling? 00:17:47.93\00:17:49.26 What are you thinking? 00:17:49.30\00:17:50.63 How do you process the emotions in less than... 00:17:50.67\00:17:55.44 At this point it would be probably less than two weeks. 00:17:55.47\00:17:58.74 Pastor Johns, I'm so positive and upbeat 00:17:58.77\00:18:04.31 because God has a plan for me. 00:18:04.35\00:18:07.75 You understand? 00:18:07.78\00:18:09.12 And I've put everything in His hands, 00:18:09.15\00:18:11.95 everything in His hands. 00:18:11.99\00:18:13.86 I did all my sobbing, I did all my crying, 00:18:13.89\00:18:15.86 I did everything, 00:18:15.89\00:18:17.23 but I pray to Him each and every day. 00:18:17.26\00:18:19.03 That's how I keep the faith and be positive. 00:18:19.06\00:18:21.43 It's a rough and a hard road to travel, 00:18:21.46\00:18:24.57 but as long as you have God in your life 00:18:24.60\00:18:26.27 and you come to a decision, if you have to go, 00:18:26.30\00:18:29.27 you want to make your path clear... 00:18:29.30\00:18:32.74 So you make sure you be safe when you go over there. 00:18:32.77\00:18:36.61 With my grandmother's there, my mother's there, 00:18:36.64\00:18:38.31 my father's there, some of my brothers 00:18:38.35\00:18:40.55 and sisters are there so I wouldn't be alone. 00:18:40.58\00:18:42.92 But I got to make my path clear. 00:18:42.95\00:18:44.82 And it's my children, you know, to live in Christ. 00:18:44.85\00:18:49.89 What you're saying is basically, 00:18:49.92\00:18:51.66 you know that by God's grace, 00:18:51.69\00:18:53.29 your grandmother and family members 00:18:53.33\00:18:55.06 have already gone asleep in Jesus... 00:18:55.10\00:18:56.43 Right. 00:18:56.46\00:18:57.80 You know that if you've made your call 00:18:57.83\00:18:59.63 and election show it now, 00:18:59.67\00:19:01.34 that you'll be able to see them when God comes 00:19:01.37\00:19:04.61 and the dead in Christ rise first. 00:19:04.64\00:19:06.41 Exactly. 00:19:06.44\00:19:07.78 And so how are you encouraging and helping the kids 00:19:07.81\00:19:11.15 and the wife to remain positive 00:19:11.18\00:19:12.55 because as this day approaches. 00:19:12.58\00:19:15.55 Well, mostly it's the kids I'm trying to, you know, 00:19:15.58\00:19:20.92 encourage the kids to spend some moments with me, 00:19:20.96\00:19:23.59 "Don't give up faith. 00:19:23.63\00:19:25.46 Don't give up faith. 00:19:25.49\00:19:28.00 Whatever I teach you from birth, you know, 00:19:28.03\00:19:30.83 and I teach you the Bible, I teach you to do things, 00:19:30.87\00:19:33.90 just take it with you wherever you go." 00:19:33.94\00:19:36.94 That's how I try to deal with each and every day 00:19:36.97\00:19:38.94 because I don't want to discuss it too much 00:19:38.97\00:19:40.94 with the kids that really upset them 00:19:40.98\00:19:42.31 because I have a very emotional kids 00:19:42.34\00:19:43.91 and they're very close to me and I love them very well 00:19:43.95\00:19:47.02 and all the ones who I had before 00:19:47.05\00:19:49.12 are very, very emotional. 00:19:49.15\00:19:51.29 So they supported in everything I do, 00:19:51.32\00:19:53.02 whatever I do I would say they supported me, 00:19:53.05\00:19:55.39 so that's the best thing I could be. 00:19:55.42\00:19:57.79 So we know where you were. 00:19:57.83\00:19:59.59 We know that, you know, 00:19:59.63\00:20:00.96 big strong man working for the government, 00:20:01.00\00:20:05.27 come down with asbestos, it may be that... 00:20:05.30\00:20:07.64 I don't know what it is. 00:20:07.67\00:20:09.00 And the cancer begins to grow in your body, get treatment, 00:20:09.04\00:20:14.98 goes into remission, flares back up, 00:20:15.01\00:20:18.08 comes back even more aggressive. 00:20:18.11\00:20:20.05 Doctors pronounce, you know, six months. 00:20:20.08\00:20:23.25 We're about two weeks away from that date 00:20:23.28\00:20:25.65 and you're still positive. 00:20:25.69\00:20:27.42 You're still upbeat. 00:20:27.46\00:20:28.89 And this show is... 00:20:28.92\00:20:31.53 this program, excuse me, is about ministry 00:20:31.56\00:20:34.76 and I think that pastors, evangelists, 00:20:34.80\00:20:38.27 sometimes we get that the first most important ministry 00:20:38.30\00:20:42.50 is the ministry to your family, to your kids. 00:20:42.54\00:20:45.77 So I want to couch and frame it that way, 00:20:45.81\00:20:48.54 tell me about the ministry now 00:20:48.58\00:20:50.48 that you have that is your children. 00:20:50.51\00:20:53.52 You know, how is family worship? 00:20:53.55\00:20:56.22 How is the singing together? 00:20:56.25\00:20:59.42 Is it attending church when you can attend church? 00:20:59.45\00:21:02.32 Tell me about that ministry because I view that 00:21:02.36\00:21:04.23 as a ministry and especially with what could potentially be 00:21:04.26\00:21:08.73 a very few more days, you know, fewer days possibly, 00:21:08.76\00:21:14.74 but we're maintaining a positive outlook on that. 00:21:14.77\00:21:18.24 Tell me about ministry, ministering to your children, 00:21:18.27\00:21:20.98 to your wife, to your family. 00:21:21.01\00:21:23.58 As you're priest of your home. 00:21:23.61\00:21:25.88 Well, I do the best that I can at home 00:21:25.91\00:21:27.32 when I could do because most of the time, 00:21:27.35\00:21:28.68 I'm in a lot of pain. 00:21:28.72\00:21:30.99 A lot of pain is only because some of the drugs 00:21:31.02\00:21:33.42 they give me I don't really take them. 00:21:33.46\00:21:34.79 I'm not a drug taker. 00:21:34.82\00:21:36.16 And those drugs are very strong, 00:21:36.19\00:21:37.69 but the doctor told me I got to keep taking the drugs. 00:21:37.73\00:21:40.26 So when I can't make it here, we watch the program at home, 00:21:40.30\00:21:43.40 we study the Bible, we sit down, 00:21:43.43\00:21:44.77 we study the Bible. 00:21:44.80\00:21:46.13 Even though the Bible is little fast 00:21:46.17\00:21:47.50 but we still try to keep up with the program. 00:21:47.54\00:21:50.91 And after you leave we just mark it, 00:21:50.94\00:21:53.71 and we go over it again 00:21:53.74\00:21:55.08 when the screen is off, just go over it 00:21:55.11\00:21:56.85 and see what we studied and see 00:21:56.88\00:21:58.35 if we can comprehend what we studied. 00:21:58.38\00:22:01.65 So that's how we do. 00:22:01.68\00:22:03.02 When we come to church 00:22:03.05\00:22:06.02 by all means necessary we get here. Yeah. 00:22:06.05\00:22:09.62 Now here is what I wanna do. 00:22:09.66\00:22:10.99 That's how ministry is going at home. 00:22:11.03\00:22:13.73 This television program is going to give you 00:22:13.76\00:22:15.86 an opportunity because I'm sure 00:22:15.90\00:22:17.53 that over the last couple of years, 00:22:17.57\00:22:19.87 you're not working. 00:22:19.90\00:22:21.24 Right. 00:22:21.27\00:22:22.60 I'm sure that bills are piling up. 00:22:22.64\00:22:23.97 Yes. Medical bills are piling up. 00:22:24.01\00:22:25.67 Yes. You've got to live somewhere. 00:22:25.71\00:22:29.64 People who rent, they don't say, 00:22:29.68\00:22:32.11 "Oh, okay, don't worry it, we'll wait." 00:22:32.15\00:22:35.12 So I know that those things are happening, 00:22:35.15\00:22:36.89 but in the midst of all that, 00:22:36.92\00:22:39.25 you're still maintaining a positive attitude, 00:22:39.29\00:22:42.62 upbeat, eyes focused on Christ. 00:22:42.66\00:22:44.36 What I would like you to do, Brother Ambrose, 00:22:44.39\00:22:45.86 is look into this camera right here 00:22:45.89\00:22:47.96 and I want you to talk with someone 00:22:48.00\00:22:49.33 who may won't give up on life not realizing 00:22:49.36\00:22:52.97 that a person like yourself is holding on to every second 00:22:53.00\00:22:56.37 and treasuring and seeing it as dear. 00:22:56.40\00:22:58.87 I want you to talk to someone 00:22:58.91\00:23:00.24 who may be in a similar situation as you are 00:23:00.28\00:23:03.35 and I also want you to just share your heart. 00:23:03.38\00:23:09.22 You take the next couple of minutes if you want. 00:23:09.25\00:23:11.19 Just look at the camera and just speak to our viewers. 00:23:11.22\00:23:17.23 What I want to say is 00:23:17.26\00:23:19.23 God is always in control doesn't matter 00:23:19.26\00:23:22.70 what the circumstances was going around. 00:23:22.73\00:23:26.43 He is always in control, 00:23:26.47\00:23:27.84 no matter what obstacles you're going through. 00:23:27.87\00:23:29.90 There's someone in your corner at all time to take care, 00:23:29.94\00:23:34.04 you're financially burdened 00:23:34.08\00:23:36.18 and you just got to put your trust in God 00:23:36.21\00:23:38.35 and He will lead you through that way. 00:23:38.38\00:23:42.18 He will lead you whatever you want to do, 00:23:42.22\00:23:44.09 just put everything in His hands, pray a lot, 00:23:44.12\00:23:48.32 have a lot of connection with people 00:23:48.36\00:23:49.72 who cares about you, who seek your needs. 00:23:49.76\00:23:54.20 And reach out on the prayer line, 00:23:54.23\00:23:56.30 reach out to people who want to pray with you, 00:23:56.33\00:23:57.93 just doesn't matter what time of the night, 00:23:57.97\00:24:01.34 where you are in this world. 00:24:01.37\00:24:03.47 Reach out to people and there is always somebody 00:24:03.51\00:24:05.57 in your corner to pray with you, 00:24:05.61\00:24:07.51 to give you that strength, and that encouragement, 00:24:07.54\00:24:10.18 at my home church, they reach out to me 00:24:10.21\00:24:12.71 and I'm so thankful to be a member of this church. 00:24:12.75\00:24:18.82 Well, Ambrose, again, I know that, you know, 00:24:18.85\00:24:24.66 we here make sure try to do it we can. 00:24:24.69\00:24:27.73 Prayer, you know, an anointing service, 00:24:27.76\00:24:31.77 we've prayed a number of times, 00:24:31.80\00:24:33.23 but I'm sure that 00:24:33.27\00:24:35.17 as you are looking to the future 00:24:35.20\00:24:38.64 and we're looking beyond November 6th... 00:24:38.67\00:24:40.68 Right, I am so. 00:24:40.71\00:24:42.04 We know that the Lord is going to do something 00:24:42.08\00:24:44.71 so that we can look beyond November 6th. 00:24:44.75\00:24:46.82 And we're going to trust whatever you do, 00:24:46.85\00:24:48.98 up to November 6th and thereafter 00:24:49.02\00:24:50.69 we're going to trust whatever you got. 00:24:50.72\00:24:52.05 But I know that right now you are... 00:24:52.09\00:24:58.43 you are every time I see you in church, 00:24:58.46\00:25:00.90 it just does something for me 00:25:00.93\00:25:03.16 because sometimes people just roll over and give up. 00:25:03.20\00:25:05.60 Right. 00:25:05.63\00:25:06.97 People just say, "Well this is my life, fine." 00:25:07.00\00:25:09.64 You know, they don't come to church, they don't. 00:25:09.67\00:25:11.57 And you don't come to church just like, 00:25:11.61\00:25:13.38 you'd always have one nice suit, you know, 00:25:13.41\00:25:14.94 you look good when you come to church. 00:25:14.98\00:25:16.31 Thank you very much. 00:25:16.34\00:25:17.91 And you are living, 00:25:17.95\00:25:19.98 you are living every single moment, 00:25:20.02\00:25:22.25 and trying to ensure that your children's attention 00:25:22.28\00:25:25.89 and focus is on Christ. 00:25:25.92\00:25:27.52 And you were singing, you were singing this song, 00:25:27.56\00:25:30.83 and I would like you to sing if you don't mind. 00:25:30.86\00:25:33.96 There's a verse of that song but before you do so, 00:25:34.00\00:25:36.50 three of your children are here with us. 00:25:36.53\00:25:38.23 I want to invite them to come up 00:25:38.27\00:25:40.57 so that they can join you for a minute. 00:25:40.60\00:25:43.24 I want to invite the kids to come up. 00:25:43.27\00:25:44.67 God is good every time. 00:25:49.04\00:25:50.48 God is wonderful. Amazing. 00:25:50.51\00:25:55.25 Now who do you have with you? 00:25:55.28\00:25:57.02 Selena, Jonathan, and my precious, Shanese. 00:25:57.05\00:26:02.22 She is very emotional. And the other three? 00:26:02.26\00:26:04.19 Their names are... 00:26:04.23\00:26:05.56 Joshua, Jacob, and Joseph. 00:26:05.59\00:26:08.26 Good names. 00:26:08.30\00:26:10.20 And so you were singing a song and your kids 00:26:10.23\00:26:13.40 I think hear this song a little bit 00:26:13.44\00:26:15.60 because as you were singing they were smiling. 00:26:15.64\00:26:17.74 And so if you could give us a verse of that song 00:26:17.77\00:26:20.28 before we go out, I really appreciate it. 00:26:20.31\00:26:22.58 Yes, I want to go up to heaven some day to meet my God 00:26:22.61\00:26:30.32 Oh, I want to go up to heaven some day to meet my God 00:26:30.35\00:26:35.72 But first, I want to make my road clear, 00:26:35.76\00:26:39.53 I want to put my life in His hands Lord, 00:26:39.56\00:26:42.53 I want to go up to heaven some day to meet my God 00:26:42.56\00:26:46.63 Yes, yes, aye 00:26:46.67\00:26:48.54 I want to go up to heaven some day to meet my God 00:26:48.57\00:26:54.11 I want to go up to heaven 00:26:54.14\00:26:56.21 Some day to meet my God 00:26:56.24\00:26:59.41 First, I want to pave my way 00:26:59.45\00:27:01.72 make it clear for me to go and straighten road 00:27:01.75\00:27:06.96 I want to go up to heaven some day to meet my God 00:27:06.99\00:27:12.93 Amen, amen. 00:27:12.96\00:27:16.26 For those who may be watching at home, 00:27:16.30\00:27:19.57 wherever you're watching, what you can glean 00:27:19.60\00:27:23.10 from Brother Ambrose's story is this, 00:27:23.14\00:27:25.87 is that the final word is God's, it's not man's, 00:27:25.91\00:27:31.15 no matter what man says, 00:27:31.18\00:27:32.61 no matter what man determines or what they say, 00:27:32.65\00:27:36.15 God has the final word. 00:27:36.18\00:27:38.02 So every single opportunity that you can, you live, 00:27:38.05\00:27:42.22 and live in Christ. 00:27:42.26\00:27:43.96 Today we've heard a story of someone 00:27:43.99\00:27:46.16 who was sent home, 00:27:46.19\00:27:47.93 told that their days were numbered, 00:27:47.96\00:27:50.80 but he has continued to maintain a positive outlook 00:27:50.83\00:27:54.24 and trust in Christ to rear his family, to pray with them, 00:27:54.27\00:27:58.34 and to sing to the glory of God. 00:27:58.37\00:28:00.51 Someday, he is going to go up there. 00:28:00.54\00:28:03.38 Brother Ambrose is an inspiration 00:28:03.41\00:28:05.38 not only to his family but to all of us here... 00:28:05.41\00:28:09.65 As we say, he comes in, we know, 00:28:09.68\00:28:13.05 we know that we serve a God 00:28:13.09\00:28:15.02 who is able to do exceedingly abundantly 00:28:15.06\00:28:17.99 above all we could ask. 00:28:18.03\00:28:20.03 And so we ask you, our viewers, to join with us now in prayer 00:28:20.06\00:28:23.97 for Brother Ambrose and his family 00:28:24.00\00:28:26.03 and to keep them in your prayers 00:28:26.07\00:28:28.00 as he continues by God's grace beyond November 6th, 00:28:28.04\00:28:34.18 beyond November 6th to and into his new journey. 00:28:34.21\00:28:41.35 We thank you for joining us. 00:28:41.38\00:28:43.05 We bless the Lord for our guest today 00:28:43.08\00:28:45.59 and we ask again to keep all The New Journey show 00:28:45.62\00:28:48.86 and Brother Ambrose and his family. 00:28:48.89\00:28:51.49 God bless you. 00:28:51.53\00:28:55.60 Thank you, Pastor Johns. 00:28:55.63\00:28:57.30