Would you give up a life in
the limelight to follow Christ?
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Stay tuned to meet a woman
that did all that and more.
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My name is Jason
Bradley and you're watching
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Urban Report.
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report.
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My guest today
is Dr. Yvonne Lewis
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and she is the General Manager
of the Dare to Dream Network.
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Not only is she my
boss but she's also my mom.
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Welcome to Urban
Report Dr. Mom...
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Thank you Jason.
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I know it has
got to feel different
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for you sitting in this seat
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when you normally
host this Program.
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I know... it's
weird sitting on this side
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and getting the questions
that you're going to ask me
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that I don't even know
what you're going to ask me
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so that's interesting.
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I know, I prepared
something very special.
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I'm sure you did.
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Don't expect to get this
seat back and take your job back
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You know... okay... hmmm...
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okay... You just
go ahead and retire.
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I want to talk...
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I want to talk a little bit
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about your background
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because a lot of people...
they see you in this chair
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interviewing other people
but they don't really know
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your background
so, were you raised
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as a Seventh-day Adventist?
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I was... I am a third-generation
Seventh-day Adventist,
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both of my parents
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at one point or another
worked for the Denomination
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my Dad, Benito
Hodge was the Principal
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of the Bethel Seventh-day
Adventist School in Brooklyn
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and my Mom at one point
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worked for the
Northeastern Conference.
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My Grandmother, Rosalyn Jones,
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was a Missionary
and Bible Instructor
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for Ephesus Church so, yeah...
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and my Paternal Grandfather
was an Adventist Pastor.
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So, yeah... I'm
kind of dyed-in-the-wool
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Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
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Yes, you're pretty much
born right in the church...
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all those Adventists,
generations of Adventists.
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Yeah... yeah...
That's great... that's great.
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What major hardship
did you face as a teenager
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and how did that
affect your life?
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Hmmm... the main...
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the most difficult
experience that I had
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when I was 19 was I lost my Mom
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and that really did
change my life a lot
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because she was very
strong and she was very...
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she was very planted,
she knew what she was doing,
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she was a professional woman,
she had a very strong work ethic
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very spiritual and
so for me to lose that,
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at that point in my
life, was very difficult.
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My little sister was
nine, and I was 19...
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and I was at Oakwood...
it's now University...
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but... College... at the time
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and when my Mom got sick
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and I left... just
before the end of the quarter
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and I never went back there,
I finished somewhere else but...
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it was really, really
a difficult time for me.
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So when your
Mom... my Grandma...
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when Grandma died,
did you have to take on
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your sister... did you take
Aunt Binkey under your wing?
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I did... so she was like
my daughter in certain ways
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and... but yet...
I was that teenager
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that had been so sheltered
that I really didn't...
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I didn't know how
to jump into that role,
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so, it was just a really,
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really difficult thing
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because I wasn't... I
had been really sheltered
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and so with my Mom
being as strong as she was
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with her being gone,
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and now, I'm having to
make certain decisions,
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and I'm having to do certain
things... it was just like,
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"Wow! this is a bit much for me"
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so I really... I
went back to school
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actually I finished college,
and I went to Graduate School
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and while I was
in Graduate School,
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I just had... just
like a real meltdown
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because it was
just too much pressure
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and... so I ended up
moving out of the house
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and trying to take
care of my sister from afar
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but my sister and I went
in two different directions.
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Okay... She got into drugs
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at a very early age
and I didn't know it
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and I was into
the academic thing
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and so I was pouring
myself into the books
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and my sister was just...
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she just went, you
know, really to the left,
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at one point we had a
little ministry called,
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"Sisters... a
story of Redemption"
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and we talked about how
at that stage of our lives
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we went in such
different directions.
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So it was... that was a
very pivotal place for me.
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How did that affect
your relationship with her,
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I mean... did you guys...
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I know you went in
separate directions
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but did your relationship
suffer as a result of that?
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It did... and it didn't...
we were so far apart in age
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nine years apart
in age because she was
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much younger than I
and... so I was a mother-figure
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but then she got
into street life,
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so she became much more
streetwise as the years went on
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than I was,
because I was Miss...
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you know, I'm going to
study my way into whatever...
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so we had two different paths
and yet my sister's character
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she was the sweetest,
kindest, most generous person
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you would ever want
to meet so, just because
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she went down that
wrong road at the time,
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it didn't mean that she
wasn't a good person at heart,
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she really was,
she just missed our mom
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and that's how
she dealt with it.
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Yeah... that's
good that you said that,
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I mean, good people
can make some poor choices.
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Exactly. You can
be a great person
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and then you make poor choices
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but that doesn't
define you as a person.
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Exactly, exactly.
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What did you go to
school for? Which time?
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Okay, so,
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so in college
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I majored in Psychology
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but then I got a
Master's in Social Work
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and then... but right after that
I went into the music business
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and I practiced... I
was in music for a long time
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before I went into
Alternative Medicine
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and I studied
that and I became a
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Naturopathic Doctor
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and then I went
back to school for
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Traditional Chinese Medicine
and I got Board Certified
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in Traditional Chinese Medicine
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which includes acupuncture
and herbs and then I...
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I went to
Massage Therapy School,
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I was a Massage Therapist
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I got certified as a
Reflexologist, I mean, I just...
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I went along
the path of academia
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because I loved to
learn, I loved to know things,
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I loved to
study things and so...
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that's the path that I took.
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Well, if you ever get the urge,
you can go and get an MBA for me
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Oh... Yvonne is laughing...
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I'm done... thank you very much.
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You might want to
go to school again.
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No... no... I don't want to...
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Back to the music part of it,
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when did... how old were you
when you first started singing
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and when did you
develop a passion for it?
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When I first started singing,
I was, I think in the 7th Grade
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and it's so funny
because, and I never heard this
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I did not hear my dad say this
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because if I'd heard
it, it would have crushed me
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but he told my Mom,
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I guess he heard me
singing or something,
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he said, "She's
never going to sing...
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she's never had this
told, she's never going to sing
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but my Mom worked with
me and some other friends
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that I had as a
child, and we had a trio
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and my Mom just...
my Mom played the piano
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and she sang too and
my Dad, of course, sang
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and so... she worked with me
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and I loved music
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so I started singing really...
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about the Seventh...
Sixth or Seventh Grades
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and then later on, I got
into music professionally.
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Hmmm... we should
do a duet sometime.
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Awww... you know
what, I have to say,
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you are a wonderful son,
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you have so many gifts,
but singing is not one of them,
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and I would be a bad
Mom if I encouraged you
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in that arena, now
some people would say,
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you know, well, your
Dad... your Dad says,
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you wouldn't sing,
but here's the difference
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I was in the Seventh
Grade okay, you're almost 29...
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so it's a little bit different.
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There's still
hope... there's still hope...
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Well, let's... I think
you should practice piano.
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Okay... Learn piano
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and that kind of thing...
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the singing part...
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I'll leave that to you...
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well, but that
wouldn't sound nice
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but you know, I just think you
should focus on something else
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where your talents
can be better utilized
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that sounded good.
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All right, yeah, that was a
very politically correct thing.
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Okay, good, good, good.
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How did you get your big break,
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when did you get
your big break and make it
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into the actual Music Industry
where you've sung with people
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such as Luther Vandross
00:09:33.67\00:09:36.34
and Whitney
Houston and Roberta Flack,
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like... when was it that
you crossed that threshold?
00:09:38.41\00:09:40.74
Um... let's see...
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I started singing
professionally in 1977,
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so this was a long time ago,
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and... it's a very
relationship-oriented business
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and very cliquish,
the Background Singers,
00:09:56.83\00:09:58.89
the Studio Singers in New York,
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it's a very small group of
people that do a lot of the work
00:10:00.33\00:10:06.00
and so, they have
to like you to call you
00:10:06.03\00:10:10.54
so if... so you
establish relationships
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so, how, I guess,
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I started by... I met...
00:10:17.75\00:10:22.18
well the Engineer
that was the Manager
00:10:22.22\00:10:26.22
of the group that I sang in,
he was an Engineer in the city
00:10:26.25\00:10:30.76
and he knew some
jingle singers so, I said,
00:10:30.79\00:10:33.13
"I like to do the
background singing
00:10:33.16\00:10:35.36
because I heard on the radio
00:10:35.40\00:10:36.73
you know... people
just doing ooohs and aaahs
00:10:36.77\00:10:38.23
and I figured, "I can do
that" but it was so naive
00:10:38.27\00:10:41.80
I mean, I know now
how difficult it is
00:10:41.87\00:10:43.94
and all the things
that you have to go through
00:10:43.97\00:10:46.41
and all that but...
back then I didn't...
00:10:46.44\00:10:48.18
so, he said, "Well, I'll
introduce you to this singer"
00:10:48.21\00:10:52.05
and he did... I met her
and then she introduced me
00:10:52.11\00:10:55.92
to some others who
then started calling me
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and they were doing big jobs
00:10:58.79\00:11:01.76
they were doing
things with Harry Belefonte
00:11:01.79\00:11:03.86
and oh... you
know... the names...
00:11:03.89\00:11:07.66
"the names" at the
time, Frank Sinatra,
00:11:07.70\00:11:13.00
they were just
doing big, big gigs
00:11:13.03\00:11:16.60
and so they started calling
me to come in to sing background
00:11:16.64\00:11:20.28
and it's interesting because
they would call me to sing,
00:11:20.31\00:11:23.91
what they call
"bottom" which was Alto
00:11:23.95\00:11:26.31
so I did the Alto parts
because some of the women
00:11:26.35\00:11:30.09
wanted to be divas
and sing the Soprano,
00:11:30.12\00:11:31.85
I didn't care, I
really didn't care,
00:11:31.89\00:11:33.59
just call me, I
just want to work,
00:11:33.62\00:11:35.26
so they called me
and I started singing,
00:11:35.32\00:11:37.53
and I was singing
bottom and then at some point
00:11:37.56\00:11:39.63
they discovered that
I really was a Soprano,
00:11:39.66\00:11:42.00
and then I started
singing the top parts, you know,
00:11:42.03\00:11:44.30
because sometimes... some
of the Altos that were there
00:11:44.33\00:11:46.57
didn't want to try for that,
00:11:46.60\00:11:47.94
so, it was good and I started...
00:11:47.97\00:11:51.07
I sang for all
different artistes
00:11:51.11\00:11:53.78
and I started
doing commercials then
00:11:53.81\00:11:56.48
and commercials... that's where
you really make a lot of money
00:11:56.51\00:11:59.78
so I was really in
the clique in New York
00:11:59.81\00:12:04.05
doing the work
and... same with like...
00:12:04.09\00:12:07.39
Wrigley's
Spearmint Gum, Quaker Oats,
00:12:07.42\00:12:11.76
Kentucky Fried
Chicken, Folgers Coffee,
00:12:11.79\00:12:16.56
Ruffles Potato
Chips, just a bunch of them
00:12:16.63\00:12:21.10
right... Sesame Street...
00:12:21.14\00:12:22.47
Sesame Street... I
did a lot of Sesame Street
00:12:22.50\00:12:24.04
yeah... and it was
great, but... but...
00:12:24.07\00:12:29.21
the interesting thing Jay
was that the more money I made
00:12:29.24\00:12:33.21
and the more things I had,
00:12:33.28\00:12:35.68
just didn't satisfy me
00:12:35.72\00:12:38.05
I just wasn't... it
just wasn't enough for me
00:12:38.12\00:12:41.32
like, I would think,
00:12:41.36\00:12:42.76
"Oh man, oh I saw this coat,
00:12:42.82\00:12:44.96
I really want this coat"
do you remember that coat,
00:12:44.99\00:12:47.46
the Fox Coat? Oh yes.
00:12:47.50\00:12:49.00
it was a beautiful coat,
00:12:49.03\00:12:50.37
I really wanted
that coat and I thought,
00:12:50.40\00:12:53.00
"Okay, now, if I sing
this much I can make it... "
00:12:53.03\00:12:56.37
you can't control how
much you're called... but...
00:12:56.40\00:13:00.24
so, I sang all these jingles
and I got the money for the coat
00:13:00.28\00:13:04.78
and I got the coat,
and then, it's like,
00:13:04.81\00:13:07.32
"Okay, so now what, you
got the coat, what's next?"
00:13:07.35\00:13:11.05
Yeah... yeah...
00:13:11.12\00:13:12.45
Because nothing
satisfies the heart.
00:13:12.49\00:13:14.42
Now, at this point in time,
00:13:14.46\00:13:16.73
were you out of the
church did you stop,
00:13:16.76\00:13:18.43
what was your
spiritual life like?
00:13:18.46\00:13:19.86
That's a good
question, it gradually...
00:13:19.89\00:13:23.97
like people in
the music business
00:13:24.00\00:13:25.83
saw me as a very
spiritual person,
00:13:25.87\00:13:27.60
because there were things...
I did not use profanity,
00:13:27.64\00:13:30.71
I didn't smoke, drink, do drugs,
00:13:30.74\00:13:33.14
wasn't that party
girl, wasn't... you know...
00:13:33.17\00:13:37.11
so they knew...
they knew that I had
00:13:37.15\00:13:39.71
certain standards, but yet,
00:13:39.75\00:13:41.38
the people in the
church saw me as...
00:13:41.42\00:13:44.09
"Oh, she is gone,
she is out there,"
00:13:44.12\00:13:46.72
and all that... so...
00:13:46.76\00:13:48.36
You were just in that
gray area pretty much.
00:13:48.39\00:13:50.33
I was in the gray zone,
00:13:50.36\00:13:51.69
I was in the zone
of delusion though
00:13:51.73\00:13:54.66
because I thought that,
00:13:54.70\00:13:56.16
"Okay, so I am in
the music business,
00:13:56.20\00:13:58.90
but I'm not working on Sabbath
00:13:58.93\00:14:00.47
so, I'm okay," it's like...
00:14:00.50\00:14:03.57
but you're not really...
I was saying prayers, but...
00:14:03.61\00:14:06.84
just like in an obligatory way,
00:14:06.88\00:14:09.44
I was reading my Bible
sometimes it was by my bed,
00:14:09.48\00:14:12.88
but I was not in a
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:14:12.91\00:14:16.28
I was just doing
ritualistic-type things
00:14:16.32\00:14:20.72
I wasn't going to church,
I had stopped going to church
00:14:20.76\00:14:23.29
but I thought,
"Well, if I don't watch TV
00:14:23.32\00:14:25.29
and do this and that
on Sabbath, I'm good"
00:14:25.33\00:14:27.26
it was all "works oriented"
00:14:27.30\00:14:29.70
it was all connected
to what I did or didn't do
00:14:29.73\00:14:33.20
but then I started
working on the Sabbath,
00:14:33.23\00:14:35.70
and what had
happened was, I hit...
00:14:35.74\00:14:39.24
I was in a... in fact, you
weren't born when I started
00:14:39.27\00:14:44.18
you weren't born then but
00:14:44.21\00:14:47.38
I was working...
living on 2nd Avenue
00:14:47.42\00:14:52.55
on the upper Eastside...
in a very expensive apartment,
00:14:52.59\00:14:55.32
and the bottom
kind of dropped out
00:14:55.36\00:14:58.86
with jingles... you
know... you get called
00:14:58.89\00:15:00.80
and then you don't get called,
you get... you know... so...
00:15:00.86\00:15:04.23
if you get
called, you're working
00:15:04.27\00:15:06.03
and if you don't get called,
00:15:06.07\00:15:07.40
and if you don't
have much on the air,
00:15:07.44\00:15:08.87
you're not making much money,
so, I hit a snag in point,
00:15:08.90\00:15:13.11
and I was thinking,
00:15:13.14\00:15:15.94
"Okay, so, what
am I going to do?"
00:15:15.98\00:15:19.18
I did not have a strong
relationship with the Lord,
00:15:19.21\00:15:21.82
where I was really
praying and all that
00:15:21.88\00:15:23.65
and this job came
through with Roberta Flack
00:15:23.69\00:15:26.42
to go on the
road on the weekends,
00:15:26.45\00:15:28.52
and I thought,
00:15:28.59\00:15:30.39
"Oh, man, are they
booking on Friday nights?"
00:15:30.43\00:15:32.99
Well, at
first... well they were...
00:15:33.03\00:15:36.43
and some of my friends said,
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.63
"You know, it's okay,
God gave you that talent,
00:15:38.67\00:15:41.54
and you're using it, and
you're making people happy
00:15:41.57\00:15:44.41
and so... you
know... and God understands"
00:15:44.44\00:15:47.18
and, of course,
because I did not have that
00:15:47.21\00:15:49.94
that firm
relationship with the Lord,
00:15:49.98\00:15:52.21
I'm thinking, "Well,
maybe I'll just do it
00:15:52.25\00:15:55.48
for a little while and
then I won't do it anymore"
00:15:55.52\00:15:56.95
Hmmm... hmmm...
00:15:56.99\00:15:58.32
so, I started singing... and
you know what's interesting Jay,
00:15:58.35\00:16:01.59
the first two or three
engagements with Roberta,
00:16:01.62\00:16:06.73
that were on
Friday nights got canceled
00:16:06.80\00:16:09.96
so I didn't have to
sing on Friday night
00:16:10.00\00:16:13.13
but then... one
came up and I did
00:16:13.17\00:16:16.17
and it was the
weirdest feeling, I felt so...
00:16:16.20\00:16:19.71
like a fish out of
water, I felt so uncomfortable
00:16:19.74\00:16:23.18
and yet I did it, and
I was on the road with
00:16:23.24\00:16:27.12
your Uncle
Luther, Luther Vandross
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.25
and Brenda White
00:16:29.28\00:16:30.82
and we had a
great time on the road
00:16:30.89\00:16:32.79
but I learned from that
00:16:32.82\00:16:35.92
that you can get
used to doing something
00:16:35.96\00:16:39.46
that you know is
wrong, you can get used to it
00:16:39.49\00:16:43.00
and you can get
comfortable in it
00:16:43.06\00:16:45.43
and that is not
what God would have
00:16:45.47\00:16:47.47
so I ended up doing that, I
was on the road for weekends
00:16:47.50\00:16:52.11
doing weekends for
about, I guess a year or two,
00:16:52.14\00:16:55.94
and then I was back in the
jingles kind of... full force
00:16:55.98\00:17:00.45
and then I wasn't
on the road anymore.
00:17:00.48\00:17:02.35
Okay... okay... wow... so,
00:17:02.38\00:17:05.75
there were Friday
nights that got canceled
00:17:05.79\00:17:10.69
and so that's almost like
a little Divine intervention
00:17:10.73\00:17:15.00
That's what it felt like.
00:17:15.06\00:17:16.77
and then, on a Friday night
00:17:16.80\00:17:18.47
that didn't get
canceled it was almost like,
00:17:18.50\00:17:20.84
"Okay, this is your choice,
what are you going to do,
00:17:20.87\00:17:24.37
make your decision.
" Exactly... exactly...
00:17:24.41\00:17:26.68
Wow! And I chose the wrong...
00:17:26.71\00:17:28.94
I chose to go...
00:17:28.98\00:17:30.45
to succumb to
the economic pressure
00:17:30.48\00:17:35.68
instead of trusting
God, to open a door for me.
00:17:35.72\00:17:39.65
Hmmm... hmmm...
00:17:39.69\00:17:41.02
I didn't trust Him
enough to open the door.
00:17:41.06\00:17:44.36
Yes... yes...
after the Music Industry,
00:17:44.39\00:17:47.83
how did you transition,
00:17:47.86\00:17:49.20
where did you go
after the Music Industry?
00:17:49.23\00:17:52.40
Well, you know,
it's funny, it was...
00:17:52.43\00:17:55.44
as a Studio Singer, your
career is like an Athlete's
00:17:55.47\00:18:02.11
you have a peak and
then you have a decline,
00:18:02.14\00:18:04.88
right? and it's interesting
00:18:04.91\00:18:06.65
as you get older... they
start slowing phasing you out
00:18:06.68\00:18:10.25
and bringing... now,
you're not even on TV,
00:18:10.29\00:18:12.69
so it's not like
people see you getting older,
00:18:12.72\00:18:14.96
but they see you and
they want to keep things
00:18:14.99\00:18:17.23
young and fresh, and all that
00:18:17.26\00:18:18.66
so, as my decline began,
00:18:18.69\00:18:23.30
I just developed this
passion for natural health
00:18:23.33\00:18:28.14
and I started studying
alternative health things
00:18:28.17\00:18:32.21
and I started taking
classes and I loved knowing
00:18:32.24\00:18:36.18
about the herbs and things
that you could do naturally
00:18:36.21\00:18:39.65
and so, I started studying it
as my music career was declining
00:18:39.71\00:18:45.25
now interestingly enough, I
stayed in the Music Industry
00:18:45.29\00:18:48.96
for a long time but it was...
00:18:48.99\00:18:51.99
as it was going down,
00:18:52.03\00:18:53.60
my interest in
natural health was going up
00:18:53.63\00:18:56.43
and I just got consumed by it
00:18:56.46\00:18:58.60
and I started studying,
buying books, as you know...
00:18:58.63\00:19:01.74
Yeah, I know how
you are in school,
00:19:01.77\00:19:03.24
I know, and when you
got into acupuncture,
00:19:03.27\00:19:07.24
I was your pincushion.
00:19:07.28\00:19:09.68
I know, bless your heart
honey, I owe you something
00:19:09.71\00:19:13.48
for being my
guinea pig for everything
00:19:13.52\00:19:15.68
massage therapy, reflexology,
00:19:15.72\00:19:18.49
all the...
unfortunately New Age things
00:19:18.52\00:19:21.69
which I ended up getting into
00:19:21.72\00:19:23.06
which I didn't
realize... I was really doing,
00:19:23.09\00:19:25.49
but, anyway, you were
my guinea pig for all that,
00:19:25.53\00:19:27.93
bless your heart, I owe you...
00:19:27.96\00:19:29.30
Yes, yes... I
will collect on that.
00:19:29.33\00:19:32.43
I'm sure you will.
00:19:32.47\00:19:33.87
Now, once you
realized and once you became
00:19:33.90\00:19:36.60
convicted that
acupuncture was wrong,
00:19:36.64\00:19:39.21
you wrote a booklet,
00:19:39.24\00:19:40.58
I did... we
actually have that booklet
00:19:40.61\00:19:43.01
in-house and it's called,
"What's Wrong with Acupuncture?"
00:19:43.04\00:19:47.15
How can people get that booklet?
00:19:47.18\00:19:50.25
They can contact us
here at the Call Center
00:19:50.29\00:19:55.26
at 3ABN, the phone
number is 618-627-4651
00:19:55.32\00:20:00.26
and just ask for
the the Call Center
00:20:00.30\00:20:02.70
the number will
be up on the screen
00:20:02.73\00:20:05.07
yeah, and they can just call
the Call Center and order that
00:20:05.10\00:20:08.10
because so many people are
thinking acupuncture is okay
00:20:08.14\00:20:12.37
and as I was studying it,
00:20:12.41\00:20:14.48
I thought it was okay
while I was in School,
00:20:14.54\00:20:17.28
it wasn't until
after I got out of school,
00:20:17.31\00:20:19.75
and it was
brought to my attention,
00:20:19.78\00:20:22.68
that it was wrong,
that I really researched it
00:20:22.72\00:20:25.95
and found out it
was really wrong,
00:20:25.99\00:20:28.82
and God wanted me out of it.
00:20:28.86\00:20:30.63
Yes, and people also,
if they want that booklet
00:20:30.66\00:20:33.80
when they call the Call
Center, they need to specify
00:20:33.83\00:20:36.30
that they want the,
"What's Wrong with Acupuncture"
00:20:36.33\00:20:38.73
booklet and it's available
for a suggested donation of $10
00:20:38.77\00:20:42.00
which is for Dare to Dream,
00:20:42.07\00:20:43.64
yeah, we need to
let people know that...
00:20:43.67\00:20:45.54
yeah, this is
going to Dare to Dream
00:20:45.57\00:20:47.34
this is a Dare to Dream book...
00:20:47.38\00:20:48.71
so we're trying to
raise funds for Dare to Dream
00:20:48.74\00:20:51.11
and so... yeah... thank you...
00:20:51.15\00:20:52.61
Absolutely, no problem,
so after the acupuncture
00:20:52.65\00:20:56.35
after realizing
that it was wrong,
00:20:56.38\00:20:58.25
being convicted of that,
you were on the Dean's List
00:20:58.29\00:21:01.36
while you were in school,
you're making amazing grades,
00:21:01.39\00:21:05.63
and you just gave it all
up because you were convicted
00:21:05.66\00:21:09.86
that
spiritually... this is wrong
00:21:09.90\00:21:12.17
this is... it's New Age...
00:21:12.20\00:21:13.60
let's bring it, I
guess, more current,
00:21:13.64\00:21:17.41
how did you end
up coming to 3ABN,
00:21:17.44\00:21:21.04
how did you become
the GM of Dare to Dream?
00:21:21.08\00:21:24.18
You know, Jay...
00:21:24.21\00:21:25.75
you cannot lose
when you obey God
00:21:25.78\00:21:29.38
that's the bottom line.
00:21:29.42\00:21:30.89
When God told me, He
led me to the resources
00:21:30.92\00:21:35.16
that let me
know that acupuncture
00:21:35.22\00:21:37.79
and the philosophy behind it,
00:21:37.83\00:21:40.36
the underpinning of
it, the foundation of it,
00:21:40.40\00:21:42.86
these are incompatible
00:21:42.90\00:21:44.80
with Christian values,
00:21:44.83\00:21:46.90
once He showed me that,
00:21:46.94\00:21:48.84
I had a decision to
make, it's either...
00:21:48.87\00:21:51.87
and it was 95
percent of my income,
00:21:51.91\00:21:55.11
so, it is
either, stay with that...
00:21:55.14\00:21:58.31
and lose my soul
00:21:58.35\00:22:00.55
or trust God to provide
for me to make a way for me
00:22:00.58\00:22:07.82
even though, I no
longer have the same income,
00:22:07.86\00:22:11.13
and Jay...
every... God is so faithful
00:22:11.16\00:22:16.03
because in every
juncture, He took care of me.
00:22:16.06\00:22:20.37
Everything that I
needed, whether it was my rent,
00:22:20.40\00:22:24.67
whether it was my... a website,
00:22:24.71\00:22:28.94
to print a book, I
wrote a book called,
00:22:28.98\00:22:31.68
"Great Days: Nine Principles
To Revolutionize Your Life"
00:22:31.71\00:22:35.78
and that book is
what got me to 3ABN.
00:22:35.82\00:22:40.49
Wow! So if I had
not left acupuncture
00:22:40.52\00:22:45.13
if I hadn't obeyed God, I
would not have gotten the best
00:22:45.16\00:22:50.77
job I've ever had in my life,
00:22:50.80\00:22:53.07
this is the best place
that I've ever worked at,
00:22:53.10\00:22:56.81
this is best job I've ever had,
00:22:56.87\00:22:58.67
I love the people,
I love what I'm doing,
00:22:58.71\00:23:01.68
and I'm so grateful to
be in the seat that I'm in
00:23:01.71\00:23:06.35
and it's because, you
can't lose when you obey God
00:23:06.38\00:23:10.99
so that's how I got
here, I wrote this book,
00:23:11.02\00:23:14.56
and C.A. Murray was
supposed to interview me
00:23:14.59\00:23:18.13
on the "Today
Program" about the book,
00:23:18.16\00:23:20.83
but he wasn't here,
00:23:20.90\00:23:22.46
he had to leave
00:23:22.50\00:23:24.03
so Danny Shelton interviewed me
00:23:24.07\00:23:26.27
and Danny and I began to talk,
00:23:26.30\00:23:28.47
and he told me, he said,
00:23:28.50\00:23:30.31
"I feel impressed
that you should be
00:23:30.34\00:23:32.61
the one to head
the "Urban Network"
00:23:32.67\00:23:34.91
and I just thought,
"Me?" I mean... I've never...
00:23:34.94\00:23:38.28
it just never dawned on me
that I would be working here
00:23:38.31\00:23:42.52
that I would be the
Head of the Urban Network
00:23:42.55\00:23:46.32
but God had a plan,
and that's what everyone...
00:23:46.35\00:23:50.06
every Viewer should know
that there's nothing special
00:23:50.09\00:23:53.36
about me or you or everybody...
we're all special, we're all...
00:23:53.40\00:23:57.57
we're all unique in God's sight
00:23:57.60\00:23:59.93
and there's a
plan for each of us
00:23:59.97\00:24:02.17
and so we can
thank Him for that plan.
00:24:02.20\00:24:05.07
Absolutely, I often say that
00:24:05.11\00:24:06.71
a true testament of faith
is the ability to tolerate
00:24:06.74\00:24:10.45
uncertainty while trusting God
and that's exactly what you did
00:24:10.48\00:24:14.88
and then it led you
to your Divine purpose.
00:24:14.92\00:24:18.42
Amen... that's deep
Jay, I'm proud of you.
00:24:18.45\00:24:20.76
All right then...
00:24:20.79\00:24:22.49
No, that's true though
00:24:22.52\00:24:24.29
that's really true, it is...
say that again, I like that,
00:24:24.33\00:24:29.23
"The true testament of
faith is the ability to tolerate
00:24:29.26\00:24:33.80
uncertainty
while trusting in God"
00:24:33.84\00:24:36.87
Hmmm... because
you step out on faith
00:24:36.91\00:24:39.87
you don't know what
God has in store for you
00:24:39.91\00:24:42.74
but if we trust that
His plan is the best plan
00:24:42.78\00:24:45.51
and you pray and ask God to put
you into your Divine purpose,
00:24:45.55\00:24:50.49
He'll answer you. Yes, He will.
00:24:50.52\00:24:54.16
And He answered your
prayers. Yes, He did.
00:24:54.19\00:24:56.29
And you are now the GM
of Dare to Dream Network
00:24:56.32\00:24:58.89
and I am sitting in your seat.
00:24:58.93\00:25:00.26
I know and you know what,
00:25:00.30\00:25:01.63
I think you're getting
a little too comfortable,
00:25:01.66\00:25:03.06
don't get comfortable though,
00:25:03.10\00:25:04.43
don't get too
comfortable in that seat,
00:25:04.47\00:25:06.47
that's all I have to say,
00:25:06.50\00:25:07.84
no seriously, you will
be doing more interviews
00:25:07.87\00:25:11.27
and I think it's great,
00:25:11.34\00:25:12.67
I want you to do more
interviews and continue to grow
00:25:12.71\00:25:17.18
because God has
His plan for you too.
00:25:17.25\00:25:19.55
God is so good, He's so faithful
00:25:19.58\00:25:24.09
and He will reveal to
you what you need to know
00:25:24.12\00:25:27.56
at that point in time,
00:25:27.59\00:25:29.09
you might not know what's
going to happen over here,
00:25:29.12\00:25:31.73
but He will
give you step by step
00:25:31.76\00:25:34.03
what you're to do,
if we just ask Him.
00:25:34.06\00:25:36.26
Just ask Him, it's
all about relationship
00:25:36.30\00:25:39.47
if the Viewer doesn't
get anything else today,
00:25:39.50\00:25:42.00
they need to know
it's about relationship
00:25:42.04\00:25:46.01
not about rules because
the rules come into play
00:25:46.04\00:25:49.44
as a result of the relationship.
00:25:49.48\00:25:51.88
Yes, and doing
stuff out of love.
00:25:51.91\00:25:53.98
That's right.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely
00:25:54.02\00:25:57.32
and what is your
vision for Dare to Dream?
00:25:57.35\00:26:01.42
Hmmm... wow! you
know, TV shapes values
00:26:01.46\00:26:05.53
I think that we are seeing that
00:26:05.56\00:26:08.93
in this whole cultural
revolution that we have
00:26:08.96\00:26:11.77
television shapes values
00:26:11.80\00:26:15.27
and so, since we
know that to be true,
00:26:15.30\00:26:17.91
we want to shape the values,
we want to lead people to Christ
00:26:17.97\00:26:22.34
we want to lead
people in the inner city
00:26:22.38\00:26:26.01
in urban areas to Jesus Christ,
00:26:26.05\00:26:28.15
people who
wouldn't walk into a church
00:26:28.18\00:26:30.39
you know, we want to
give them Jesus Christ
00:26:30.42\00:26:34.62
and show them how
relevant the Word of God is
00:26:34.66\00:26:38.59
how applicable to
today the Word of God is
00:26:38.63\00:26:42.56
and so we can do that by
offering television programs
00:26:42.60\00:26:46.90
that offer the
gospel and tools for living.
00:26:46.94\00:26:50.31
I just feel like
God would have us
00:26:50.37\00:26:53.34
to continue to do programming
that reaches... you know...
00:26:53.38\00:26:56.71
we want programs for young moms
00:26:56.75\00:26:59.25
and for fathers
00:26:59.28\00:27:00.62
to teach our young
men how to be fathers,
00:27:00.65\00:27:03.28
how do they
deal with the mothers
00:27:03.32\00:27:06.65
and all these things,
so we really want to help
00:27:06.69\00:27:11.03
get the word out everywhere.
00:27:11.06\00:27:14.63
That's amazing... well I
want to thank you so much
00:27:14.66\00:27:17.63
for joining us today.
00:27:17.67\00:27:19.00
Thank you, you
did a great job too.
00:27:19.03\00:27:21.44
Oh, praise the Lord,
that's why we always pray
00:27:21.50\00:27:23.54
before we get
started. Yes we do...
00:27:23.61\00:27:25.01
Matthew 16:24 through 26 says,
00:27:25.07\00:27:30.95
"Then Jesus said
to His disciples,
00:27:30.98\00:27:33.28
if anyone wishes
to come after me,
00:27:33.31\00:27:35.48
he must deny himself,
00:27:35.52\00:27:37.49
and take up his
cross, and follow me.
00:27:37.52\00:27:39.59
For whoever wishes to
save his life will lose it:
00:27:39.62\00:27:42.82
but whoever loses his
life for my sake will find it.
00:27:42.86\00:27:45.99
For what will it profit a man,
if he gains the whole world,
00:27:46.03\00:27:49.80
and forfeits his soul?
or what will a man give
00:27:49.83\00:27:53.20
in exchange for his soul?"
00:27:53.23\00:27:54.57
If you haven't done so
already, I encourage you
00:27:54.60\00:27:57.51
to accept Jesus Christ
as your Lord and Savior
00:27:57.54\00:28:00.51
because without
Him, you have nothing.
00:28:00.54\00:28:02.71
Join us next time and remember
00:28:02.74\00:28:04.81
it just wouldn't be
the same without you.
00:28:04.85\00:28:07.58