The following program
discusses sensitive issues.
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Parents are
cautioned that some material
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may be too candid
for younger children.
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Welcome to the New Journey,
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a program where you
meet real life people
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with real life testimonies
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doing real life
ministry for Jesus Christ.
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I'm your host Aaron Chancy.
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Come join us on The New Journey.
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Let's jump into the
religious background
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of your household.
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What kind of
religious background
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are you coming from?
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Well, I came, grew up
Seventh-day Adventist.
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Okay. Both
parents in the church.
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Okay.
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Been in the church
pretty much my whole life
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and I've also been a part of,
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you know, the
different things pathfinder.
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You know, the basketball
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youth programs and
things of that nature.
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Okay, so talk a little bit
about your early home life.
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You mentioned that you had
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a mother and a father growing up
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which is pretty similar to mine,
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I grew up in a household,
grew to going to pathfinders,
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playing basketball with
both parents in the home.
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And it's interesting
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because things that I
got involved in later on
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aren't typical to, you know,
the background that I come from
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and which is sort
of similar to yours,
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which we'll get
into in little bit
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but talk about what it was
like in your home growing up?
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Well, in my home,
it was typical home.
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One thing that my
father was in the military.
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So, the discipline side of--
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I guess my upbringing
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was probably a little
bit more firm than some,
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because at times my
father I think will forget
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that I'm not a soldier
and I'm his son you know, so.
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That aspect of it was a
little difficult growing up.
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Okay.
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And me and my father,
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we didn't have a
lot of things in common,
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so we didn't really
do a lot of bonding.
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I was more close to my mother.
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And so, a lot of things that
you might do with your father,
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me and my mother did.
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So growing up, it was
kind of a difficult task
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trying to get male
attention or whatever have you
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because of that
dynamics in my family.
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Okay, I understand.
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Now, growing up in your
home, did you have any siblings
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or was it just you yourself?
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Yes, I have older sister.
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Okay, so how was it,
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how was yours
relationship growing up?
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Well, growing up
me and my sister,
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we kind of like night and day.
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You know, my sister is more...
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She's a lot more like my father,
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I'm a lot more like my mother.
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But pretty normal, you
know, pretty normal situation.
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Now, your father
eventually passed away
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when you were teenager.
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Talk about that,
talk about his passing,
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and how that made
you feel at a young age?
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Well, my father died in 1999.
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And I had just
turned 19 years old.
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Okay.
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That situation, it bring
about a lot of mix of feelings.
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It was sadness. It was anger.
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It was disappointment.
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So, you know, let me
talk about the anger part of,
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I guess that more, the
anger part of it for me
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was that I felt
like I was cheated.
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But for me to say that,
the way me and my father--
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First of all me and my father
were like oil and vinegar.
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You know, we didn't
get along at all so.
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You know, we bump heads
all the time and my mother was
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and so she were kind of
like the referee for us.
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And so, you know,
the anger part came in
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because I felt like
I never got a chance
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to really bridge
that gap amongst us.
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Now was it more
anger between you and God
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or was it anger
between you and your father
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or what was, what
was the anger between?
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I would have to say it
was a combination you know.
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Because like I said before,
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you know, my father was
real firm and real strict.
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And so, I think my
frustration toward him
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was because he had
such a tight claw on me.
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And I guess the-- You
know, he had a tip or two so.
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You know, sometimes
his disciplinary tactics
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were probably not the best.
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Yeah, okay.
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So, you know, I
guess when it comes for me,
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you ask me with my anger
with God, I guess, I could say.
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Yeah, I did have, you know,
'cause I used to feel like,
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you know, this is a grown man.
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And, you know, your parents
teach you to control yourself
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this and that but, you
know, and that time he did not.
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Controlled himself, you
know, with different things.
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Yeah, definitely.
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Yeah, but if I look
at far as with my father,
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we never got to a point
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of seeing eye to eye anything
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and the day my father died,
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I was working in
Charlotte, North Carolina.
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And I got a call from my mother
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and she said,
my father was sick,
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was in the hospital.
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Now, my dad had been
sick for about seven years,
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he had some called sarcoidosis.
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So, it was kind of a norm
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to see him in and
out of the hospital.
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But for some instant,
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you know, with that situation,
something weighed on me
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and just say, I
needed to come home.
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So I came home, I
talked to my father.
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He was at the
hospital he told me, he said,
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"Come to his, to the hospital
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around 9 o'clock
the following morning."
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That morning, that night,
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I got, I was drinking,
smoking and so I overslept.
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So when I finally
called my father, my father,
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we exchanged where he told I
need to get my life together,
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this and that.
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So we had, you know,
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the last thing I
said to my father
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was some un-chose words.
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And I never got
to apologize that,
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so far as the guilt
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I live with that
for a real long time.
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Yeah, okay, okay.
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Now, you eventually
gravitated to the streets.
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What do you think was
some of the motivating factors
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in gravitating to
that type of lifestyle?
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Well, for me, I think it was.
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You know, guilt is a
real powerful thing, you know.
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And it becomes a
wicked cycle in your life.
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And I think also too that,
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just looking for
male companionship.
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You know, at that
point in time in my life.
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And, even though it
wasn't always positive,
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it still was something.
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And for me even coming up
in a two parent household,
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I never really gained
that male companionship
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that I guess, you know,
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any young man
would be longing for.
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Yeah, definitely, definitely.
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You know, I find it interesting
because a lot of times.
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You know, and
that type of lifestyle
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that you and I
gravitated to the streets.
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You know, you
find a lot of people
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that are coming
from single parent homes.
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And, you know, it seems like
it's right for them to be there
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but then, for you it seems like,
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"Okay, where you have
both parents in the home
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and you know you
shouldn't be here
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and type of thing.
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But the reality is that
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certain things are still lacking
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even with that two parent home.
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And a lot of times
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you may not get
that male attention
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like you said that you needed.
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And that's what I found
that a lot of people would say,
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is that they didn't get
the attention that they need.
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And, you know,
they find it in friends.
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They find it in
different things,
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which tend to lead
them in a downward cycle.
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Looking back on your life,
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what do you think
were some of the positive
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as well as some of the negative
influences upon your life?
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Well, over top of my head
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I would say a
negative influence was
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when I was coming up
when we lived in Germany.
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It was a family
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that because me and my
father didn't get along well.
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I would always find
myself trying to stay there
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and I guess trying to keep,
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you know, want peace
in the house my mother,
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and they would allow
me to go over to them.
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Now, this family was
not of Christian background,
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so I learned a lot
of bad habits, you know,
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drinking and smoking
at early age like at 13.
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So with that,
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it kind of just open up a
can of a lot of other things
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throughout my life that
I ended up getting into.
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Do you think that
the drinking and smoking,
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because often times,
people get involved in it,
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it's almost like a cover up,
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to cover up the
different pains and hurts
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that you're dealing with.
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How do you feel
that that played a part
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in your situation?
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Well, I mean, I do
that wholeheartedly
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because I believe
that that was my...
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That was my medicine. Yeah.
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You know, that is
the way I could escape.
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You know, what was going on
and a funny thing about it is.
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We all know that it's
all only a temporary fix.
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But when you're
going through hailing,
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going through things,
constant things every day.
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Just that one second
or that small timeframe
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of relief, it does you well.
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Oh, yeah definitely, definitely,
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I can definitely relate,
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you know, the
various drugs that I've done
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and the interesting thing
is it only lasts momentarily.
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It's not like that lasting joy.
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It's, you know, you get
what you need your cigarettes,
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your alcohol, your marijuana
whatever it may be cocaine,
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whatever the drug of choice is.
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And you're fine,
while you're high.
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But then when
that high wears off,
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you're right back to
the same, to the same spot.
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And that problem is still there,
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so it's like you're
continuously self medicating
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because the problem
hasn't gone anywhere.
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You're just masking it
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instead actually
dealing with the issue.
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Yeah.
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Let me ask you, you eventually
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found yourself
in a bad situation
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facing a murder charge.
00:10:02.80\00:10:04.20
Talk about that whole situation?
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Well, I was in a
situation with that
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and was out one night
with three other guys.
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They all were brothers,
and a guy ended up did.
00:10:13.61\00:10:18.01
And I got question.
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I never got
formally charged for.
00:10:19.61\00:10:21.22
Okay.
00:10:21.25\00:10:22.58
But if God would
have not stepped in,
00:10:22.62\00:10:25.82
that situation
could have totally went...
00:10:25.85\00:10:27.79
Okay. Another different route.
00:10:27.82\00:10:29.62
Okay. Now when you say if
God would not have stepped in.
00:10:29.66\00:10:33.23
How did God step
into that situation
00:10:33.26\00:10:35.30
and change things for you?
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Well, if you
have three brothers.
00:10:37.10\00:10:39.93
Definitely.
00:10:39.97\00:10:41.30
Blood they say is
thicker than water.
00:10:41.34\00:10:43.30
So you have three brothers and
a God that's from the outside.
00:10:43.34\00:10:48.14
And all you had, all the three
00:10:48.18\00:10:50.65
had to do was
collaborate a story.
00:10:50.68\00:10:52.48
And say, "Hey. It
was, this guy that did it."
00:10:52.51\00:10:54.68
Yeah.
00:10:54.72\00:10:56.05
So, God did not
allow that to happen.
00:10:56.08\00:10:59.15
And, you know, mind you, I
have known these guys for years.
00:10:59.19\00:11:03.22
But even when you
know one some year,
00:11:03.26\00:11:05.19
when someone's back is
against the wall facing life...
00:11:05.23\00:11:08.53
Life. Yeah.
00:11:08.56\00:11:09.90
You know, people tend to turn.
00:11:09.93\00:11:11.33
Yeah, definitely.
00:11:11.37\00:11:12.70
So I know one none
but the power of God
00:11:12.73\00:11:14.34
that kept in to be honest.
00:11:14.37\00:11:15.97
Yeah.
00:11:16.00\00:11:17.34
So... You know, it's interesting
00:11:17.37\00:11:18.77
how we look back on our lives.
00:11:18.81\00:11:21.48
And we can see the hand of
God working through situations.
00:11:21.51\00:11:24.95
Often times, we may not
recognize it at that point.
00:11:24.98\00:11:27.78
We're just like, "Oh, okay,
minor technicality whatever."
00:11:27.82\00:11:30.39
And we get out.
00:11:30.42\00:11:32.25
But to look back on that
and see how the hand of God
00:11:32.29\00:11:35.42
worked in your
situation is a blessing.
00:11:35.46\00:11:38.09
Talk about different
situations in your life,
00:11:38.13\00:11:40.76
where you've
been able to look back
00:11:40.80\00:11:42.13
and see the hand of
God in certain situations.
00:11:42.16\00:11:44.80
Okay, I want to promise them.
I used to be in the military.
00:11:44.83\00:11:48.30
Okay.
00:11:48.34\00:11:50.01
And I was in the
military for 18 months.
00:11:50.04\00:11:54.08
I got thrown
out of the military.
00:11:54.11\00:11:56.54
I was in and out of
jail after that process.
00:11:56.58\00:11:59.48
What were you thrown
out of the military for?
00:11:59.51\00:12:02.52
Pretty much disrespect, I mean
AWOL, things of that nature.
00:12:02.55\00:12:07.16
Okay.
00:12:07.19\00:12:08.52
And with that--
When I got thrown out,
00:12:08.56\00:12:12.13
you know, other dishonorable,
dishonorable discharge.
00:12:12.16\00:12:14.53
Can't get a job
anywhere. Yeah, definitely.
00:12:14.56\00:12:16.23
You know, so with
that on my record,
00:12:16.26\00:12:18.73
you know, it was a ten--
00:12:18.77\00:12:20.17
probability about
a ten year timeframe
00:12:20.20\00:12:22.87
where I mean, I couldn't
even get a job in McDonalds.
00:12:22.90\00:12:25.04
You know, I can
remember it one time,
00:12:25.07\00:12:27.31
I had seven different
job opportunities tell me no.
00:12:27.34\00:12:30.78
Yeah.
00:12:30.81\00:12:32.15
You know, and so throughout
the years going through that
00:12:32.18\00:12:34.62
and not getting any jobs.
00:12:34.65\00:12:37.49
I decided, you
know, I had to eat.
00:12:37.52\00:12:39.55
You know, so I ended
up opening a strip club.
00:12:39.59\00:12:43.89
I ended up doing
genitalia company.
00:12:43.93\00:12:46.83
And as running club you know.
00:12:46.86\00:12:48.20
So with that, that
also complicated my life.
00:12:48.23\00:12:53.30
Yeah, okay.
00:12:53.34\00:12:54.67
You know, 'cause
one thing about it is.
00:12:54.70\00:12:56.40
If you do lie in the streets
long enough for whatever,
00:12:56.44\00:12:59.37
something is bound to happen.
00:12:59.41\00:13:00.78
Yeah, definitely, definitely.
00:13:00.81\00:13:03.08
That's generally
not a good thing.
00:13:03.11\00:13:04.45
No, definitely, you know.
00:13:04.48\00:13:05.81
And that's kind of how about
00:13:05.85\00:13:07.18
the whole thing
came, came about.
00:13:07.22\00:13:09.52
Yeah. But went
to military though.
00:13:09.55\00:13:12.39
I got thrown
out ten years later.
00:13:12.42\00:13:15.26
I got it changed
to a fully honorable.
00:13:15.29\00:13:18.29
I didn't get it
changed, God got it changed.
00:13:18.33\00:13:19.73
Yeah, amen.
00:13:19.76\00:13:21.10
And the thing is now, you
know, I'm at Oakwood College.
00:13:21.13\00:13:25.87
And I am 70 percent disability.
00:13:25.90\00:13:31.31
Now mind you, Oakwood College
is a expensive place to go to
00:13:31.34\00:13:36.48
and I'm going to school
00:13:36.51\00:13:38.65
and Oakwood
College got free now.
00:13:38.68\00:13:40.22
Amen, amen.
00:13:40.25\00:13:41.58
You know, and the funny thing
00:13:41.62\00:13:43.55
is when I get
out of the military,
00:13:43.59\00:13:46.72
I kept applying for my GI Bill.
00:13:46.76\00:13:48.76
Okay. And I was
not able to get it.
00:13:48.79\00:13:51.33
So probably
about three years ago,
00:13:51.36\00:13:54.73
I applied to
three different colleges
00:13:54.76\00:13:56.80
to try to get it again.
00:13:56.83\00:13:58.17
Okay.
00:13:58.20\00:13:59.53
Now this is after I
got all my everything
00:13:59.57\00:14:02.04
changed to fully honorable.
00:14:02.07\00:14:03.41
Okay. So I was entitled to it.
00:14:03.44\00:14:05.17
So anyway I got denied
00:14:05.21\00:14:07.81
on three different
times for the GI Bill.
00:14:07.84\00:14:11.38
Now, the day that I decided to
go to Oakwood, I never forget.
00:14:11.41\00:14:15.78
I had came, got
70 percent clear.
00:14:15.82\00:14:18.12
I got with the company call TMS.
00:14:18.15\00:14:20.72
And I had made my
first two payments
00:14:20.76\00:14:22.76
to the loan
company, that was loaning me
00:14:22.79\00:14:24.63
to the other 30 percent.
00:14:24.66\00:14:25.99
Okay.
00:14:26.03\00:14:27.36
And my mom called me
one day, and she said,
00:14:27.40\00:14:28.73
"Greg, why don't you go
down to the full rehab apply
00:14:28.76\00:14:31.27
for the V.A. there
in Huntsville Alabama,
00:14:31.30\00:14:34.24
and see if you know,
00:14:34.27\00:14:36.07
you can you can get
them to pay for your school."
00:14:36.10\00:14:38.01
Okay.
00:14:38.04\00:14:39.37
And I say, "Well, mom, you know,
00:14:39.41\00:14:40.74
I've been denied
already but I'll try it."
00:14:40.78\00:14:42.11
Yeah.
00:14:42.14\00:14:43.48
So I go down, I
try and when I go,
00:14:43.51\00:14:47.25
I meet a
counselor and he told me
00:14:47.28\00:14:50.35
to just get a
letter saying exactly
00:14:50.39\00:14:53.02
what degree in theology
could do to different type jobs.
00:14:53.05\00:14:56.39
Okay. And
everything, so I did that.
00:14:56.42\00:14:58.43
Came back to his office
and he put me in a program.
00:14:58.46\00:15:01.43
Okay.
00:15:01.46\00:15:02.80
Now, I know that
would have been God
00:15:02.83\00:15:04.30
because I have
been denied three times.
00:15:04.33\00:15:05.67
Yes. Wow.
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.04
You know, and the other
part that let me know for sure
00:15:07.07\00:15:10.61
that God has a hit all
my life and that He is God
00:15:10.64\00:15:13.64
and what I do is that
same guy retired 30 days later.
00:15:13.68\00:15:19.31
Wow.
00:15:19.35\00:15:20.68
You know, so, there's
no doubt that no matter
00:15:20.72\00:15:23.15
what goes on in your life.
00:15:23.18\00:15:26.22
If God, when God got
his hand in some, you know,
00:15:26.25\00:15:29.02
it works itself out.
00:15:29.06\00:15:30.39
Definitely, definitely.
00:15:30.43\00:15:31.76
Now, you mention in there about,
00:15:31.79\00:15:33.13
you know, owning
different strip clubs.
00:15:33.16\00:15:34.63
What led you to get involved
00:15:34.66\00:15:36.87
in that whole
lifestyle of running clubs?
00:15:36.90\00:15:40.54
Shed some light upon that?
00:15:40.57\00:15:41.90
I had to eat, I mean, you know,
I couldn't get a job anywhere
00:15:41.94\00:15:44.77
and I mean, so that was one of
the means for me to make money.
00:15:44.81\00:15:51.45
And so, that was
the easiest thing.
00:15:51.48\00:15:56.52
And the most legal
thing outside of, you know,
00:15:56.55\00:15:58.79
hustling and
selling drugs, you know.
00:15:58.82\00:16:01.09
So that was, that was
just my means of making money.
00:16:01.12\00:16:06.19
What was it like trying to run,
run a strip club and you know
00:16:06.23\00:16:10.77
thing surrounded,
surrounded with the club thing.
00:16:10.80\00:16:13.13
Because, you
know, a lot of times,
00:16:13.17\00:16:14.50
the reason I'm asking because
a lot of times young people
00:16:14.54\00:16:17.01
gravitate to the club.
00:16:17.04\00:16:18.37
You know, they
gravitate to the strip club.
00:16:18.41\00:16:19.77
They gravitate to
whatever kind of club.
00:16:19.81\00:16:21.84
They see it,
they think it's fun.
00:16:21.88\00:16:23.38
See it on music videos
whatever and they think it's fun
00:16:23.41\00:16:25.48
all the drinking that's going
and drugs that are being used.
00:16:25.51\00:16:28.22
And I remember
when I was younger,
00:16:28.25\00:16:31.25
it seemed like almost every club
00:16:31.29\00:16:32.62
I would go to
always got shot up.
00:16:32.65\00:16:34.16
Just always got shot up.
00:16:34.19\00:16:37.46
And there's people
that, young people especially
00:16:37.49\00:16:40.43
that are interested in going
to these clubs or whatever.
00:16:40.46\00:16:43.60
But they don't know
the reality of everything
00:16:43.63\00:16:46.10
that's going on there.
00:16:46.13\00:16:47.90
So if you could shed some light,
00:16:47.94\00:16:49.27
shed some light upon that since
you ran a strip club yourself?
00:16:49.30\00:16:51.54
I would say the hardest thing
of what people got to realize
00:16:51.57\00:16:54.74
is it's all-- I
mean it's all illusion.
00:16:54.78\00:16:57.75
Yeah, definitely, I
agree. It's all illusion.
00:16:57.78\00:17:00.65
And I mean for lack of
better, better words I mean,
00:17:00.68\00:17:05.09
it's like to me, you see it
00:17:05.12\00:17:08.56
and you think it's
glamour or whatever have you
00:17:08.59\00:17:10.96
but those are not,
that's not real life.
00:17:10.99\00:17:14.93
Yeah, definitely.
It definitely is not.
00:17:14.96\00:17:16.40
You know, it's not real
life at all and is only assert.
00:17:16.43\00:17:21.74
The world is not
built around that, you know.
00:17:21.77\00:17:24.01
And there's only a
certain amount of things that,
00:17:24.04\00:17:27.38
you know, you're
going to get out of it.
00:17:27.41\00:17:28.74
There's nothing good
gonna come out of the club.
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.11
Definitely.
00:17:30.15\00:17:31.48
You know, and you know
00:17:31.51\00:17:33.15
young people have to understand
00:17:33.18\00:17:34.52
that ain't a place
you really want to be.
00:17:34.55\00:17:38.15
You know, you said
something interesting,
00:17:38.19\00:17:39.55
where you said everything
is kind of like an illusion.
00:17:39.59\00:17:42.46
You know, I
remember being younger
00:17:42.49\00:17:44.13
and, you know,
watching hip-hop music videos.
00:17:44.16\00:17:46.63
And you see the money
being flashed around and.
00:17:46.66\00:17:48.86
You know, even going
to clubs and you see money
00:17:48.90\00:17:50.80
especially strip
clubs see a money
00:17:50.83\00:17:52.17
flashed around and
different things like that.
00:17:52.20\00:17:54.07
And it wasn't till
years later I found out that,
00:17:54.10\00:17:56.74
that stuff ain't any
real, the money is not real.
00:17:56.77\00:17:59.44
A lot of the times the cars
00:17:59.47\00:18:00.81
that the people
are driving into,
00:18:00.84\00:18:02.18
they will rent it,
they're not even their cars.
00:18:02.21\00:18:04.38
People are photoshopped
and everything like that
00:18:04.41\00:18:06.41
surrounding the
look the way they appear
00:18:06.45\00:18:08.62
and it's like what you
say, it's all an illusion.
00:18:08.65\00:18:11.52
And it's interesting
00:18:11.55\00:18:12.89
how the devil makes
things so attractive
00:18:12.92\00:18:15.72
but it's not even real.
00:18:15.76\00:18:17.09
It's so false, but
talk about, talk about
00:18:17.13\00:18:21.50
how through the
drinking and drugs,
00:18:21.53\00:18:23.87
it led kind of like a spiral
effect downhill for your life?
00:18:23.90\00:18:27.77
Well, the drinking like
we spoke about earlier is
00:18:27.80\00:18:32.47
what I tried to cover up
00:18:32.51\00:18:35.14
all the pain of
whatever have you with that.
00:18:35.18\00:18:36.71
Okay.
00:18:36.75\00:18:38.08
'Cause when you're
drinking and whatever,
00:18:38.11\00:18:39.45
you're on drugs, you gonna fall,
00:18:39.48\00:18:41.02
you gonna lose, you
literally lose you know.
00:18:41.05\00:18:43.49
You live in a false,
false life within yourself.
00:18:43.52\00:18:46.42
Yeah.
00:18:46.45\00:18:47.79
So what drinking
and the drugs did is
00:18:47.82\00:18:51.23
basically
suppress the foundation
00:18:51.26\00:18:53.90
that I was raised with.
00:18:53.93\00:18:55.26
And it allowed me
to rationalize my sin
00:18:55.30\00:18:58.50
or rationalize my guilt.
00:18:58.53\00:18:59.90
That's what
basically what the drinking
00:18:59.93\00:19:01.47
and the alcohol did for me.
00:19:01.50\00:19:02.84
Okay, okay.
00:19:02.87\00:19:04.21
Now looking back on your
life, through the military,
00:19:04.24\00:19:06.68
through the club
scene, through the drinking,
00:19:06.71\00:19:10.91
the drugs,
different things like that.
00:19:10.95\00:19:12.55
What are some of the
things that you would change?
00:19:12.58\00:19:14.88
And some of the things that
you wouldn't change and why?
00:19:14.92\00:19:18.89
If there's one thing,
and it's going to be--
00:19:18.92\00:19:22.29
The statement going to seem
00:19:22.32\00:19:23.66
kind of
contradictory but it's not.
00:19:23.69\00:19:25.33
Okay.
00:19:25.36\00:19:26.70
I would like to not have made
the mistakes that I have made.
00:19:26.73\00:19:30.07
Okay.
00:19:30.10\00:19:31.47
But in the same
breath, I'm glad I did
00:19:31.50\00:19:33.60
because it let me
see God for myself.
00:19:33.64\00:19:36.20
It showed me the power of God
and where He can bring you out.
00:19:36.24\00:19:40.68
Well, God is the
way where you at.
00:19:40.71\00:19:42.51
Yeah, definitely.
00:19:42.54\00:19:43.88
Even when you don't
want to help yourself,
00:19:43.91\00:19:45.25
He can still pull you out.
00:19:45.28\00:19:46.61
Yeah, definitely. You
know, God 'cause see out.
00:19:46.65\00:19:48.38
He see besides you ask,
He know what your heart is.
00:19:48.42\00:19:50.55
Yeah.
00:19:50.59\00:19:51.92
So, you know--
00:19:51.95\00:19:53.32
Yeah, I wouldn't have liked
to have been lot of situations.
00:19:53.36\00:19:56.69
But it taught me
how to lean on God
00:19:56.73\00:20:00.36
and to see what God is
talking about virtually.
00:20:00.40\00:20:02.93
I mean, you read the
Bible and that's great.
00:20:02.96\00:20:05.20
But when you
experience God for yourself...
00:20:05.23\00:20:06.90
Yeah, definitely.
00:20:06.94\00:20:08.27
He's gonna make
some big difference.
00:20:08.30\00:20:09.64
Definitely.
00:20:09.67\00:20:11.01
And you know, I joke
with my mom all the time
00:20:11.04\00:20:12.37
and I say, "Mama I've taught you
00:20:12.41\00:20:13.74
how to pray."
00:20:13.78\00:20:15.11
How to pray. Yeah,
I know you'd go there.
00:20:15.14\00:20:16.48
You know, I
taught you how to pray.
00:20:16.51\00:20:17.85
Definitely.
00:20:17.88\00:20:19.21
And just my own life
spirit, it just show me truly
00:20:19.25\00:20:21.65
who God is and what He can do.
00:20:21.68\00:20:23.45
Yeah. Yeah.
00:20:23.49\00:20:24.82
You know, people
read about a miracle.
00:20:24.85\00:20:26.19
But God showed me
miracle my whole life,
00:20:26.22\00:20:28.02
Yeah. Definitely.
00:20:28.06\00:20:29.39
so it means more to me.
00:20:29.42\00:20:30.76
Definitely, you
know it's interesting how
00:20:30.79\00:20:33.66
even when I came
back into the church.
00:20:33.70\00:20:35.53
I left for a number of years,
grew up Seventh-day Adventist
00:20:35.56\00:20:37.53
and came back.
00:20:37.57\00:20:38.90
And I had made a decision that
00:20:38.93\00:20:41.00
I was going to
read the word every day.
00:20:41.04\00:20:42.64
No matter what I did today.
00:20:42.67\00:20:44.01
I was going to read the word
00:20:44.04\00:20:45.44
and I was going to
read the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:20:45.47\00:20:46.81
I'll read a chapter
out of the Bible everyday.
00:20:46.84\00:20:48.98
And I will read a chapter
out of Patriarchs and Prophets.
00:20:49.01\00:20:51.65
And I notice that, you know,
00:20:51.68\00:20:54.25
the Bible isn't
just a book of words.
00:20:54.28\00:20:56.38
You know, this
is a... If this is,
00:20:56.42\00:20:57.95
if God's word created
the world out of nothing,
00:20:57.99\00:21:01.92
then He can automatically
just through His word,
00:21:01.96\00:21:04.49
recreate a person's life.
00:21:04.53\00:21:06.06
And I saw that in my
life how He was able to
00:21:06.09\00:21:09.13
just through reading,
just through reading the word,
00:21:09.16\00:21:11.47
just the power
and experiencing God
00:21:11.50\00:21:13.17
for myself.
00:21:13.20\00:21:14.54
I saw how He can
just change a person
00:21:14.57\00:21:16.91
just through some words.
00:21:16.94\00:21:18.27
It was powerful.
00:21:18.31\00:21:19.64
Now, looking back
00:21:19.67\00:21:21.18
when after you've
made changes in your life--
00:21:21.21\00:21:22.84
Matter of fact, what
brought you to that point
00:21:22.88\00:21:24.75
of realizing that you needed
to make a change in your life?
00:21:24.78\00:21:27.55
The murder charge.
00:21:27.58\00:21:28.92
Okay. Talk about that?
00:21:28.95\00:21:30.29
The murder charge
because I was at a point in life
00:21:30.32\00:21:33.19
where, if those guys
decided to collaborate a story.
00:21:33.22\00:21:38.53
My life would
have been over. Okay.
00:21:38.56\00:21:40.46
So that and also just failure.
00:21:40.50\00:21:44.37
You know, even when
running the strip clubs,
00:21:44.40\00:21:47.00
-- everything I've
done, it was only short lived,
00:21:47.04\00:21:51.64
it never lasted throughout.
00:21:51.67\00:21:54.11
Okay.
00:21:54.14\00:21:55.48
And so, it wasn't of God
so it was not going to last.
00:21:55.51\00:21:59.68
I mean, you know
and that basically
00:22:00.22\00:22:01.55
what God had to show me.
00:22:01.58\00:22:02.92
Okay.
00:22:02.95\00:22:04.29
You know, you could have a
lot of talent this and that
00:22:04.32\00:22:05.65
but if you don't put Him
first, it's not going to last.
00:22:05.69\00:22:07.52
Yeah, definitely, definitely.
00:22:07.56\00:22:08.99
Now, looking back and
realizing where you're at now.
00:22:09.02\00:22:12.49
What do you think for--
00:22:12.53\00:22:13.86
'cause you grew up in a
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:22:13.90\00:22:15.23
just like I grew up in
00:22:15.26\00:22:16.60
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
00:22:16.63\00:22:17.97
What do you think will
help with the young people
00:22:18.00\00:22:20.30
that are, you know,
00:22:20.34\00:22:22.00
because a lot of
the young people,
00:22:22.04\00:22:23.37
they're tired of church.
00:22:23.41\00:22:24.74
They get to certain
age and they're gone.
00:22:24.77\00:22:26.24
And it's like we
have this gap in church
00:22:26.27\00:22:28.48
where you are either
real young or real old,
00:22:28.51\00:22:31.15
but that middle group
is missing that young.
00:22:31.18\00:22:33.48
What do you think
some of the things
00:22:33.52\00:22:35.45
might need to be
done to help young people
00:22:35.48\00:22:37.49
see the need to stay in church.
00:22:37.52\00:22:39.69
Well, I mean one thing I think
00:22:39.72\00:22:42.82
and it might not
be a popular answer,
00:22:42.86\00:22:44.29
but I think there's need
to be new blood in the church
00:22:44.33\00:22:48.16
for as your
leadership, your pastors.
00:22:48.20\00:22:50.17
I think that
there's a new generation
00:22:50.20\00:22:52.90
and that the new generation,
00:22:52.93\00:22:56.04
the way they view life in a way
someone maybe older views life.
00:22:56.07\00:23:01.94
There's a, there's a gap. Okay.
00:23:01.98\00:23:04.25
And I think in order to...
00:23:04.28\00:23:05.61
Because, if you
look at the church,
00:23:05.65\00:23:06.98
you either have a older
group or a very younger group.
00:23:07.02\00:23:11.55
But someone our
age is no one there
00:23:11.59\00:23:15.12
but, you don't see
anyone in leadership
00:23:15.16\00:23:18.39
that you can see kind
of like this program here,
00:23:18.43\00:23:21.00
which I mean.
00:23:21.03\00:23:22.36
I thank the Lord for being on
00:23:22.40\00:23:23.73
'cause it's shown
that you don't have to wait
00:23:23.77\00:23:26.17
till you're 50 or 60 old
to make a change in your life.
00:23:26.20\00:23:29.94
So I think that that
age group would be touch
00:23:29.97\00:23:34.78
by having younger
leadership as well as
00:23:34.81\00:23:37.58
people in the church
has been more loving,
00:23:37.61\00:23:40.12
more loving less judgmental
00:23:40.15\00:23:42.55
and not looking at
what a person does.
00:23:42.58\00:23:45.92
You know, I hear
people speak about,
00:23:45.95\00:23:48.59
you know, jewelry
00:23:48.62\00:23:50.19
or wearing this or wearing that.
00:23:50.23\00:23:53.09
And my thing is I'm not
saying that's not important.
00:23:53.13\00:23:57.17
Yeah.
00:23:57.20\00:23:58.53
But what I'm saying
is let's give people God,
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.97
give them love
and then let it love
00:24:01.00\00:24:03.20
and through God
that be the conviction.
00:24:03.24\00:24:04.77
Okay.
00:24:04.81\00:24:06.14
So I think focus need to be on
00:24:06.17\00:24:07.71
making people
fall in love with God
00:24:07.74\00:24:09.81
and allow Him to convict them...
00:24:09.84\00:24:11.41
Okay.
00:24:11.45\00:24:12.78
In order to get all the way
00:24:12.81\00:24:14.15
because everyone has
skeletons in their closets.
00:24:14.18\00:24:18.65
I might just not
be able to understand
00:24:18.69\00:24:20.22
if she would have come from.
00:24:20.26\00:24:21.59
Yeah.
00:24:21.62\00:24:22.96
You know and it's all a process.
00:24:22.99\00:24:24.33
Okay, now talk about
00:24:24.36\00:24:25.83
the coming from the
lifestyle that you came from,
00:24:25.86\00:24:29.10
and where you are now,
00:24:29.13\00:24:30.47
talk about the
joy that you have now
00:24:30.50\00:24:33.34
versus the false
happiness that you had before
00:24:33.37\00:24:35.60
because you stated
that everything you did
00:24:35.64\00:24:37.71
only lasted for short time.
00:24:37.74\00:24:39.67
So talk about that comparison
00:24:39.71\00:24:41.18
between the true
joy with Jesus Christ
00:24:41.21\00:24:44.11
versus that false
happiness from living,
00:24:44.15\00:24:46.98
living in the world?
00:24:47.02\00:24:48.42
Well, far as I like
money, I used to chase money
00:24:48.45\00:24:51.25
that's why I,
that's why I did so much
00:24:51.29\00:24:53.99
because I would never scared
of really get out there and try,
00:24:54.02\00:24:56.22
I've always been a go getter.
00:24:56.26\00:24:57.59
Yeah, definitely.
00:24:57.63\00:24:58.96
But one thing that
God have shown me is that
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.63
life is about quality.
00:25:01.66\00:25:03.00
Okay. Versus quantity.
00:25:03.03\00:25:04.63
Amen.
00:25:04.67\00:25:06.00
And the joy of
Christ, knowing Christ,
00:25:06.03\00:25:11.21
doing the right thing, I
mean, that's quality of life.
00:25:11.24\00:25:15.11
Definitely.
00:25:15.14\00:25:16.48
And that if you put God at first
00:25:16.51\00:25:20.95
in everything you do.
00:25:20.98\00:25:22.32
Yeah.
00:25:22.35\00:25:23.69
I'm not gonna say
it's not gonna be easy road
00:25:23.72\00:25:25.05
'cause it's not.
00:25:25.09\00:25:26.42
But even when
that road is tough,
00:25:26.45\00:25:28.29
you still gonna have peace
as you're going along there.
00:25:28.32\00:25:30.16
Yeah. Amen.
00:25:30.19\00:25:31.53
You know, now you can have
all the money in the world.
00:25:31.56\00:25:34.06
But if you ain't got
no peace what you got it,
00:25:34.10\00:25:36.33
then it doesn't amount to none,
so for me it's about peace.
00:25:36.36\00:25:40.10
You know, I say to people now,
00:25:40.14\00:25:42.07
if the money and
the stress don't add up,
00:25:42.10\00:25:44.11
you can keep the money.
00:25:44.14\00:25:45.81
You know, because I have learned
00:25:45.84\00:25:47.18
in my life, you know.
00:25:47.21\00:25:48.74
And one thing about it.
00:25:48.78\00:25:50.55
God don't want us
to be down in the dumps
00:25:50.58\00:25:53.11
and begging for
bread or anything.
00:25:53.15\00:25:56.02
You know so, that's the
thing quality versus quantity.
00:25:56.05\00:26:01.52
Yeah, I definitely
believe that and you know
00:26:01.56\00:26:03.22
it's interesting
that even a lot of people
00:26:03.26\00:26:05.73
that are millionaires, a
lot of these movie stars,
00:26:05.76\00:26:08.60
hip-hop stars,
different things like that.
00:26:08.63\00:26:10.53
It's interesting to see
00:26:10.57\00:26:11.90
how many drugs that they are on.
00:26:11.93\00:26:13.27
And how many have
committed suicide overdosing
00:26:13.30\00:26:16.94
different things like that.
00:26:16.97\00:26:18.44
And you find at the
root that they're not happy,
00:26:18.47\00:26:20.68
and the bottom-line is
that when God created humanity,
00:26:20.71\00:26:23.98
He put kind of like
this lock and key method.
00:26:24.01\00:26:26.11
That the only
way you find true joy
00:26:26.15\00:26:28.08
is through Jesus Christ.
00:26:28.12\00:26:29.58
Everything else is like
a mask, it's a cover up,
00:26:29.62\00:26:31.95
the money cover up.
00:26:31.99\00:26:33.49
The drugs are cover up.
00:26:33.52\00:26:35.09
Having sex with multiple people,
00:26:35.12\00:26:36.46
it's all a cover up.
00:26:36.49\00:26:37.83
But their true joy only
comes from Jesus Christ.
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.40
What I want you to do
for about the next 30 seconds
00:26:40.43\00:26:43.33
is I want you to
appeal to that young person
00:26:43.37\00:26:45.70
that is, you know,
interested in the club scene,
00:26:45.73\00:26:47.94
interested in
making money using drugs.
00:26:47.97\00:26:49.60
And I want you to
appeal to that young person
00:26:49.64\00:26:51.51
why they should choose
Jesus over those things?
00:26:51.54\00:26:54.94
Young people I tell you today.
00:26:54.98\00:26:57.48
When you realize that
God no matter what loves you,
00:26:57.51\00:27:03.55
then He will supply you with
all the things that you think,
00:27:03.59\00:27:08.66
keyword think, that
you're missing in life.
00:27:08.69\00:27:12.13
And the one joy that
you will get is a peace.
00:27:12.16\00:27:16.67
Yes.
00:27:16.70\00:27:18.03
That will pass
all understanding.
00:27:18.07\00:27:20.37
And just know that
when you go out to the clubs
00:27:20.40\00:27:26.68
and you know all
the things that you know
00:27:26.71\00:27:28.38
you shouldn't be doing,
00:27:28.41\00:27:30.61
you're not going
to have that peace.
00:27:30.65\00:27:32.15
And so no matter
how much money you make.
00:27:32.18\00:27:34.42
No matter how much
fun you think you have it.
00:27:34.45\00:27:36.79
Without that peace
and quality, it's nothing.
00:27:36.82\00:27:40.02
Amen, amen. Well said, Greg.
00:27:40.06\00:27:42.39
We like to thank you for
being on the program once again.
00:27:42.42\00:27:45.79
Thank you for tuning in to
00:27:45.83\00:27:47.16
another exciting
episode of The New Journey.
00:27:47.20\00:27:50.13
We hope that you
join us next time
00:27:50.17\00:27:52.13
on another exciting program.
00:27:52.17\00:27:53.90