Stay tuned to meet one of my best friends 00:00:01.06\00:00:03.28 on the planet... who is doing great things for God 00:00:03.31\00:00:06.09 My name is Yvonne Lewis and you're watching 00:00:06.12\00:00:08.76 Urban Report... 00:00:08.79\00:00:10.13 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:31.37\00:00:33.92 My guest today is Yolanda Palmer 00:00:33.95\00:00:36.43 Singer, Writer, Producer, and one of my dearest friends. 00:00:36.47\00:00:41.67 Welcome to Urban Report Precious... 00:00:41.70\00:00:43.28 Thank you Yvonne... 00:00:43.32\00:00:44.66 so good to have you... a lot of our viewers know you 00:00:44.69\00:00:48.39 because you have been a part of 3ABN's family for a long time 00:00:48.43\00:00:52.56 coming back and forth, but some don't... 00:00:52.59\00:00:54.79 and I'd like for them to really kind of know your story... 00:00:54.83\00:00:59.00 So, let's talk about your journey... a bit... 00:00:59.04\00:01:01.93 and let people know where you came from... 00:01:01.97\00:01:05.00 Okay... well... it's interesting because 00:01:05.03\00:01:08.02 back in 1985... along with yourself 00:01:08.06\00:01:10.97 we were both singing jingles and doing a lot of work 00:01:11.00\00:01:15.25 in the world... and making a lot of money... 00:01:15.28\00:01:17.91 and God is so amazing... I was brought up in a 00:01:17.94\00:01:20.64 Christian home... but never became converted... 00:01:20.67\00:01:23.33 Hmmm... And once I moved to New York 00:01:23.36\00:01:25.44 and studied music and we began to sing 00:01:25.48\00:01:27.49 and do all of those things... making all the money... 00:01:27.52\00:01:30.24 having all the furs and the diamonds... 00:01:30.28\00:01:32.05 and all those things... 00:01:32.08\00:01:33.15 my sister came to me and she said, 00:01:33.19\00:01:34.59 "Yolanda, when are you going to give your life to Jesus? 00:01:34.63\00:01:37.94 because all the material wealth in the world 00:01:37.97\00:01:40.74 one day... is going to burn up" Hmmm... you know what... 00:01:40.78\00:01:43.99 I have to stop you for a second Lala... 00:01:44.03\00:01:45.87 Viewers... you need to know you know how I give you 00:01:45.91\00:01:49.90 all the 411 right? You have to know 00:01:49.94\00:01:52.84 that Yolanda was a game changer when she came to the job 00:01:52.88\00:01:58.01 with the jingles and stuff... she was dressed to the nines 00:01:58.05\00:02:03.15 she raised the game... on the studio... 00:02:03.18\00:02:06.67 furs and diamonds... and... to a job in the studio... 00:02:06.71\00:02:10.78 she always looked fabulous... okay, so... go ahead Yolanda... 00:02:10.82\00:02:13.54 Oh my... why... I had to say that... 00:02:13.57\00:02:15.17 I don't know why... I had to let them know 00:02:15.20\00:02:16.94 why, you know, what the real deal was... 00:02:16.97\00:02:18.88 okay, go on... You know, I praise the Lord 00:02:18.92\00:02:20.60 Yvonne... because... since then... 00:02:20.63\00:02:22.24 God revealed to me that even though I thought I was 00:02:22.28\00:02:24.60 fantastically dressed and all of that... 00:02:24.63\00:02:26.85 the Lord revealed to me that I was looking like 00:02:26.88\00:02:29.03 Jezebel's sister... Oh... 00:02:29.07\00:02:31.41 So now, He totally... thank God, has changed that for me 00:02:31.44\00:02:35.47 because... that was my god... as you know... 00:02:35.51\00:02:37.68 so, God is good... God is good... 00:02:37.71\00:02:40.70 but, you know, after going through that experience 00:02:40.73\00:02:43.20 with... singing for the world, making all the money 00:02:43.23\00:02:45.74 doing all those things... it turned out that my sister 00:02:45.77\00:02:48.25 came and visited me one day and she said, 00:02:48.28\00:02:49.48 "Yolanda, when are you going to give your life to the Lord?" 00:02:49.51\00:02:51.58 And I said... Well, you know... 00:02:51.61\00:02:53.00 I'm doing so well... I said... 00:02:53.03\00:02:54.35 "Why would I want to do that?" I said, "because I'm enjoying 00:02:54.38\00:02:57.94 what I'm doing... I'm making all this money, 00:02:57.98\00:02:59.49 I don't have any problems... " so I said, 00:02:59.52\00:03:00.96 "People need the Lord... when they have problems and issues" 00:03:01.00\00:03:04.15 so, she looked at me... she says "Oh Yolanda, don't you realize 00:03:04.19\00:03:07.31 that one day when Jesus comes... 00:03:07.35\00:03:09.10 if you're not in Christ... you're going to die... 00:03:09.13\00:03:11.76 an eternal death... " and I thought, 00:03:11.80\00:03:13.78 "Well, Sonya, are you sure about that?" 00:03:13.81\00:03:15.76 She said, "I'm positive... " she said, "Read the Bible... 00:03:15.80\00:03:18.25 we were brought up in the Church you understand these things... " 00:03:18.28\00:03:20.52 so I said, "Well, look, just pray for me... 00:03:20.55\00:03:22.68 if my life's ever threatened... 00:03:22.71\00:03:24.29 that the Lord will give me a moment to say... a prayer... " 00:03:24.32\00:03:27.15 and when we all get to heaven I'll be there too... " 00:03:27.18\00:03:30.47 So you just kind of brushed it off a bit... 00:03:30.97\00:03:34.13 feeling like... that salvation is for someone else 00:03:34.16\00:03:38.31 but not for you... Yes... that's right... 00:03:38.34\00:03:40.30 "when I get older," I told her, "when I finish my life, you know 00:03:40.34\00:03:44.79 what I want to do now... " I said, 00:03:44.82\00:03:46.35 "then... I'll give my life to Jesus. " 00:03:46.39\00:03:48.30 and she said, "Yolanda, the Bible says... 00:03:48.34\00:03:50.32 tomorrow... is not promised to you... " 00:03:50.35\00:03:52.30 Hmmm... She said, 00:03:52.33\00:03:53.66 "Give your life to the Lord now 00:03:53.69\00:03:54.89 before it's too late... " 00:03:54.92\00:03:55.96 so I said, "No," I said, "Sonya, I'm really not ready 00:03:55.99\00:03:58.96 to do that... but... pray for me and... one day... 00:03:58.99\00:04:01.84 the Lord is going to call me to give my life to Him... " 00:04:01.88\00:04:03.89 so she prayed for me, Yvonne, thinking... "Yolanda will never 00:04:03.93\00:04:07.39 give her life to the Lord... she's got all this 00:04:07.43\00:04:09.52 material wealth and friends and she's hanging out with 00:04:09.55\00:04:11.75 people like Luther and singing with people like 00:04:11.79\00:04:14.69 Michael Jackson and all these famous people... 00:04:14.72\00:04:17.56 she'll never do it... " and so, about a month later 00:04:17.59\00:04:21.18 I was traveling... on a plane... and, as you know, 00:04:21.21\00:04:24.77 we traveled and did all kinds of things... 00:04:24.80\00:04:26.55 and so I was singing with Ashford and Simpson at that time 00:04:26.58\00:04:28.83 and while I'm on the plane... it turns out... 00:04:28.86\00:04:31.60 it was three in the morning... the plane began to have 00:04:31.64\00:04:33.95 turbulence because we had flown into a terrible storm... 00:04:33.99\00:04:36.27 a stewardess woke everybody up with a flashlight... 00:04:36.30\00:04:38.53 and says, "Be prepared... 00:04:38.56\00:04:40.75 we don't know what's going to happen 00:04:40.79\00:04:42.05 but be ready... " and when she said, 00:04:42.08\00:04:44.68 "be ready"... the Holy Spirit said, 00:04:44.71\00:04:47.27 "You're not ready... " 00:04:47.31\00:04:48.45 Oh... And every time I think about it, 00:04:48.48\00:04:51.37 I just want to choke up and cry, because... God is so merciful... 00:04:51.40\00:04:57.40 He is... He is... and He heard my little prayer... 00:04:57.43\00:05:01.01 and the plane leveled off we flew safely 00:05:01.04\00:05:04.54 to our destination and that's when you and I met... 00:05:04.57\00:05:07.58 as Christian sisters... or sisters to say, 00:05:07.61\00:05:12.46 "You know, we'd better get ready... " 00:05:12.50\00:05:14.34 Because the Lord was dealing with me... 00:05:14.37\00:05:16.18 Yes on the other end... 00:05:16.21\00:05:18.01 Yes... you know and I had started 00:05:18.05\00:05:19.99 to come back to Him too because I had left 00:05:20.02\00:05:23.79 the Church for a while I was raised as an Adventist... 00:05:23.82\00:05:25.61 and I'd left the Church for a while 00:05:25.64\00:05:27.76 Right... so, when you came back... 00:05:27.79\00:05:29.83 Hmmm... hmmm... and your life had changed... 00:05:29.87\00:05:32.88 and I had started... reading the Word... 00:05:32.91\00:05:35.85 and started studying... we started studying together 00:05:35.89\00:05:39.64 Yes... it's so... God is so good... 00:05:39.67\00:05:42.99 Yes... Amen... so many of our young people 00:05:43.03\00:05:46.45 I call her "Lala" so... so many of our 00:05:46.48\00:05:49.83 young people Lala... think that money and fame... 00:05:49.86\00:05:53.85 just give you everything... Yes... 00:05:53.88\00:05:56.80 and what we found... hmmm... hmmm... 00:05:56.84\00:05:59.73 is that... it's nothing... 00:05:59.76\00:06:01.78 I'd never go back to that... 00:06:01.81\00:06:03.76 Amen, praise God... Amen... Never... 00:06:03.79\00:06:05.64 Yes... because this is 00:06:05.68\00:06:07.35 the abundant life... Yes, it is... 00:06:07.38\00:06:09.14 and so, what you're saying... and what I know 00:06:09.18\00:06:12.23 our viewers are hearing... is that 00:06:12.26\00:06:14.07 that one prayer... was pivotal in your life... 00:06:14.11\00:06:17.13 Yes... absolutely... It turned everything around 00:06:17.16\00:06:20.15 and from then on... Hmmm... hmmm... 00:06:20.18\00:06:22.64 you began to seek God in a whole new way... 00:06:22.67\00:06:25.29 Yeah... yes, yes... What happened in your life 00:06:25.32\00:06:27.87 when you made that decision? Well, what happened was 00:06:27.90\00:06:30.87 I called my sister and I said, 00:06:30.91\00:06:32.65 "You won't believe it... " I said, 00:06:32.69\00:06:34.37 "I think I'm a born-again Christian because 00:06:34.40\00:06:36.81 I feel different... I feel like I want the Lord, 00:06:36.84\00:06:40.49 that I want to know Him... " and she says, 00:06:40.53\00:06:42.28 "Yes, did you pray... what did you do?" 00:06:42.32\00:06:44.01 and I said, "Yeah, I just asked the Lord to come into my heart 00:06:44.04\00:06:46.65 forgive me for my sins, and if He would 00:06:46.68\00:06:48.21 give me power... to overcome the world 00:06:48.24\00:06:50.53 and the things of the world, then I would give my life to Him 00:06:50.57\00:06:53.53 and serve Him for the rest of my life... " 00:06:53.56\00:06:55.61 She said, "You are born again" she said, 00:06:55.65\00:06:57.44 "The Lord heard that prayer... " she said, 00:06:57.48\00:06:59.37 "Now just study... read the Word of God 00:06:59.40\00:07:01.25 and pray and ask Him what His will is... 00:07:01.29\00:07:03.19 for your life... " when I did that... 00:07:03.23\00:07:05.06 I came back to New York, from the other trip 00:07:05.10\00:07:07.22 and I saw you at a session, and I said, 00:07:07.25\00:07:10.11 "Yvonne! you won't believe what happened... " 00:07:10.15\00:07:12.83 so I told you all about it... 00:07:12.87\00:07:14.58 and you were like, "Lala, this is amazing... 00:07:14.62\00:07:17.52 because your grandmother had called you to come to Church 00:07:17.56\00:07:20.05 and Pastor C.A. Murray was the pastor... 00:07:20.08\00:07:23.57 Exactly... Oh, I'm getting chills... this is so good 00:07:23.61\00:07:26.08 you said, "Lala, come to Church with me... 00:07:26.12\00:07:28.01 let's go to Church together... " and I said, 00:07:28.04\00:07:29.90 "Well, Yvonne" I said, "Okay... " 00:07:29.93\00:07:31.56 I said "but... " and you said, 00:07:31.60\00:07:32.94 "Okay, but there's one thing... " 00:07:32.98\00:07:34.25 and I said, "Well, what's that?" you said, 00:07:34.29\00:07:36.22 "I go to Church on the Sabbath" I said, 00:07:36.25\00:07:38.24 "Well I've been reading about that but I didn't know 00:07:38.28\00:07:40.01 Black people went to Church on the Sabbath... 00:07:40.05\00:07:41.58 I thought it was just for the Jews... " 00:07:41.61\00:07:43.07 so you said, "No, come and go to Church with me... 00:07:43.11\00:07:45.35 we have a new pastor... it's C.A. Murray... 00:07:45.38\00:07:47.22 and you've got to hear him preach... " 00:07:47.26\00:07:49.07 so we started going to Church together... 00:07:49.10\00:07:50.84 but you kept going with me for a little while... 00:07:50.87\00:07:53.22 to the Sunday Church, because I said, 00:07:53.25\00:07:54.56 "If you go with me... I'll go with you... " 00:07:54.60\00:07:56.45 so we traded off... then you kind of like... 00:07:56.48\00:07:58.52 "Okay... Yolanda... that's enough... okay... " 00:07:58.56\00:08:00.53 "May the Lord help you" you know... "from here... " 00:08:00.56\00:08:03.02 and so, we begin to do the Friday night Bible Studies... 00:08:03.06\00:08:05.74 with all the seekers... 00:08:05.77\00:08:07.55 Oh, we need to hear about that because... 00:08:07.59\00:08:08.91 that... for me... that was so amazing... 00:08:08.95\00:08:12.81 we had all... a lot of our friends would come 00:08:12.84\00:08:16.02 we would sing... we would read the Word... 00:08:16.06\00:08:19.17 and we had people from different doctrinal foundations 00:08:19.21\00:08:23.76 they weren't Adventists necessarily 00:08:23.79\00:08:26.29 but they were all seeking... Yes... 00:08:26.33\00:08:28.76 and we would come together and sing and pray... 00:08:28.80\00:08:32.04 and have praise... to me that was... 00:08:32.08\00:08:34.28 every Friday night... we had the Bible Study... 00:08:34.32\00:08:36.50 it was phenomenal Yes... it was awesome... 00:08:36.53\00:08:38.68 And we're not talking about... 00:08:38.71\00:08:40.29 like last year... we're talking about in 1984 or 85 00:08:40.32\00:08:44.21 Yes... yes... and I remember you invited Roberta Flack 00:08:44.25\00:08:48.80 and we had a lot of models there and actors and actresses 00:08:48.83\00:08:53.08 and some really good pastors came.. John... what was his name 00:08:53.12\00:08:57.17 John... yeah... they would come and study with us... 00:08:57.21\00:09:03.16 John Nixon... Nixon... yes... Nixon... 00:09:03.19\00:09:05.15 so, it was an amazing time... and so, at that point, 00:09:05.18\00:09:08.05 you know... you all prayed for me 00:09:08.08\00:09:09.35 because I was going off to Uchee Pines... 00:09:09.38\00:09:10.79 and ended up at Uchee Pines... Okay... wait... 00:09:10.82\00:09:13.93 no, I'm not going to let you get away with that... 00:09:13.97\00:09:17.06 So, Yolanda decided that she was going to sell her clothes 00:09:17.09\00:09:23.31 because she wasn't going to take the same clothes to Uchee Pines 00:09:23.34\00:09:27.29 so... she had... if you could have seen it 00:09:27.33\00:09:31.81 it was like a store... I mean racks... 00:09:31.84\00:09:34.52 you literally had racks of clothing... 00:09:34.56\00:09:36.84 I know... I think I got a couple of 00:09:36.88\00:09:39.10 pairs of boots myself... Yes, you did... you did... 00:09:39.13\00:09:42.11 I got a couple of pairs of boots for myself... 00:09:42.15\00:09:43.95 You did... but you were determined... 00:09:43.99\00:09:46.02 Yeah... one thing about you Lala 00:09:46.06\00:09:47.82 that's always been... 00:09:47.86\00:09:48.90 when you were in the world... and since you've come back 00:09:48.93\00:09:51.61 to the Lord... Hmmm... hmmm... 00:09:51.64\00:09:52.95 is that... you've always been very disciplined... 00:09:52.99\00:09:55.38 Oh, praise God... 00:09:55.41\00:09:56.72 like when you had something... a goal or something 00:09:56.75\00:10:00.48 that you were trying to do... you were always focused... 00:10:00.52\00:10:03.60 and the other thing that our viewers should know... 00:10:03.64\00:10:05.38 is that... you were never like into the alcohol or the drugs... 00:10:05.41\00:10:10.63 because we used to go out sometimes... 00:10:10.66\00:10:12.29 and we weren't drinking... we weren't smoking... we weren't 00:10:12.32\00:10:14.74 but we were still lost... I mean, this... you know 00:10:14.77\00:10:17.14 we can't delude ourselves and think 00:10:17.17\00:10:18.92 we were... you know on the right path... 00:10:18.95\00:10:20.96 but we didn't get into all of that... 00:10:20.99\00:10:22.96 Yes... but yet... we were still 00:10:23.00\00:10:24.73 disillusioned... so, you sold... all of your stuff 00:10:24.77\00:10:28.93 Yes... praise God... and how did... tell our viewers 00:10:28.97\00:10:33.19 just how the Industry reacted to your conversion... 00:10:33.23\00:10:37.32 They thought I was crazy... okay... the people... 00:10:37.35\00:10:41.37 my friends... my family... the people in the Industry 00:10:41.40\00:10:45.25 saying, "Yolanda, but we always thought you were a Christian... 00:10:45.28\00:10:48.06 what do you mean you can't sing for Budweiser 00:10:48.10\00:10:51.82 or Michelob or any of these things or wine... or... 00:10:51.86\00:10:55.13 and I said, "Oh Burger King even... " 00:10:55.16\00:10:57.00 because.. you know... but anyway God is so amazing because... 00:10:57.04\00:11:00.17 when they would say to me, "What are you doing... 00:11:00.21\00:11:03.64 you're selling everything and you don't 00:11:03.68\00:11:05.31 dress like you used to," they said, 00:11:05.34\00:11:06.94 "You look dead... what have you done?" 00:11:06.97\00:11:09.54 and I said, "Praise the Lord, I'm dead in Christ... " 00:11:09.58\00:11:13.31 Hmmm... "and yet I'm alive... " 00:11:13.35\00:11:15.36 and so... that was... that was an incredible 00:11:15.40\00:11:17.40 experience for me because the Lord told me... 00:11:17.43\00:11:20.11 like the rich young ruler... "Go and sell all that you have 00:11:20.14\00:11:22.87 and then follow me... " Hmmm... yes... 00:11:22.91\00:11:25.20 And so, that's what I did... and just on that one day, Yvonne 00:11:25.24\00:11:27.65 with that sale... with my diamonds 00:11:27.68\00:11:29.54 and all these things... $20,000 worth of stuff 00:11:29.57\00:11:32.42 in that one day in Ashford and Simpson's home 00:11:32.46\00:11:35.27 was sold... unbelievable... $20,000... 00:11:35.31\00:11:37.65 $20,000... See, I wasn't exaggerating... 00:11:37.69\00:11:39.86 I wasn't exaggerating... when I said... 00:11:39.90\00:11:42.00 it was like a store... and I didn't know it was a 00:11:42.04\00:11:44.92 $20,000 price tag though... Yeah... yeah... 00:11:44.95\00:11:47.45 Wow... and then... gave the rest 00:11:47.48\00:11:48.96 of the stuff away that didn't sell... 00:11:49.00\00:11:51.35 to one of the... I think it was... 00:11:51.39\00:11:53.67 the "Eyes for the Blind for New York" 00:11:53.71\00:11:55.05 something like that... Yes... 00:11:55.09\00:11:56.69 But girl, I tell you... 00:11:56.72\00:11:57.86 I am free in Jesus... and I am so thankful... 00:11:57.90\00:12:01.62 Yes... there's no comparison... None... 00:12:01.66\00:12:03.44 there's no comparison... 00:12:03.48\00:12:04.66 and the gifts that God has given you... now you use them for Him. 00:12:04.70\00:12:09.31 Yes... Because when we sang about 00:12:09.35\00:12:10.94 you know, like, Potato Chips or Burger King or whatever, 00:12:10.98\00:12:14.50 when we did that 00:12:14.53\00:12:16.17 yeah... it was lucrative... Hmmm... hmmm... Oh yeah.. 00:12:16.20\00:12:18.94 but it didn't do anything for the spirit... 00:12:18.97\00:12:21.22 Right... right... I mean you go there 00:12:21.25\00:12:22.76 you go to work... you do it... you leave... you get money... 00:12:22.79\00:12:25.13 I mean... that part was really nice... 00:12:25.17\00:12:27.68 but there was nothing about it that was spiritually redemptive. 00:12:27.71\00:12:33.85 Right... right... and so now... 00:12:33.88\00:12:35.72 to now come full circle... use your gifts... for God... 00:12:35.76\00:12:40.16 Yes... What... I mean... 00:12:40.19\00:12:42.28 there's nothing better... nothing better... 00:12:42.32\00:12:44.78 but let's talk a little bit about Uchee Pines... 00:12:44.81\00:12:46.75 so you sold all your stuff... you went to Uchee Pines... 00:12:46.79\00:12:50.16 What were you going there for? Well, to be honest... 00:12:50.20\00:12:53.51 I was going there because a friend of mine... Judy and Todd 00:12:53.54\00:12:56.79 had told me... there was a young man they wanted me to meet... 00:12:56.82\00:12:59.64 so, you don't pause... oh boy... I remember that... 00:12:59.67\00:13:07.32 I went there thinking... 00:13:07.36\00:13:09.29 Okay God... it's been several years now... 00:13:09.32\00:13:12.57 I've been in the Church and, you know, okay, 00:13:12.60\00:13:15.40 it's time to get married... Yes... Amen... 00:13:15.43\00:13:18.16 and so I got there 00:13:18.19\00:13:19.39 and it wasn't God's will for me 00:13:19.42\00:13:22.63 for me to be with this person but it was because 00:13:22.67\00:13:25.11 He wanted to be my husband truly... 00:13:25.14\00:13:28.91 wanted to be my husband... God did... 00:13:28.95\00:13:31.80 God did... and so He showed me that... 00:13:31.83\00:13:33.24 that's not why I brought you here... 00:13:33.28\00:13:34.62 He showed me the Scripture... you know... 00:13:34.65\00:13:36.53 "The Lord thy God is your husband... " 00:13:36.57\00:13:38.42 and so I said, "Okay Lord, I'm going to be content 00:13:38.45\00:13:41.15 but... I can't stay here... " I said "Lord, I'm from New York" 00:13:41.18\00:13:44.40 you know... "and from the motor city... " 00:13:44.43\00:13:46.45 yeah, I'm in culture shock... and you know, 00:13:46.49\00:13:48.47 it was just amazing Yvonne because 00:13:48.51\00:13:50.14 people had on suspenders and they were saying.. "Y'all... " 00:13:50.18\00:13:53.53 you know... "I'm so happy y'all... are here... " 00:13:53.57\00:13:56.10 I was like... "No, no way... " but God is awesome... 00:13:56.13\00:14:00.78 because He wanted to humble me and teach me 00:14:00.82\00:14:03.16 and root me and ground me in the truth 00:14:03.19\00:14:04.98 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church... 00:14:05.01\00:14:06.69 through... the Biblical teaching... 00:14:06.73\00:14:08.33 and that's what he gave me there then He showed me how 00:14:08.37\00:14:11.05 to humble myself in that... because you know... 00:14:11.08\00:14:13.61 we were two sisters that had it going on with our apartments 00:14:13.65\00:14:17.95 we would have people come in and clean for us... 00:14:17.98\00:14:20.48 and iron our clothes and you know.. we were doing that 00:14:20.52\00:14:24.34 We were BAPs... Oh, they call us BAPs? 00:14:24.38\00:14:25.58 yeah, Black American Princesses. Oh my! I never heard that term, 00:14:25.62\00:14:30.14 but anyway... that's what we were in to... 00:14:30.17\00:14:32.20 the Lord had to take me to Uchee Pines... 00:14:32.24\00:14:34.19 in the country... you know... no lights... no flash... 00:14:34.23\00:14:37.58 no glamour and really convert me and so, while there, 00:14:37.62\00:14:40.42 the first job I had... even though I was going there 00:14:40.46\00:14:43.23 as a student... the first job they gave me... 00:14:43.26\00:14:45.42 and in conjunction with the studies... 00:14:45.46\00:14:48.81 I had to clean 8 toilets everyday... 00:14:48.84\00:14:52.12 for three months... I was shocked... I was in shock 00:14:52.15\00:14:56.22 Whoa... you went from the diamonds and furs 00:14:56.26\00:14:59.67 to cleaning... not that there's... 00:14:59.70\00:15:01.45 let's be clear... not that there's anything wrong 00:15:01.49\00:15:03.88 with cleaning toilets but we're just talking about 00:15:03.92\00:15:06.28 the difference... in... what you had to do... 00:15:06.32\00:15:09.51 Yes... yes... It really was eye-opening 00:15:09.54\00:15:11.95 for you... right... It was eye-opening, Yvonne, 00:15:11.99\00:15:15.94 and it was such a wake-up call, and so humbling and 00:15:15.98\00:15:19.90 it gave me that "servant attitude" 00:15:19.93\00:15:22.90 you know... "you're here to serve... not to be served... 00:15:22.93\00:15:25.62 but to serve... " and so when the Lord 00:15:25.66\00:15:27.94 taught me these wonderful lessons of sacrifice 00:15:27.98\00:15:31.79 and servitude... and all these things 00:15:31.82\00:15:33.56 that He wanted to teach me... how to "love" in Christ 00:15:33.59\00:15:36.19 you know... how to really be converted... 00:15:36.22\00:15:38.43 Yes... I was just so happy... 00:15:38.46\00:15:40.62 so thankful... and then I left Uchee Pines 00:15:40.65\00:15:43.85 after studying there... and studied the 00:15:43.88\00:15:47.03 Medical Missionary Work and all of that... 00:15:47.07\00:15:50.16 Which... we're going to come back to that... 00:15:50.19\00:15:53.22 which is so deep to me... because see God 00:15:53.26\00:15:56.22 even though you went down to Uchee Pines for one reason... 00:15:56.25\00:15:59.85 Yes... yes... Amen... you learned 00:15:59.89\00:16:01.70 the Medical Missionary work which is really is a part of... 00:16:01.73\00:16:05.25 where you are now... which we'll talk about... 00:16:05.28\00:16:07.81 Okay so you left Uchee Pines... you completed the Program... 00:16:07.85\00:16:11.33 I completed the Program... You left Uchee Pines... 00:16:11.36\00:16:13.51 where did you go? I ended up back in New York... 00:16:13.54\00:16:15.65 Okay... and at that point... 00:16:15.69\00:16:18.46 I was trying to see, "Okay, God what do you want me 00:16:18.50\00:16:20.98 to do now... you took me out of the jingle world 00:16:21.02\00:16:23.44 you separated me from the man I was going to marry... " 00:16:23.47\00:16:26.19 who was unfortunately not totally converted... 00:16:26.22\00:16:29.00 and you helped me with that remember? 00:16:29.04\00:16:30.74 You said I had to fast and pray about that... 00:16:30.78\00:16:34.77 We've helped each other through the years... 00:16:34.81\00:16:38.77 Yes... yes... So, God revealed to me 00:16:38.80\00:16:40.89 that wasn't what He wanted me to do... 00:16:40.92\00:16:44.20 and so, He just got me into singing... 00:16:44.23\00:16:47.47 as a singing evangelist... so I started singing 00:16:47.51\00:16:50.96 for different pastors... and traveling 00:16:50.99\00:16:53.76 and singing for people like Cleveland 00:16:53.80\00:16:56.50 and just different evangelists and that's kind of when 00:16:56.53\00:16:59.85 the Lord rooted me and grounded me.. in ministry... 00:16:59.88\00:17:03.23 and you and I kind of stayed in touch for a while... 00:17:03.27\00:17:06.55 and kept praying for each other and you were so encouraging 00:17:06.58\00:17:09.92 because God used you to bring me into the Church... 00:17:09.96\00:17:12.52 Well, praise the Lord... 00:17:12.56\00:17:13.99 you know, so it's an amazing thing... 00:17:14.03\00:17:15.10 along with Pastor Murray 00:17:15.14\00:17:16.31 it's amazing... For sure... for sure... 00:17:16.35\00:17:19.15 Yes... yes... So now, because our time 00:17:19.18\00:17:22.48 is going and I cannot believe where we are in time... 00:17:22.51\00:17:25.23 What are you doing... now... tell us about 00:17:25.27\00:17:29.76 your latest ministry... Yes, now, I'm, 00:17:29.80\00:17:34.23 thank God, married to the most wonderful man... 00:17:34.26\00:17:38.46 his name is Schubert Palmer... 00:17:38.50\00:17:40.81 Yea... Yea... 00:17:40.85\00:17:43.84 and you were there at our wedding... 00:17:43.88\00:17:46.35 and you were my Matron of Honor, I have to say... 00:17:46.38\00:17:49.19 It was the most beautiful wedding that I've ever been to, 00:17:49.22\00:17:52.52 not just because... of the aesthetics... 00:17:52.56\00:17:56.76 but the Spirit of God was so... 00:17:56.80\00:18:00.10 it was almost palpable... I could just sense His presence 00:18:00.13\00:18:04.57 and then... everybody sang, I mean, 00:18:04.61\00:18:08.00 I've never been to a wedding like that before... ever... 00:18:08.03\00:18:11.63 it was just the most beautiful event... and the Holy Spirit 00:18:11.67\00:18:15.23 you had praise to God during the wedding... 00:18:15.27\00:18:18.31 Amen... and so, it's as though... 00:18:18.35\00:18:19.96 you know the Bible says that... 00:18:19.99\00:18:21.53 "God inhabits the praises of His people... " 00:18:21.57\00:18:23.86 so, we felt His presence there it was so beautiful Lala... 00:18:23.89\00:18:29.24 so beautiful... And we were blessed too... 00:18:29.27\00:18:31.25 because, of course, your being there with us 00:18:31.29\00:18:33.20 and John Lomacang was moving to 3ABN at the time, 00:18:33.24\00:18:36.49 and I was like, "John, no you can't cancel... 00:18:36.52\00:18:39.74 you have to sing at my wedding... " 00:18:39.77\00:18:41.68 You interrupted his move to come out there... 00:18:41.72\00:18:44.09 Yes... so anyway he said, 00:18:44.13\00:18:45.60 "Okay, I'm going to do it 00:18:45.64\00:18:47.05 and then I have to run home and pack and get out of here 00:18:47.08\00:18:49.26 and go to 3ABN... " so he was there, with us as well 00:18:49.29\00:18:52.14 so, it was such a blessing... It was tremendous... 00:18:52.17\00:18:54.91 and so, at this point... being married to my husband... 00:18:54.94\00:18:57.43 and seeing how God has... brought back 00:18:57.46\00:19:00.38 my Uchee Pines experience with Medical Missionary work... 00:19:00.42\00:19:03.03 with my husband so, we do a Program called, 00:19:03.07\00:19:05.34 "Is There a Doctor in the House" 00:19:05.38\00:19:06.70 which is... is a wonderful health first program... 00:19:06.73\00:19:09.23 People need to know your husband is a physician... 00:19:09.27\00:19:11.73 Yes... I mean he is... he is... 00:19:11.76\00:19:13.53 he is... tell us about him... Yeah, he is the 00:19:13.57\00:19:16.64 Chief of Cardiology at the Wright Memorial Hospital 00:19:16.68\00:19:19.98 in Los Angeles... and... just a humble man... 00:19:20.02\00:19:24.84 humble, kind, gentle... He's so kind, you know, 00:19:24.88\00:19:29.63 I've told the viewers on... 00:19:29.67\00:19:32.12 I guess on the Today Program 00:19:32.15\00:19:34.53 I haven't talked about it on this Program yet... but 00:19:34.57\00:19:37.00 about my experience with the acupuncture and everything, 00:19:37.03\00:19:39.43 and how you and your husband were so instrumental 00:19:39.46\00:19:43.31 in bringing me... away from that, 00:19:43.34\00:19:46.84 God used us in each other's lives so profoundly... 00:19:46.87\00:19:50.52 Yes... and to accomplish 00:19:50.55\00:19:52.98 His purposes, spiritual purposes Amen... 00:19:53.01\00:19:57.02 and he's just... Schubert is just such.. 00:19:57.06\00:20:01.04 he's a wonderful brother in the Lord... and he's a musician... 00:20:01.07\00:20:04.53 Yes, yes, yes... So God gave you that doctor 00:20:04.56\00:20:07.67 and musician... wow! He did... 00:20:07.70\00:20:10.73 Praise Him... And so the Lord had... 00:20:10.76\00:20:13.06 mentioned to me... you know... years and years ago... 00:20:13.10\00:20:15.88 about putting His music... His words to music... 00:20:15.92\00:20:19.75 and I thought, What is that Lord, 00:20:19.79\00:20:22.04 I don't understand... I don't know what that is... 00:20:22.08\00:20:23.89 but as time went on... and I got involved in 00:20:23.93\00:20:28.53 doing some production and writing and that sort of thing, 00:20:28.56\00:20:31.58 the Lord led us to put together the 10 Commandments to music... 00:20:31.61\00:20:36.26 and we praise God for 3ABN... because the encouragement came 00:20:36.30\00:20:40.69 through Danny Shelton... when he started doing those 00:20:40.73\00:20:43.29 Ten-Commandment-Week Programs Yes... 00:20:43.32\00:20:45.99 we would watch intently... and having all these different 00:20:46.02\00:20:48.83 ministers speaking on each of the Commandments... 00:20:48.86\00:20:51.55 it was powerful... and so about 3 years later... 00:20:51.58\00:20:54.24 and we had watched all these Programs... 00:20:54.27\00:20:55.93 we thought, "Oh honey, wouldn't it be great to put 00:20:55.97\00:20:58.64 God's Commandments to music... " and so, that really encouraged 00:20:58.68\00:21:02.86 us through watching 3ABN and we praise God for Danny 00:21:02.89\00:21:05.68 and for this whole program for what God is doing 00:21:05.71\00:21:08.46 through 3ABN and you... and all of this... 00:21:08.49\00:21:10.42 and so... as we started doing it and praying about it... 00:21:10.45\00:21:13.78 we just took the Ten Commandments... 00:21:13.81\00:21:16.00 put it to music... but we didn't have... 00:21:16.04\00:21:18.18 the love... in the music... it was just 00:21:18.21\00:21:20.16 straight commandments... you know... 00:21:20.19\00:21:22.06 and the music was beautiful but it didn't touch the heart... 00:21:22.10\00:21:25.41 it didn't inspire you to love God, you know... 00:21:25.44\00:21:28.68 it's God's love letter to us... the Ten Commandments... 00:21:28.71\00:21:31.32 and so, we got a call from Wintley Phipps and he said, 00:21:31.35\00:21:33.92 "Yolanda," he said, "I love the project, 00:21:33.96\00:21:35.94 I love the idea," he said, 00:21:35.98\00:21:37.11 "but God told me to tell you to put 'love' 00:21:37.14\00:21:39.45 in His Commandments... " So he reinforced what... 00:21:39.48\00:21:42.65 the Holy Spirit had already revealed to you... 00:21:42.69\00:21:45.46 Pr. Wintley Phipps reinforced that... 00:21:45.49\00:21:48.30 Yes... but he basically... when he said it... 00:21:48.34\00:21:52.07 it was something that my heart was moved by... you know... 00:21:52.10\00:21:56.19 because... we didn't think of it in those terms, 00:21:56.22\00:21:59.51 we just thought, this is God's 00:21:59.54\00:22:00.77 Commandments... 00:22:00.81\00:22:01.85 and we're going to just put beautiful music to it... 00:22:01.88\00:22:03.84 but we didn't understand how God really wanted us 00:22:03.87\00:22:06.66 to bring out the words... like in the 3rd Commandment... 00:22:06.70\00:22:08.86 the only time He mentions the word "Love" 00:22:08.90\00:22:11.22 in the Commandments, is in the 3rd Commandment... 00:22:11.26\00:22:13.15 so, God said, "Title the song... 'Love Me'" 00:22:13.19\00:22:16.39 and so, the 2nd Commandment was about, you know, 00:22:16.43\00:22:20.62 not worshipping idols and all this... 00:22:20.65\00:22:22.87 and so he built... He had us build these 00:22:22.90\00:22:25.64 choruses around His glorious presence... 00:22:25.68\00:22:28.38 Yes... His name... 00:22:28.42\00:22:29.68 you know... the 2nd Commandment... 00:22:29.72\00:22:30.86 Worship God... He deserves the praise... 00:22:30.90\00:22:33.03 so God sent Wintley through the Holy Spirit's power 00:22:33.06\00:22:37.41 brought to our minds... you have to bring 00:22:37.45\00:22:38.98 "love" out of the Commandments so that people will be 00:22:39.01\00:22:41.54 drawn... to Jesus... Hmmm... 00:22:41.57\00:22:43.74 and so that's what happened there... 00:22:43.77\00:22:46.20 and then the Lord had us to put Bible Studies 00:22:46.23\00:22:49.80 to each of the Commandments, and put the Bible Studies 00:22:49.84\00:22:52.89 in song as well... and so that's what we're doing 00:22:52.92\00:22:55.61 right now... we put the 10 Commandments 00:22:55.64\00:22:57.71 in song... the Bible Studies... in song... 00:22:57.74\00:22:59.74 and we just completed it... and God is taking it 00:22:59.77\00:23:03.13 and using it... and it's just been a blessing... 00:23:03.16\00:23:06.14 That's so tremendous... you know 00:23:06.17\00:23:07.72 when I was in California at the Camp Meeting 00:23:07.75\00:23:11.40 Soquel Camp Meeting... Yes... yes... 00:23:11.43\00:23:13.91 I had a chance to come to a concert... 00:23:13.95\00:23:16.65 where you were doing all the songs... 00:23:16.69\00:23:19.32 on the CD... on the DVD... Hmmm... hmmm... 00:23:19.36\00:23:21.32 Viewers, if you have an opportunity 00:23:21.36\00:23:24.21 to go and see this in concert, please do it... 00:23:24.24\00:23:28.91 it is so inspirational... Amen... 00:23:28.95\00:23:31.54 and if you can, of course, please get the CD and DVD 00:23:31.57\00:23:35.16 because it's truly a blessing... Amen, oh we praise the Lord... 00:23:35.20\00:23:39.28 we praise God... We thank you too because you are 00:23:39.31\00:23:42.89 partnering with us and donating some Units to us 00:23:42.93\00:23:46.52 so that we can make some revenue for Dare to Dream 00:23:46.56\00:23:50.12 we have pictures on the screen now... 00:23:50.16\00:23:52.80 Amen... of the Project... 00:23:52.83\00:23:54.72 so we thank you so much, what a blessing that is... 00:23:54.76\00:23:57.50 Oh, thank you... Yvonne... such a blessing... 00:23:57.53\00:24:00.05 So what's your plan... you have two parts here 00:24:00.08\00:24:03.13 you got the music and the Bible Studies... 00:24:03.17\00:24:06.15 so, tell us a bit about the Bible Studies now... 00:24:06.19\00:24:09.42 What does that entail? Okay... the Bible Studies were 00:24:09.46\00:24:12.60 drawn out of each of the Commandments 00:24:12.64\00:24:15.01 and of course the one that is very obvious 00:24:15.04\00:24:18.30 is the Sabbath Commandment so that study, is on the Sabbath 00:24:18.34\00:24:21.50 and we took the actual song that God gave us 00:24:21.54\00:24:25.49 on the 4th Commandment and it's incorporated 00:24:25.53\00:24:29.41 in a list of about 10 key texts that have been put to music 00:24:29.45\00:24:34.11 for each Study... so when you.. come to understand 00:24:34.14\00:24:37.68 the doctrine of the Sabbath, you will also learn 00:24:37.71\00:24:41.18 by memorization the key texts that go with that Study 00:24:41.21\00:24:45.11 so if you're at a Mall or in a Bakery or wherever you are 00:24:45.15\00:24:48.56 you will have all those texts on the doctrine in your mind 00:24:48.60\00:24:51.98 you can give a Bible Study even without the Bible... 00:24:52.01\00:24:54.04 in your heart... so it's in your heart and in your head... 00:24:54.07\00:24:57.07 so that's what God has done it's just an amazing thing... 00:24:57.10\00:25:00.07 That is so amazing... and the music is so beautiful 00:25:00.10\00:25:04.29 and lush... it's lush... I mean... the orchestration, 00:25:04.32\00:25:08.44 everything is so... beautiful... and you and Schubert wrote... 00:25:08.47\00:25:13.04 again... under the unction of Holy Spirit... 00:25:13.07\00:25:16.00 all of the songs... Yeah... 00:25:16.04\00:25:17.65 The Lord gave us all the songs and then we had 00:25:17.68\00:25:20.51 a miracle story too... Martin Anduet... 00:25:20.54\00:25:23.70 Oh, tell us... Yes, he always talks about you.. 00:25:23.73\00:25:27.11 it's just so interesting because it was just a miracle 00:25:27.15\00:25:30.49 how we met him at a function for the Church 00:25:30.53\00:25:34.09 and he was doing their Sound... and we went to a little lunch 00:25:34.13\00:25:37.57 together after the Program was over 00:25:37.60\00:25:39.95 and there he was... I said to my husband, 00:25:39.98\00:25:41.63 "I think I know this gentleman, 00:25:41.66\00:25:42.74 he looks so familiar... " so we ended up sitting together 00:25:42.78\00:25:45.15 at the same table... there were many areas 00:25:45.18\00:25:46.46 where he could have sat, but he came and sat with us, 00:25:46.49\00:25:48.19 we began to talk... he began to tell me, 00:25:48.22\00:25:50.10 "I used to sing," you know 00:25:50.13\00:25:51.67 "with Joseph Corella in New York" 00:25:51.71\00:25:55.28 and I thought, "No, you're not the same person" 00:25:55.32\00:25:57.30 he started talking about Yvonne Lewis and all of that 00:25:57.33\00:26:01.06 and I said, "Lord, this is amazing... " 00:26:01.09\00:26:03.36 and so, he's the person God used... 00:26:03.39\00:26:05.59 to do all the orchestrations for us along with some other 00:26:05.62\00:26:08.08 very, very well qualified Adventist musicians... 00:26:08.12\00:26:13.66 Tell us some of the artists on it... 00:26:13.70\00:26:15.05 Yeah... we have Jennifer LaMountain and 00:26:15.09\00:26:18.23 Rudy Micelli, Charles Haugabrooks, 00:26:18.27\00:26:20.27 Steve Darmody, Rachel Hyman, I wanted you on there 00:26:20.30\00:26:26.12 I know... I know... I forget what happened 00:26:26.16\00:26:29.07 that I wasn't able to do it... yes... and many others... 00:26:29.11\00:26:33.29 Christian Berdahl and quite a number of other people... 00:26:33.32\00:26:37.47 there are about 10 of us... Anika Sampson... 00:26:37.51\00:26:40.65 oh, incredible voice Anika Sampson... yes... and 00:26:40.69\00:26:43.77 Javier... I can't think of his last name right now... 00:26:43.80\00:26:47.61 so, a lot of different singers in the Church have participated 00:26:47.65\00:26:53.02 and we are just so blessed to have all of them... 00:26:53.06\00:26:55.57 God has done an incredible thing He has... He has and again... 00:26:55.60\00:26:59.12 His Spirit... you can just sense His Spirit when you listen 00:26:59.16\00:27:02.64 to the music... I know... 00:27:02.68\00:27:04.80 You are such a blessing and I'm so proud of what God 00:27:04.83\00:27:08.54 has been doing with you and with the Production... 00:27:08.57\00:27:12.21 with Ready and how can people find out more about this Project 00:27:12.24\00:27:17.01 Well, it's going to be at the ABCs 00:27:17.05\00:27:19.64 in the Adventist Book Centers and they can go on our website 00:27:19.67\00:27:22.92 at www. readysda. org Say it one more time... 00:27:22.96\00:27:30.54 Ah huh, readysda. org readysda. org 00:27:30.57\00:27:36.44 Yes... Thank you Sweetie, 00:27:36.47\00:27:38.21 You're welcome... Thank you so much... 00:27:38.25\00:27:39.79 for being with us and for blessing us 00:27:39.82\00:27:41.33 with your music and that spirit of service 00:27:41.36\00:27:45.08 that God has given you... Amen... 00:27:45.11\00:27:47.52 Thank you... Thank you... 00:27:47.55\00:27:48.58 And I ask you to go out and purchase... 00:27:48.62\00:27:51.10 this or call... go to the website 00:27:51.13\00:27:53.58 and purchase this product... 00:27:53.61\00:27:55.49 It will bless you... 00:27:55.53\00:27:57.27 Well, we've come to the end of our Program... 00:27:57.30\00:28:00.29 Thanks for tuning in... 00:28:00.33\00:28:01.36 Join us next time... It just wouldn't be the same... 00:28:01.39\00:28:03.76 without you... 00:28:03.79\00:28:05.08