Stay tuned to meet a man
that has an amazing story
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of redemption to tell.
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You won't want to miss it.
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My name is Yvonne Lewis and
you're watching Urban Report.
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report.
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My guest today is
Michael Harris: singer, author,
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and speaker. Welcome
to Urban Report, Michael.
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Thank you for
having me here, Yvonne.
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Oh it's great to have
you. Listen to that voice.
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Already you can tell
that this man is a singer.
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I've always enjoyed this
telecast though. Great job.
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Well praise the Lord.
God is really so faithful.
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And you know that - yes,
oh yes - because you know
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where He's brought you from.
I am blessed and highly favored.
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Yes... yes... amen... amen.
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Let's talk about
where God brought you from.
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Well, I was born in
Indianapolis, Indiana,
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but I was raised in Chicago.
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The south side of
Chicago... a place where you
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probably wouldn't want to have
an accident or a flattened tire.
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It was a very gang and
drug-infested community...
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a place where I practically
had to fight my way to and from
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school every single
day. You know, Michael,
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I was watching some documentary
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or some program not too long
a... Oh, it was a program on
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another Christian network
where they were talking about
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this family in Chicago and
how they lost both of their sons
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in the span of like three weeks
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to gangs. Yes, the
death rate is so high
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on the south side of
Chicago. Every weekend
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gang violence.
And I say right now:
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"Stop the violence and
we need to come together.
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Come up with a conclusion
to all this pain and hate. "
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Yes. So many young
black kids and Hispanic kids
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who are just falling by the way-
side because of their decisions
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to be a part of gang activity.
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And a lot of those guys
are not involved in gangs.
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Some of them are just
going to and fro like I was
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trying to do in my life.
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I was constantly
approached by "gangbangers"
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because of my size... my height.
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But thanks be to God, He was
with me every step of the way.
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Yes... amen. You know, the pull
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is so strong on our young men.
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Well, it's all about decisions
so - yes - what... which...
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the Bible says "Choose
you this day" - that's right -
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"who you will
serve. " That's right.
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"Me and my house I
choose to serve God. "
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It's all about
choices. Amen; amen.
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If we make the wrong choices,
we can find ourselves in a very
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bad predicament. I'm so glad
that I decided that I didn't
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want to be a
part of gang activity.
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So how did you avoid that?
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Well, I played
basketball in high school.
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OK. I stayed busy by doing that.
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But even there I had to
come back and forth on the bus.
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I had to travel several
miles from school back to home.
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And I was approached
many many nights just walking
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from the bus stop to my home.
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But I decided I didn't
want to be a part of gangs.
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So I just flat outright didn't
like what they represented,
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the things that they were
doing, and so I made a decision
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after I was...
after I graduated.
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I had several
scholarships, but choices again.
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My grade average wasn't that
great because of the choices
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that I made, and I
started using drugs
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at a young age as well.
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Now let's talk about
that. How did you start?
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How did you fall into that?
Well I started using what I
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call "gateway" drugs. OK.
The cigarettes; the alcohol;
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the marijuana. How old were you?
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I was probably around 12 or 13
years old when I first started
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using marijuana. And I'm not
sure if I used it as a crutch
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because of the turmoil
around me. I'm not sure why.
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I'm not sure if it
was peer pressure, but
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I know that I used drugs
just to make me feel better.
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And actually, I
wasn't feeling better.
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It's like... have you ever seen
a dog chase its tail around -
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yes - in circles? It
was like "grasping the wind"
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as Solomon
says... King Solomon says.
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I couldn't get any satisfaction.
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But I continued to
use drugs, and I must say
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to our young
people today: be smart
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and don't ever start because
drugs can and will kill you.
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You see, our God has a wonder-
ful plan laid out for our lives,
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and if we just
take that opportunity.
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And I wish that would have
listened earlier in my life.
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Yeah. I went through
so much pain and trouble
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because of drugs. But
God was even still with me.
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Even with the choices
that I was making at that time
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God continued to
love me - yes - anyway.
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Isn't that? That is
what's so great about God.
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No matter what we do
His love never falters.
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Never fails. We walk
away from Him - exactly.
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He never walks away from us.
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He's constantly beckoning
us to come to Him. Yes! Yes.
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And what you said just
a few minutes ago about
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God having a plan...
we always talk about that
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on this program. Yes. God
has a plan for each person.
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Every person has a specific
plan for their lives that God
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wants to give them...
the abundant life - yes -
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but choices make a difference.
You know, I have several nephews
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who are incarcerated today.
And I am constantly writing them
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letters and I send
them money occasionally.
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But I tell them the
story about two wolves.
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There's an Indian chief that
was telling his grandson a story
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about two wolves. One wolf
represented the fruits of the
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Holy Spirit...
you know: peace, love.
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And the other wolf represented
the evil of the principalities
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of this world. And they
fought and they tussled.
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And the grandchild
finally said: "Grandpa, which...
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which wolf won? "
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He says: "The
wolf that you feed. "
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Oohh... And we must
concentrate, be very careful
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of what we allow in our
minds. Careful where we walk,
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where we go. We must constantly
listen for the voice of the
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Holy Spirit to
lead us, to direct us.
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I have a couple nephews
who are incarcerated because of
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drugs on the south
side. They thought that they
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were going to
take the easy way out -
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um-hmm - and make
all kinds of money.
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I never saw them drive a limo
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or I never saw them
living in a house on a hill.
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They're constantly
in and out of jail.
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And I encourage our young
people: don't turn to drugs.
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Absolutely. That's part
of the devil's trap. Um-hmm.
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So he sets up this
illusion - yes - of wealth
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and everything is great.
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If you're a guy...
"I'd rather do this
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than to work at McDonalds and
make $4 an hour or whatever. "
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Until they're locked up.
Exactly. And then they'll:
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"Why did I? Why
did I go for this? "
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Yes. "Why did I choose this? "
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Those drug dealers who
claim that they love them?
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Where are they once
they're incarcerated?
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They don't come and make
sure that they're visiting them
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at the penitentiaries
that they are going to. Um-hmm.
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They go and they find
another kid to take prey on.
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So I encourage our young
people: drugs is not the answer.
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Selling drugs is not the answer.
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Using drugs is not the answer.
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The only solution
is Jesus. That's right.
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And unfortunately,
many times you can't...
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you can say that - um-hmm
- but the person won't get it
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until they hit rock bottom
- yes - and then they realize
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"Man, I have made the
wrong decisions here. "
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Where else can they
go? It's at that point
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that they realize: "Man, I
need something different. "
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Tell us what happened to
you. Did you hit rock bottom?
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Well I hit rock bottom, yes.
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One day I looked in the mirror -
now this was after several years
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of using drugs, of course.
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Now first of
all, I left Chicago -
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OK - by way of the
United States Navy.
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And when I was in the Navy
all I did was play basketball.
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OK, OK. What I was
supposed to do in college.
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No drugs. No drugs. No no
no no, I was still using drugs.
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Oh! I was still
using these gateway drugs.
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I wasn't into the
heavier drugs like the cocaine.
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So they don't test Navy? Well,
when I was in, no they didn't.
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They didn't start
testing until after I got out.
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OK. Back in the Vietnam times...
It was mostly guys that were
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high on drugs in
the Vietnam era. Yeah.
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But I used these drugs
throughout the military.
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But one day I looked
in the mirror at myself
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and I finally saw
what I had become.
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And I was tired of breaking
the heart of people who I loved
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the most. Yes. I was
just tired of being tired
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of outright being tired.
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And I cried out: "Dear
God, what have I done to myself?
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I've tried to stop using
drugs so many times in my own
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finite strength, but I
just can't seem to do it.
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I need Your divine
power to come into my life. "
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At that point, you were
beyond the gateway drugs.
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Oh yes. By that time I
graduated from the marijuana
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and a couple of
glasses of wine and beer
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to smoking crack
cocaine and snorting cocaine,
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and finally I began to
intravenously use cocaine.
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So had you lost the weight
that often goes with that?
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You were just looking
really gaunt and sick?
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Or were you? No, no.
Actually I thought that I was
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in control. In fact, I felt
like I was in total control.
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But yet I was
totally out of control.
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And these are the lies
that the enemy will tell you.
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That's right.
"You're in total control. "
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I didn't start
actually looking at myself
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until my body
started to fall apart.
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And I started to hear things
and I became schizophrenic
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and paranoid.
Anything that moved in the room
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I saw it move. Even if didn't
move, I thought that it moved.
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Yeah. I began
to become paranoid.
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I thought that
everyone was against me.
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I started hearing
voices. I was chasing around.
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Like I said, that dog chasing
his tail around in circles.
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And finally I looked at myself
and I saw for the first time
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what I had become. I saw
something looking back at me
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from the reflection in that
glass that I didn't care for.
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I began to reflect on
all the time that I wasted.
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All the scholarships that
I passed on because I was...
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the drugs were leading
me away from the classrooms
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as opposed to
into the classrooms.
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So many missed opportunities
and relationships that were
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and broken hearts that I
just got tired of being tired.
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Yes, yes. So let's go back
a little bit before the armed
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services. Tell us where
you hit your lowest point.
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Where were you at that point?
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You know, I had
several low points in my life.
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Even still today I have low
points, because the enemy is
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constantly... Every morning that
we wake up we have to expect
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an attack by the enemy. That's
true. God has given me wisdom
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in my old age to know
that I must seek His face
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in order to
combat all those attacks.
00:10:29.12\00:10:31.29
But one of the down plays of
my life that stands out the most
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I guess - this is prior
to me going into the military
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of course. I was
around 11 or 12 years old
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and we didn't have
a father in our home.
00:10:40.90\00:10:44.01
But I had a strong
black woman as a mother.
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She raised my 7
sisters and my brother and I.
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She didn't "take
no stuff" either.
00:10:50.48\00:10:52.75
When she said
something you had to do it -
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all right - otherwise
you were in big trouble.
00:10:54.82\00:10:56.12
All right. But I didn't
have a father in my life
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at that time. My mother
was my mother and my father.
00:10:59.15\00:11:02.59
But she made an announcement
we were going to go visit
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with Mr. Harris. And I always
wondered why they had separated
00:11:06.19\00:11:09.83
you know. And I was born in
Indianapolis as I said earlier.
00:11:09.86\00:11:13.37
So we had to travel back
from Chicago to Indianapolis
00:11:13.60\00:11:16.27
to visit with him. And as
we were going down the highway
00:11:16.30\00:11:19.74
in my mind I began to
wonder what would we talk about.
00:11:19.87\00:11:22.08
Would he play
basketball with me?
00:11:22.21\00:11:23.78
These are the questions that
were roaming around in my brain.
00:11:23.91\00:11:26.08
Did you know who Mr. Harris was?
00:11:26.21\00:11:28.25
No, I had never met him. OK.
At least I didn't remember him.
00:11:28.38\00:11:31.72
I didn't remember. So when
she said you were going to meet
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Mr. Harris did she
tell you who he was to you?
00:11:34.52\00:11:37.73
No, she just says
"We're going to visit dad. "
00:11:37.86\00:11:40.03
Oh, OK. So then
you started wondering
00:11:40.26\00:11:42.83
what you were going to
do when you visited dad.
00:11:42.96\00:11:45.37
What would we talk
about? I was really excited
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because I was in desperate
need of a father you know.
00:11:47.10\00:11:49.04
Of course. When my
mother took us from Indianapolis
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and dropped us right smack
dab in the middle of gangbangers
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and drug dealers...
But today as I look back
00:11:54.74\00:11:58.85
I realize that God
loves even me amongst them.
00:11:58.98\00:12:01.68
But anyway, I always
wondered why my sisters and I...
00:12:02.25\00:12:07.62
At this particular time
there were only three of us
00:12:07.66\00:12:09.56
in the family. Now
there's nine of us.
00:12:09.59\00:12:11.46
But we didn't look anything
alike and I always wondered why.
00:12:11.59\00:12:14.93
My oldest sister, Gloria...
she wrote a song for me
00:12:15.30\00:12:17.73
and it went something like this:
00:12:17.87\00:12:19.00
First there was Gloria Steen.
Then there was Virginia Ann.
00:12:19.13\00:12:22.07
And then we found
Michael in a garbage can.
00:12:22.30\00:12:24.77
Because I looked so
different, you know?
00:12:25.01\00:12:26.68
We finally arrived in
Indianapolis, and I was so
00:12:29.11\00:12:32.65
excited I ran into the house
even while the car was still
00:12:32.68\00:12:35.25
slowly moving to the parking
space. And I sat on the floor
00:12:35.28\00:12:37.79
waiting for him to
arrive. And my two older sisters
00:12:37.92\00:12:40.26
followed me, and they sat
on the sofa across the room
00:12:40.29\00:12:42.16
from me. And shortly
afterwards in walked Mr. Harris.
00:12:42.19\00:12:44.69
And as he walked into the
room he was so excited to see
00:12:44.93\00:12:47.50
Gloria and Virginia. In
fact, he embraced both of them.
00:12:47.60\00:12:50.17
And as he was embracing
them I saw that glimmer of pride
00:12:50.20\00:12:52.67
in his eyes. By
now I'm so excited.
00:12:52.80\00:12:55.00
And finally he turns to
me and he has this angry look
00:12:56.47\00:13:01.48
on his face. And he uttered off
these words: "I remember you. "
00:13:01.51\00:13:05.65
And I was wondering why
was this man speaking to me
00:13:05.98\00:13:08.82
this way. What did I ever
do to him to deserve a greeting
00:13:08.85\00:13:11.22
such as this? The father
that I traveled so far to meet
00:13:11.35\00:13:15.36
and the father I waited so
long for is now rejecting me.
00:13:15.49\00:13:18.96
Why? We came to find
out later... They said...
00:13:19.13\00:13:21.96
They said that
I was an accident.
00:13:22.10\00:13:24.80
They said I was a big mistake.
00:13:25.13\00:13:27.54
But I know that God
don't make mistakes.
00:13:28.70\00:13:30.87
No. Every man, woman, boy,
and girl in this entire world
00:13:31.01\00:13:34.14
has an awesome
purpose in Christ Jesus.
00:13:34.28\00:13:36.18
So don't ever let
anyone ever tell you that
00:13:36.41\00:13:38.18
you'll never amount to nothing
because my everlasting Father,
00:13:38.31\00:13:40.82
my heavenly Father,
has a different opinion.
00:13:40.95\00:13:43.39
God had me in the
palm of His hand -
00:13:43.72\00:13:48.79
absolutely -
when I was conceived.
00:13:48.92\00:13:52.19
And He has an awesome
plan, not only for my life
00:13:52.33\00:13:54.73
but for your life
and everyone's lives.
00:13:54.83\00:13:56.80
And that was one of the
biggest let downs in my life.
00:13:57.03\00:14:01.37
But you know, I grew
older and I was about 15 or 16
00:14:01.70\00:14:05.37
playing basketball in
high school, and I remember
00:14:05.41\00:14:06.91
all of my friends would bring
their fathers to the basketball
00:14:06.94\00:14:08.91
games. And I
wanted that so much.
00:14:08.94\00:14:11.35
But my mother was always
working so she never had time.
00:14:11.68\00:14:14.05
And it's
different. Yes. It's different
00:14:14.38\00:14:17.25
with your mom going
to your games - um-hmm -
00:14:17.39\00:14:20.62
from your dad going
with you to your game.
00:14:20.76\00:14:23.09
Yes, it means a lot.
The thing that is so...
00:14:23.12\00:14:25.59
Oh, my heart just
aches because I know how
00:14:25.63\00:14:30.63
much this impacts the
black community. Oh, yes.
00:14:30.80\00:14:34.97
Yes. Period. Fatherlessness
is a huge, huge issue.
00:14:35.20\00:14:40.34
And as I listen to you... the
pain that you must have felt -
00:14:40.48\00:14:45.01
oh yes, when your dad
did not acknowledge you.
00:14:45.15\00:14:48.68
He rejected me. But
you know, came to find out
00:14:48.82\00:14:52.69
that Mr. Harris was
not really my father.
00:14:52.92\00:14:55.59
And that's why
he reacted that way.
00:14:55.82\00:14:58.79
And that's why my mother
and Mr. Harris were separated.
00:14:58.83\00:15:00.93
And that's why
we moved to Chicago.
00:15:01.03\00:15:02.53
But I believe that the next that
I journey to meet my Father,
00:15:03.77\00:15:06.47
the next time that I journey
to meet him, he's... I believe
00:15:07.90\00:15:10.24
He's going to meet me
and He's going to greet me
00:15:10.27\00:15:12.54
and He's going to tell
me that I'm His very own.
00:15:12.67\00:15:14.34
But my only prayer as I
sit here with you today is that
00:15:15.28\00:15:18.18
when I finally see my
heavenly Father face to face
00:15:18.31\00:15:21.78
I pray that He will have that
glimmer of pride in His eyes.
00:15:22.12\00:15:26.52
There you go. That He
will whisper in my ear
00:15:26.65\00:15:28.59
"Well done, good
and faithful servant. "
00:15:28.72\00:15:31.36
Yes. You were no mistake.
00:15:31.49\00:15:34.46
No. Your life... The
fact that you're here
00:15:34.73\00:15:38.20
is no mistake. Amen; amen.
00:15:38.33\00:15:40.97
God's plan for you is
that you will take this message
00:15:41.10\00:15:45.27
because so many - as you
know - so many of our young men
00:15:45.41\00:15:48.84
who are
incarcerated or who are in gangs
00:15:48.98\00:15:51.55
or who are in the
inner city caught up in crime
00:15:51.68\00:15:54.55
they don't have a dad
- an earthly dad - yes -
00:15:54.68\00:15:57.82
so they don't
know how to be a man.
00:15:57.85\00:16:00.06
They find out how to
be a man in the streets.
00:16:00.22\00:16:02.02
In the streets! And there's
a lot of mothers with broken
00:16:02.26\00:16:05.16
hearts out there because
their sons are incarcerated.
00:16:05.19\00:16:07.50
You know, I always thought
00:16:08.00\00:16:13.97
that I was being cheated out of
a relationship with my father.
00:16:14.14\00:16:16.74
Mmmm. But He was there...
my heavenly Father was there
00:16:16.97\00:16:20.51
with me the whole time.
That's right. All those times
00:16:20.54\00:16:22.98
when I was in my closet using
drugs, the massive amount of
00:16:23.01\00:16:27.32
drugs I was putting in my body
I should have killed myself.
00:16:27.35\00:16:29.88
I should have died... I
shouldn't even be sitting here
00:16:29.92\00:16:31.42
right now. But He was
there with me all the time -
00:16:31.45\00:16:34.19
that's right -
because you see He saw me
00:16:34.22\00:16:36.02
right here sitting next
to you today. That's right.
00:16:36.06\00:16:39.26
So when you see
someone that's out there
00:16:39.29\00:16:40.70
who you think...
Don't give up on...
00:16:40.73\00:16:42.36
Don't ever give up on anyone
because we don't know what
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.53
God's purpose is
in that person's life.
00:16:45.57\00:16:47.80
That's right. What would
you tell a young man right now
00:16:47.94\00:16:51.77
that's caught up
into that lifestyle?
00:16:51.91\00:16:54.71
That has no
father... no earthly father...
00:16:54.84\00:16:57.31
that feels that
no one really cares.
00:16:57.45\00:17:00.95
Look into that
camera and tell that person
00:17:01.08\00:17:05.09
just what is on your heart.
00:17:05.22\00:17:08.06
We have a Father in heaven
00:17:09.09\00:17:12.13
that longs to be
your Father on this earth.
00:17:12.26\00:17:16.16
He's hope to the hopeless;
00:17:16.56\00:17:19.27
He's power to the powerless;
00:17:19.40\00:17:21.50
and He's a Father
to the fatherless.
00:17:21.84\00:17:24.64
And it's His desire
that none of us will perish
00:17:24.97\00:17:28.61
and He wants us all
to experience this joy
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.95
that surpasses
all understanding.
00:17:30.98\00:17:32.71
You can never
find that joy in drugs.
00:17:32.95\00:17:35.98
You can never find
that joy out in the street.
00:17:36.22\00:17:38.79
There's nothing that compares
with what Christ can be to you
00:17:39.02\00:17:43.99
if you would only allow
Him in your heart today.
00:17:44.13\00:17:46.13
Even if you're sitting
in a penitentiary right now
00:17:46.46\00:17:48.80
we have a God... He's
a God of second chances.
00:17:49.03\00:17:53.64
I'm on my sixth or
seventh chance right now.
00:17:53.97\00:17:56.57
That's how merciful... how
He's shown in my life today.
00:17:56.81\00:18:01.54
So I pray that
you will look to Jesus
00:18:01.71\00:18:03.65
and give Him all that you have
00:18:03.78\00:18:06.51
because He loves you with
a love that will never stop.
00:18:06.55\00:18:09.12
And I can honestly say to
you that I may have never met my
00:18:09.35\00:18:13.89
earthly father, but I
have the greatest Father
00:18:14.02\00:18:17.16
in this entire
universe: Jesus Christ.
00:18:17.29\00:18:20.36
He means everything to me.
00:18:20.60\00:18:22.66
Thank you. I
mean, if our young men
00:18:22.90\00:18:25.97
could just know that
they're not a mistake.
00:18:26.10\00:18:29.74
That there's a plan for them.
00:18:29.87\00:18:31.47
I was talking to a young
man, Michael, one time that
00:18:31.61\00:18:34.61
was 17. And he
was part of a gang.
00:18:34.74\00:18:38.18
And he told me: "I
don't care if I die. "
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.72
"I don't care... "
It's like there's no value
00:18:40.95\00:18:43.95
placed on life because they
don't have anybody to kind of
00:18:44.09\00:18:47.42
walk them through. But
Jesus will walk you through
00:18:47.46\00:18:51.06
if you just get
to know Him. Amen.
00:18:51.09\00:18:53.43
And all that pain
that you're suffering...
00:18:53.56\00:18:55.76
It's evident there's pain
that they're experiencing.
00:18:55.80\00:18:58.63
That's why they turn
away from their family,
00:18:58.87\00:19:00.47
they turn away from the
church, and they turn to drugs.
00:19:00.60\00:19:02.80
But they need to
turn BACK to the family,
00:19:03.04\00:19:05.14
turn back to the church. Yes.
That is where they will find
00:19:05.37\00:19:08.24
that peace - that's right
- and that joy that surpasses
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.58
all understanding. That's right.
You know, there's no drug...
00:19:10.61\00:19:13.25
I can say right
now I'm high right now,
00:19:13.38\00:19:16.32
but it's no drug
I'm high on, right.
00:19:16.45\00:19:18.22
I'm on... My high is Jesus.
That's right; that's right.
00:19:18.45\00:19:21.62
I always have a
smile; I'm always happy.
00:19:21.79\00:19:22.96
I'm always rejoicing
because I find that peace
00:19:23.12\00:19:26.26
that only He can give. Yes, yes.
00:19:26.29\00:19:28.56
So how did you find Him?
You were in the midst of...
00:19:28.83\00:19:32.13
After you dealt with that rejec-
tion and then you went into...
00:19:32.17\00:19:36.87
you started using crack
and all that - yes, yes, yes -
00:19:36.91\00:19:39.51
you went into the military,
how did you find Jesus?
00:19:39.54\00:19:41.94
Well I knew that I couldn't
keep going in the direction
00:19:42.18\00:19:45.25
I was going in.
My health had failed
00:19:45.28\00:19:47.52
because of the
drugs that I was using.
00:19:48.38\00:19:51.19
And God kind of
got my attention.
00:19:51.42\00:19:52.92
Sometimes He allows
things to happen, you know.
00:19:53.05\00:19:55.16
God has nothing to do with
our misery and our sorrow today.
00:19:55.29\00:19:58.49
That's all of the
enemy. But sometimes God will
00:19:58.53\00:20:01.06
allow certain things to happen
just to get your attention
00:20:01.20\00:20:04.07
briefly. Yes He will!
Sometimes you will end up
00:20:04.20\00:20:07.04
in a penitentiary somewhere.
Moses... he had to go out
00:20:07.20\00:20:10.34
into the wilderness
to understand more about
00:20:10.37\00:20:12.21
what God's plan
was for his life.
00:20:12.24\00:20:13.88
Sometimes the penitentiary
can be your wilderness.
00:20:14.11\00:20:16.95
But I say this much: you
must take advantage of that
00:20:17.18\00:20:19.48
wilderness that you're in
because that wilderness can be
00:20:19.51\00:20:21.92
can turn around and make your
life something very wonderful -
00:20:21.95\00:20:25.25
yes - that Christ
has in store for you.
00:20:25.39\00:20:27.56
So you can actually be
free even while you're in the
00:20:27.69\00:20:31.09
penitentiary.
Oh yes, definitely.
00:20:31.13\00:20:32.33
You know what
bothers me the most?
00:20:32.36\00:20:34.23
See, I go to different churches.
00:20:34.46\00:20:36.46
I'm in a different
church every Sabbath
00:20:36.60\00:20:38.57
and a lot of Sundays as well.
00:20:38.70\00:20:40.37
And I go into schools. And
I love going into the schools
00:20:40.50\00:20:43.91
but I especially love
going into the prisons.
00:20:44.04\00:20:45.87
But the problem I have
here is sometimes I go into a...
00:20:45.91\00:20:48.94
I go into a school and
I will go into a prison
00:20:49.18\00:20:52.88
a year or two later and I
will see some of the same faces
00:20:53.01\00:20:56.89
that I saw in our schools. Yes.
00:20:57.02\00:21:00.16
Incarcerated.
Locked up... locked down.
00:21:00.19\00:21:02.16
And we must find a solution.
00:21:02.39\00:21:06.86
And as parents we must -
even if you're a single parent -
00:21:07.00\00:21:11.37
we must strive harder
to give our lives to Christ
00:21:11.40\00:21:15.27
that they may see a
legacy being left behind.
00:21:15.40\00:21:19.01
Yes. And we also need for
our men that are in the church
00:21:19.24\00:21:23.95
to take an interest in
some of these boys - yes, yes.
00:21:24.08\00:21:27.12
And one of the things that
scares you 'cause you don't want
00:21:27.25\00:21:30.65
pedophilia and all that so
you get freaked out about that.
00:21:30.69\00:21:33.72
But our godly men...
if they would mentor -
00:21:33.86\00:21:37.79
um-hmm - some of
these boys who don't...
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.96
I was watching... As
you can tell, I watch TV.
00:21:40.00\00:21:43.37
I was watching a program...
Well you have to stay abreast.
00:21:43.50\00:21:45.43
I do! Well, see,
that's the thing.
00:21:45.57\00:21:47.47
So I was watching, and
Steve Harvey was talking about
00:21:47.50\00:21:49.77
a camp that he has for boys
00:21:49.80\00:21:51.87
and how they have to
teach the boys how to tie a tie.
00:21:52.11\00:21:56.48
And tears came to my eyes
because these are daddy things.
00:21:56.71\00:22:00.28
How to respect women. Yes!
How to be in a relationship.
00:22:00.42\00:22:03.82
Yes, yes. How to deal with
a person of the opposite sex.
00:22:03.85\00:22:07.42
Um-hmm. How do you
become a man? Yes, yes.
00:22:07.66\00:22:10.69
And a woman, I'm convinced...
You can have the greatest mom
00:22:10.83\00:22:15.66
in the world, but a woman
can't teach a man to be a man
00:22:15.80\00:22:19.17
because she's not a
man. Yes. Just like a man
00:22:19.20\00:22:21.74
can't teach a
girl to be a woman.
00:22:21.77\00:22:24.11
You need the pair.
00:22:24.34\00:22:25.84
All the relationships
I've ever had in my life
00:22:25.87\00:22:27.64
going back to when I
was dating in high school
00:22:27.88\00:22:29.78
I've always looked at a
woman as a precious jewel.
00:22:29.91\00:22:33.55
Because I have a mother.
That's right. And my mother
00:22:33.82\00:22:36.75
was a precious
jewel. I have seven sisters.
00:22:36.89\00:22:40.02
I saw each one of them
go through their different
00:22:40.06\00:22:41.49
turmoils with their
boyfriends or their husbands.
00:22:41.52\00:22:44.29
So I know that women
are very valuable to us
00:22:44.63\00:22:49.70
and we must respect
them with all that we have.
00:22:49.83\00:22:52.07
'Cause God has placed us
in dominion over everything
00:22:52.30\00:22:55.24
so we have to be that
godly man in a woman's life.
00:22:55.37\00:22:58.61
And if you have God in your
life, if you are seeking first
00:22:58.74\00:23:01.64
the kingdom of God and
all of His righteousness
00:23:01.68\00:23:03.55
all these other things
will be added unto you.
00:23:03.68\00:23:05.48
That's right. You will be
that representative for Him
00:23:05.61\00:23:08.92
in the family, in the household.
Even as you're walking
00:23:09.05\00:23:11.25
throughout your community -
yes - and at your work place.
00:23:11.39\00:23:13.42
Yes. That's why we must
seek God with all of our heart
00:23:13.56\00:23:16.39
and all of our
soul... all of our mind.
00:23:16.52\00:23:17.79
Absolutely. And if you
don't know how to do that
00:23:18.03\00:23:20.46
you just get on your knees
and say: "God, I want to know
00:23:20.60\00:23:23.37
You better. Show me
how to know You better. "
00:23:23.40\00:23:25.77
And get a Bible and
begin to read that Bible
00:23:25.90\00:23:29.40
and God will
reveal Himself to you.
00:23:29.54\00:23:31.74
We're promised. And your
life will be so much better.
00:23:31.97\00:23:34.78
Amen. So... back
to my other question.
00:23:35.01\00:23:37.38
How did you find Jesus?
00:23:37.51\00:23:39.15
Well I... Like I said I
looked in the mirror at myself
00:23:39.28\00:23:42.55
and I saw what I had become
and I was just tired of being
00:23:42.68\00:23:45.49
tired. And I
cried out: "Dear God,
00:23:45.62\00:23:47.42
what have I done to myself?
00:23:47.46\00:23:49.02
I need You in my life today.
" Because see as a young man
00:23:49.26\00:23:52.53
growing up, you know, I was
always moved from my mother's
00:23:52.56\00:23:55.70
house to one of my auntie's
house because of the gang
00:23:55.73\00:23:58.03
violence in Chicago.
00:23:58.07\00:23:59.30
And I was living
with my auntie who is a...
00:23:59.43\00:24:02.44
In fact, she's going to
be 90 years old in June.
00:24:02.57\00:24:04.51
I'm going to go to
Chicago and visit with her
00:24:04.64\00:24:07.21
and celebrate her birthday.
00:24:07.24\00:24:08.64
She's a little Pentecostal lady.
00:24:08.88\00:24:10.55
Ninety years old, and she goes
to this little storefront church
00:24:10.68\00:24:13.52
on the south side of Chicago and
she wears these big big hats.
00:24:13.65\00:24:16.48
And I remember smelling the
corn bread and collard greens,
00:24:16.82\00:24:20.29
sweet potato
pie. Oh yeah; oh yeah.
00:24:20.42\00:24:22.22
You know, cooking in the house.
00:24:22.36\00:24:23.99
But I saw that this woman
had an awesome relationship
00:24:24.13\00:24:27.66
with Christ and she
sang like Mahalia Jackson.
00:24:27.73\00:24:30.97
So she was a good foundation
for me for my spiritual walk.
00:24:31.00\00:24:35.10
And I saw how joyful she was
00:24:35.34\00:24:37.17
as a young man growing
up, and I reflected back
00:24:37.31\00:24:39.91
on all the seeds that
she had planted in my life
00:24:40.04\00:24:42.41
up until that point,
and I realized that I needed
00:24:42.44\00:24:45.45
Jesus in my life. I
wanted what my auntie had.
00:24:45.48\00:24:48.38
Yes. What has still still today.
00:24:48.52\00:24:50.45
And that's how I
made my turn-around.
00:24:50.49\00:24:52.09
I knew that there was a
way out and Christ was my way.
00:24:52.12\00:24:55.22
And how old were
you at this point?
00:24:55.46\00:24:57.56
Well, I gave my life
to Christ as a teenager
00:24:57.79\00:25:01.03
but then by now
I'm like in my 30's.
00:25:01.16\00:25:03.26
And I reflected back on
what my auntie had said -
00:25:03.30\00:25:06.27
had taught me -
um-hmm - about Christ.
00:25:06.40\00:25:08.10
She said: "Michael, you
know if you cry out to Jesus
00:25:08.24\00:25:10.71
and you have the
faith of a mustard seed
00:25:10.84\00:25:12.61
and you cry out to that
mountain to move it will move. "
00:25:12.74\00:25:15.01
Uh-huh. I said: "No, that
mountain's not going to move. "
00:25:15.14\00:25:16.85
She said: "Well no, it's
not going to move literally
00:25:16.98\00:25:19.08
but circumstances
will change for you. "
00:25:19.21\00:25:21.88
And I remembered all those
Bible stories that she would
00:25:22.02\00:25:24.75
tell me. And when I
was in my pit of despair
00:25:24.79\00:25:26.99
I cried out to
Jesus and He heard my cry.
00:25:27.12\00:25:30.33
And He began to pull me
up our of a horrible pit.
00:25:30.66\00:25:32.76
Out of the miry clay -
amen - and He placed my feet on
00:25:32.89\00:25:35.43
the solid rock and He
put a new song in my mouth
00:25:35.46\00:25:38.80
to sing praises to His
holy name. Praise the Lord!
00:25:38.93\00:25:41.44
So many people
might want to contact you
00:25:41.77\00:25:44.41
to get you to come to their
church and give your testimony
00:25:44.64\00:25:48.61
and sing. How can
they get in touch with you?
00:25:48.64\00:25:52.25
I think they've got some
information on the screen,
00:25:52.38\00:25:53.95
I'm not sure. But
you can contact me at
00:25:53.98\00:25:55.92
restorationintheson@yahoo. com
00:25:55.95\00:26:00.42
Great. And I look forward
to all of the inputs or invites
00:26:00.66\00:26:05.23
or whatever. God has blessed
me. You know, I went from
00:26:05.26\00:26:06.93
being locked up in my bedroom
poking needles and doing drugs
00:26:07.03\00:26:10.47
to getting on an
airplane every weekend.
00:26:10.60\00:26:13.20
I've gone to 50 states
and 25 countries. God is good.
00:26:13.34\00:26:17.61
God is so good.
And so briefly tell us:
00:26:17.64\00:26:20.58
how did you become an Adventist?
00:26:20.74\00:26:22.14
Oh, I lived just a couple blocks
00:26:22.28\00:26:27.15
from the Shiloh SDA Church
on the south side of Chicago.
00:26:27.28\00:26:30.29
Oh! I had never heard
of the Adventist church.
00:26:30.42\00:26:32.45
And when I went overseas
there was a group of Adventist
00:26:32.69\00:26:36.69
people. You know, in Chicago
the only people who knocked
00:26:36.73\00:26:38.33
on my door were
Jehovah's Witnesses.
00:26:38.36\00:26:39.69
But I went overseas and
I was surrounded by these
00:26:40.93\00:26:43.00
people who I
thought were quite peculiar.
00:26:43.03\00:26:45.43
But they showed the love
of God and I had never seen it
00:26:46.57\00:26:49.74
demonstrated that
way since my auntie
00:26:49.77\00:26:51.74
and other relatives that I have.
00:26:51.87\00:26:53.58
And I realized that
these people were sent from God
00:26:53.81\00:26:57.71
to me. But they started
talking about worshiping on
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.22
the Sabbath... on a Saturday.
And for some reason, I couldn't
00:27:00.25\00:27:03.49
figure that one out. But I
began, because of their love,
00:27:03.62\00:27:06.42
I was drawn to sit down
and Bible study with them.
00:27:06.55\00:27:08.76
And I began to
understand God's truth.
00:27:08.99\00:27:11.09
And I began to understand
how much God loved me as well.
00:27:11.33\00:27:14.00
And that just
reinforced my walk with Christ.
00:27:14.23\00:27:16.83
And now today I've been
worshiping on the Sabbath
00:27:16.97\00:27:19.77
for like 28 years
now, so... Praise the Lord!
00:27:19.90\00:27:22.80
Doesn't it make a difference,
Michael, when you know you're
00:27:22.94\00:27:25.44
valued in Christ. It makes
all the difference. Oh yes!
00:27:25.47\00:27:29.38
It raises the
standards in your life.
00:27:29.41\00:27:32.01
Not only in your life
but other people's lives
00:27:32.15\00:27:35.08
because people will see the
Christ in you. That's right.
00:27:35.22\00:27:37.92
We may be the only Bible
that some people may ever read.
00:27:38.05\00:27:40.52
That's right. If
we're walking with Christ,
00:27:40.66\00:27:42.12
we can witness
without even talking.
00:27:42.26\00:27:45.29
That's right. Your life
is a sermon. Amen; amen.
00:27:45.43\00:27:47.50
Well thank you so
much for being with us.
00:27:47.56\00:27:49.53
You have blessed
us. You've blessed me.
00:27:49.56\00:27:51.87
Well praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
00:27:52.00\00:27:53.57
That's the end of
our program for today.
00:27:53.70\00:27:55.57
Thanks so much for tuning in.
00:27:55.70\00:27:57.27
Make sure to join us next
time 'cause you know what?
00:27:57.41\00:27:59.67
It just wouldn't be
the same without you.
00:27:59.81\00:28:02.88