Stay tuned to meet a young man
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
whose life made a
U-turn just in time.
00:00:02.73\00:00:05.03
My name is Yvonne Lewis
00:00:05.07\00:00:06.74
and you're
watching Urban Report.
00:00:06.77\00:00:08.54
Hello and
welcome to Urban Report.
00:00:31.29\00:00:33.19
My guest today is Jason Bradley,
Assistant to the General Manager
00:00:33.23\00:00:37.63
of the Dare to Dream Network,
me... and my baby boy...
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welcome to Urban Report Jason.
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Thank you, thank you,
it's a pleasure to be here.
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You know, some
people would think
00:00:45.91\00:00:47.94
"Wow! why is she
interviewing her son...
00:00:47.98\00:00:50.48
like that must be
nepotism at its best
00:00:50.51\00:00:52.95
but you really have a testimony
00:00:52.98\00:00:58.15
that I want our Urban
Report Viewers to know about
00:00:58.22\00:01:02.59
when I first heard it, I
didn't know all the details
00:01:02.62\00:01:07.00
in fact, I joked
with you later and said,
00:01:07.03\00:01:09.00
"You'll get a beating later on"
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After this
interview, I'll be running...
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as soon as this Program is over.
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But you have a story
00:01:16.50\00:01:19.67
that I want our
young people to hear,
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I want our older people to hear
00:01:23.11\00:01:25.25
so that they can
kind of know, maybe,
00:01:25.28\00:01:28.02
what's going on with
their kids or grandkids
00:01:28.05\00:01:31.69
or whatever, so
I really think that
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what you have to say
today is going to be a blessing
00:01:34.36\00:01:38.79
as I said, I heard
it for the first time
00:01:38.83\00:01:42.50
really, in total,
with T. Marshall Kelly
00:01:42.53\00:01:46.74
on his radio
program and I thought,
00:01:46.77\00:01:49.47
"Wow! we have to
have that on Urban Report"
00:01:49.50\00:01:51.81
so thank you so
much for being...
00:01:51.87\00:01:53.98
willing to be
transparent, I appreciate that.
00:01:54.01\00:01:56.88
That's not an easy thing to do
especially when it's your Mom.
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I know, that's got to
be so... Like Mom and Boss.
00:02:00.25\00:02:04.85
Yeah, that's right, but anyway,
00:02:04.89\00:02:06.49
tell us a little
bit about who you are
00:02:06.52\00:02:11.73
and where you came
from, your family background.
00:02:11.76\00:02:14.10
Yeah, so, and I'm
glad you asked that
00:02:14.13\00:02:17.20
because it's important
for people to understand
00:02:17.23\00:02:19.63
the background and the
family and all of that.
00:02:19.67\00:02:22.07
I was raised
Seventh-day Adventist,
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I was raised in the
church, my mom was Adventist,
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well, you're
Adventist, my dad was not
00:02:27.04\00:02:31.61
but he was kind of...
at the time... just because
00:02:31.65\00:02:36.38
I have a feeling that he
had a strong pressure from you.
00:02:36.42\00:02:41.12
What! what!
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So he was kind of faking
it to make it... at the time
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and growing up,
I was very loved,
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I came from a very loving home,
you were singing professionally,
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still doing jingles and
all of that at that time,
00:02:57.61\00:03:00.48
for my early part of the years,
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and then I remember you and dad
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getting a divorce and
at first it affected me,
00:03:05.38\00:03:09.32
at first I didn't understand it
00:03:09.35\00:03:10.99
I was a kid and I
just couldn't grasp it
00:03:11.02\00:03:13.32
and I didn't like it, but
then after that I loved it
00:03:13.36\00:03:15.92
because I got two sets of gifts,
I got two places to go to,
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you were the strict parent,
00:03:20.13\00:03:21.80
dad was kind of
like the "fun parent"
00:03:21.83\00:03:24.17
you know, I mean,
so, I had a good time,
00:03:24.20\00:03:27.07
I kind of liked that
you guys got divorced
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and then I had
two places to go to,
00:03:29.70\00:03:32.67
and dad,
throughout all this time
00:03:32.74\00:03:35.64
has always stayed in my life,
like, he is a great father,
00:03:35.68\00:03:39.31
I mean, he's been there
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through thick and
thin from day one,
00:03:41.15\00:03:43.52
when you got
remarried and we moved to Texas,
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he uprooted his whole life
00:03:47.36\00:03:50.89
and just came to
Dallas to finish raising me
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and I think
that's huge. It is...
00:03:53.36\00:03:55.66
so for the people that
are watching this Program,
00:03:55.70\00:03:58.67
that there's hope,
there are some good fathers
00:03:58.70\00:04:02.10
out there, and my dad
is definitely one of them.
00:04:02.14\00:04:06.17
Your Dad loves you a
lot and made a decision
00:04:06.21\00:04:09.74
to be in your life,
to stay in your life,
00:04:09.78\00:04:13.28
and I so applaud him on that
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because he...
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he has never
veered away from you,
00:04:17.45\00:04:21.56
he's always... when
we first moved to Texas,
00:04:21.62\00:04:24.99
you were so
unhappy without your dad,
00:04:25.03\00:04:29.10
and I was talking to
him one day about you
00:04:29.13\00:04:32.20
and I said, "Why
don't you just come here"
00:04:32.23\00:04:35.30
I mean...
because he wanted to come
00:04:35.34\00:04:37.17
and when he realized that
he needed to be there with you
00:04:37.21\00:04:42.11
and you were just so
happy that he was there
00:04:42.14\00:04:44.61
and then you learned
to, I guess, work it,
00:04:44.68\00:04:47.08
because then you had my
place and then you had his place
00:04:47.12\00:04:50.19
and you said, like,
your dad was a fun parent
00:04:50.25\00:04:52.89
I was the strict one,
Absolutely, absolutely...
00:04:52.92\00:04:54.56
so, yeah... You were still fun
00:04:54.59\00:04:56.59
but there were just, you
know, more and more rules...
00:04:56.62\00:05:00.26
more rules. More
rules, yes, you had rules.
00:05:00.30\00:05:03.63
I had fun though.
00:05:03.67\00:05:05.00
Okay, all right. I
don't want to discredit you.
00:05:05.03\00:05:06.37
Okay, that's good,
that's good, I like that.
00:05:06.43\00:05:08.00
So, you grew up
in a Christian home,
00:05:08.04\00:05:12.17
and you grew up
in a loving home.
00:05:12.21\00:05:16.34
Yes. And even though,
00:05:16.38\00:05:17.85
your dad and I divorced,
00:05:17.88\00:05:19.31
we still
maintained a relationship
00:05:19.35\00:05:22.52
for you too,
00:05:22.55\00:05:24.22
so that, you know,
00:05:24.29\00:05:25.62
you never felt like we
were fighting and all that stuff
00:05:25.65\00:05:27.66
over you and all
that which was really good
00:05:27.69\00:05:31.73
so, what happened
when you were about 12,
00:05:31.76\00:05:35.56
like... where was your life
after your dad and I divorced
00:05:35.60\00:05:41.30
and then, we moved to Texas
00:05:41.34\00:05:43.57
and then I got another divorce
00:05:43.61\00:05:46.61
what did that do to your life?
00:05:46.64\00:05:49.58
Well, I was honestly
happy when you got that divorce
00:05:49.61\00:05:55.18
because it's just...
I wanted it to be "us"
00:05:55.22\00:06:00.99
I wanted this to be you,
me, Mark, when he was out there
00:06:01.02\00:06:07.80
and so, I felt a little
bit relieved, so to speak,
00:06:07.83\00:06:13.34
when you got that
particular divorce
00:06:13.40\00:06:15.87
and then after that, I mean,
at that time my life was okay
00:06:15.90\00:06:19.87
I was playing basketball
and just having fun at school
00:06:19.91\00:06:23.85
still being good, it
was probably in 8th Grade
00:06:23.88\00:06:26.92
when I got
approached to smoke Marijuana
00:06:26.95\00:06:29.25
and I was 13 years
old, I turned it down,
00:06:29.28\00:06:32.02
I didn't begin
smoking until I was 14
00:06:32.05\00:06:34.56
14 was that time in my life
where everything just started
00:06:34.62\00:06:38.49
kind of like... all the
bad things started happening.
00:06:38.53\00:06:42.36
Like what? Poor choices...
00:06:42.40\00:06:43.73
I became sexually
active at the age of 14
00:06:43.77\00:06:46.74
and so I lost my
virginity at 14 years old,
00:06:46.77\00:06:49.70
I began smoking Marijuana at 14,
00:06:49.74\00:06:52.44
I started drinking at 14,
so I would find... an all...
00:06:52.47\00:06:58.01
while leading a double life
so, hiding it from you and dad
00:06:58.05\00:07:02.85
and going out and
hanging out with friends
00:07:02.88\00:07:06.15
on sleepovers or whatever,
and going to different parties
00:07:06.22\00:07:11.29
and things of that nature,
00:07:11.33\00:07:12.89
so, at 14, I
began smoking Marijuana
00:07:12.93\00:07:17.13
and I was still functioning,
00:07:17.17\00:07:20.40
I was still making sure I
did right in school and stuff,
00:07:20.44\00:07:24.07
my grades slipped a little bit
00:07:24.11\00:07:25.77
but you quickly
put that in check
00:07:25.81\00:07:29.14
but, you know,
it was just like...
00:07:29.21\00:07:32.51
that was a pivotal
point where it was...
00:07:32.55\00:07:35.48
where the bad choices
00:07:35.52\00:07:36.95
started coming in.
00:07:36.99\00:07:38.39
You know what's
interesting, Jay, is that,
00:07:38.42\00:07:40.26
I really did not...
00:07:40.29\00:07:42.32
I didn't know the
way you were spiraling
00:07:42.36\00:07:46.46
I didn't see it,
I saw some things
00:07:46.49\00:07:49.10
you know, like, when
the grades started slipping
00:07:49.16\00:07:51.87
and I could say, "What's
going on with your grades?"
00:07:51.90\00:07:55.70
like, you know, but I...
the sleepovers and the parties,
00:07:55.74\00:08:00.11
I'm thinking, you're just
going over to a friend's house,
00:08:00.18\00:08:04.51
and everything was okay,
00:08:04.55\00:08:06.61
and these were friends
from the Adventist School,
00:08:06.68\00:08:09.18
so, you know, it's important
for parents, I think, to know...
00:08:09.22\00:08:13.96
I knew where you
were going, of course,
00:08:13.99\00:08:16.09
but I just didn't know
00:08:16.12\00:08:18.69
about the choices you
were making at that point.
00:08:18.73\00:08:22.16
Were you using the
computer in a bad way too,
00:08:22.20\00:08:25.53
were you involved in pornography
00:08:25.57\00:08:28.34
and stuff like
that on the computer?
00:08:28.40\00:08:29.90
Yeah, I watched that porn,
00:08:29.94\00:08:31.27
I watched porn on
the computer and all that
00:08:31.31\00:08:33.41
and deleted the
history and stuff
00:08:33.44\00:08:34.98
so you couldn't find anything.
Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm...
00:08:35.01\00:08:37.45
but you know,
it's not just like,
00:08:37.48\00:08:40.88
I would spend the night at
some friends' houses from school
00:08:40.92\00:08:43.89
or some that might have
been from a Public School,
00:08:43.92\00:08:46.62
or something like that,
00:08:46.65\00:08:48.36
I mean, I went to an Adventist
School from Fifth Grade on
00:08:48.39\00:08:52.39
but there's... it
doesn't matter where you are,
00:08:52.43\00:08:55.90
you will find whatever...
00:08:55.93\00:08:58.57
the devil knows
where your weaknesses are,
00:08:58.63\00:09:02.07
and he'll exploit
those, and he exploited mine,
00:09:02.10\00:09:05.51
and I got heavy
in the Rap Music,
00:09:05.54\00:09:07.18
I got heavy into bad movies,
00:09:07.21\00:09:10.28
not porn movies, per
se, but like Rated-R movies
00:09:10.35\00:09:15.15
or drug movies
or gangster movies
00:09:15.18\00:09:18.59
or whatever, and so, as
you continue to watch that
00:09:18.62\00:09:22.09
and you continue
to listen to that,
00:09:22.12\00:09:23.76
you're poisoning yourself,
00:09:23.79\00:09:25.39
you're starting to desensitize
yourself to certain things
00:09:25.43\00:09:29.23
and so... you...
and everything is
00:09:29.26\00:09:32.23
glorified in there, you
know, you see these drug dealers
00:09:32.27\00:09:36.20
with big houses and big cars,
like... fancy, expensive cars
00:09:36.24\00:09:40.24
and beautiful women,
00:09:40.28\00:09:41.61
but what you don't see is
00:09:41.64\00:09:43.55
when they're getting
locked up for life sentences,
00:09:43.58\00:09:46.05
when they're getting murdered,
00:09:46.08\00:09:47.42
when they're
getting robbed and shot
00:09:47.45\00:09:50.29
and all kinds of
stuff, you don't see that part
00:09:50.32\00:09:52.39
because they don't
you to see that part
00:09:52.42\00:09:53.92
so, you know, as I went on
from 14 to like... 15, 16...
00:09:53.96\00:10:01.56
on through college,
my drug habit got worse
00:10:01.60\00:10:05.70
and worse, and
it just progressed
00:10:05.73\00:10:08.04
in the wrong direction.
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.31
So then you weren't able
to focus on your schoolwork
00:10:10.34\00:10:15.18
you were now, when
you went to college
00:10:15.21\00:10:18.51
because you went,
first you went to Oakwood
00:10:18.55\00:10:22.38
no, first you went to Southern
00:10:22.42\00:10:24.52
Yes, Texas Southern
00:10:24.55\00:10:26.25
and then to Oakwood,
00:10:26.29\00:10:27.92
you weren't
focused on your academics
00:10:27.96\00:10:31.53
you were... were you partying?
00:10:31.56\00:10:33.73
Yes, I was partying, I
was very much into women
00:10:33.76\00:10:37.10
so, it's college,
you're away from home,
00:10:37.17\00:10:41.14
I'm at a Public University,
I got an on-campus apartment,
00:10:41.17\00:10:45.17
it's women everywhere, and
so I was heavy into partying
00:10:45.21\00:10:49.18
I was still heavy
into drugs because
00:10:49.21\00:10:51.31
where that
particular college is located,
00:10:51.38\00:10:53.92
it's like the Third Ward of
Houston or something like that
00:10:53.95\00:10:56.95
which is not really a great area
00:10:56.99\00:10:59.55
and then on top of that
00:10:59.59\00:11:01.22
you have all these kids
coming from all these places
00:11:01.26\00:11:04.06
bringing drugs and
drug habits and all that
00:11:04.13\00:11:06.80
to a central location,
00:11:06.83\00:11:08.60
no parents, just
drugs and bad influences
00:11:08.63\00:11:12.47
and all of that
00:11:12.53\00:11:13.87
and those on-campus
apartments where I was living,
00:11:13.90\00:11:17.91
it was
00:11:17.94\00:11:20.18
it was crazy
00:11:20.21\00:11:22.18
because there were robberies,
00:11:22.21\00:11:23.65
there were...
people were going to bed,
00:11:23.68\00:11:25.61
there were gunshots,
they were shooting at night
00:11:25.68\00:11:27.52
and I got my car broken into,
I got my apartment broken into,
00:11:27.55\00:11:33.72
and then I went
to a party one night
00:11:33.76\00:11:36.76
and there was a young
lady that was at the party
00:11:36.79\00:11:40.66
I left the party
because there were a lot of guys
00:11:40.70\00:11:44.53
and that wasn't my
scene, I don't want to be
00:11:44.57\00:11:48.20
somewhere in an
environment where...
00:11:48.24\00:11:50.37
it's a whole bunch of guys
00:11:50.41\00:11:52.51
in a small space and
not... no women really,
00:11:52.54\00:11:56.68
so I left the party,
after that same party
00:11:56.75\00:12:00.48
this young lady,
I knew her roommate
00:12:00.52\00:12:02.38
and this lady... she got
shot in the head and killed.
00:12:02.42\00:12:07.12
At the same party
that you had been in?
00:12:07.16\00:12:09.92
Same party I was
at, so throughout...
00:12:09.96\00:12:12.69
even though I've
made all those bad choices
00:12:12.73\00:12:15.53
and continued to
make... not continued now,
00:12:15.56\00:12:18.33
but continued to
make bad choices,
00:12:18.37\00:12:22.14
God has still had
His hand on my life
00:12:22.17\00:12:25.87
whether or not I
gave Him the time or not,
00:12:25.91\00:12:28.34
he still protected me.
00:12:28.41\00:12:29.74
Where were you
spiritually at that time?
00:12:29.78\00:12:32.01
Non-existent... my
spiritual life was...
00:12:32.08\00:12:34.45
I mean, I knew there was
God, I knew there was a God,
00:12:34.48\00:12:38.19
and I would do the
rituals, I'd say my blessing,
00:12:38.25\00:12:41.52
but I wasn't going to church,
I wasn't reading my Bible,
00:12:41.56\00:12:44.96
I didn't desire a
relationship with God,
00:12:44.99\00:12:49.60
I was more about...
myself and what I wanted to do
00:12:49.63\00:12:52.37
and the women and
the drugs and all that
00:12:52.40\00:12:57.67
it consumed me,
00:12:57.71\00:12:59.04
and the party
life... that consumed me
00:12:59.07\00:13:01.34
I began selling drugs,
I went out and got a scale
00:13:01.38\00:13:06.45
and I decided I
wanted to make some money
00:13:06.48\00:13:08.68
while... I had a job too
00:13:08.72\00:13:10.79
but I decided that I
wanted to make some other money
00:13:10.82\00:13:13.46
and support a drug habit,
00:13:13.49\00:13:15.82
and so I began
selling some drugs.
00:13:15.86\00:13:18.49
Were you scared,
00:13:18.53\00:13:21.53
I mean, that whole scene
00:13:21.56\00:13:23.03
was that... that's
not how you were raised
00:13:23.06\00:13:26.40
Hmmm... hmmm... so,
were you uncomfortable
00:13:26.43\00:13:29.70
with that scene or had you...
00:13:29.74\00:13:31.67
because you were using it,
00:13:31.71\00:13:33.58
had you developed a
certain level of comfort
00:13:33.61\00:13:36.14
in that whole environment?
00:13:36.18\00:13:37.51
I grew kind of
comfortable, there's never
00:13:37.55\00:13:42.02
like a true level of
comfort that can be obtained
00:13:42.05\00:13:46.35
or attained with that lifestyle
00:13:46.39\00:13:49.02
because you constantly have
to worry about getting robbed,
00:13:49.09\00:13:51.89
you have to worry,
looking over your back,
00:13:51.93\00:13:53.86
because people...
00:13:53.90\00:13:55.23
if they find out
about you selling drugs,
00:13:55.26\00:13:58.10
some of them
might go to the police
00:13:58.13\00:14:00.10
or some of them
might try and rob you
00:14:00.14\00:14:02.00
or some of... you
just have different things
00:14:02.04\00:14:04.21
to worry about and... I mean...
00:14:04.24\00:14:07.14
it's not something that I
owe, and I knew it was wrong
00:14:07.18\00:14:09.88
and I wasn't raised that way,
I was never raised that way,
00:14:09.91\00:14:12.55
from either parent,
00:14:12.58\00:14:14.08
so, I mean, I
felt that it was wrong
00:14:14.12\00:14:17.92
but my morals had
shifted Hmmm... hmmm...
00:14:17.95\00:14:23.99
because I was in a cloud,
00:14:24.03\00:14:26.13
basically... Hmmm... hmmm...
00:14:26.16\00:14:28.00
even at that particular school
like I said... a minute ago,
00:14:28.03\00:14:31.63
my apartment got broken into,
00:14:31.67\00:14:33.17
I ended up figuring out
who broke into my apartment,
00:14:33.23\00:14:37.01
but I wasn't going to
go to the Cops because
00:14:37.04\00:14:39.47
if they can
prove that they did it,
00:14:39.51\00:14:43.65
then they know that I
told that they did it,
00:14:43.68\00:14:46.35
and I know those
particular people had guns
00:14:46.38\00:14:50.22
so, I went to try and
get a gun at the time,
00:14:50.25\00:14:53.89
and I was going
to go confront them
00:14:53.92\00:14:56.06
on breaking into my apartment,
00:14:56.09\00:14:58.56
God made it to where that
00:14:58.59\00:15:01.00
every time that I was
trying to go purchase a gun,
00:15:01.06\00:15:03.63
something fell
through, and it just never...
00:15:03.67\00:15:07.50
it didn't happen,
it never happened,
00:15:07.54\00:15:10.61
Hmmm... hmmmm. so, He
saved my life with that
00:15:10.64\00:15:15.54
because what happened if
I would have gone over there
00:15:15.58\00:15:17.91
and I would have confronted them
00:15:17.95\00:15:19.41
and they would
have pulled their gun
00:15:19.45\00:15:21.48
then I would have
had to take a life
00:15:21.52\00:15:23.55
which is never...
00:15:23.59\00:15:24.92
I never would
ever want to do that...
00:15:24.95\00:15:27.66
Yeah, and things can
escalate. Absolutely.
00:15:27.69\00:15:30.73
You have a gun, they have a gun,
00:15:30.76\00:15:32.96
words are spoken
00:15:32.99\00:15:35.70
and then you're
in each other's faces
00:15:35.73\00:15:37.37
because then your
"Manhood" is on the line
00:15:37.40\00:15:39.80
you know what I
mean? disrespects you...
00:15:39.83\00:15:42.20
it's just craziness,
00:15:42.27\00:15:43.61
and it just goes
into a another whole area
00:15:43.64\00:15:46.78
that can turn your
life around forever.
00:15:46.81\00:15:50.15
Absolutely. Forever.
00:15:50.18\00:15:51.71
I think we have
a picture of you,
00:15:51.78\00:15:53.25
when you were in that lifestyle
that I'd like to put up
00:15:53.31\00:15:57.32
because I'd like for
people to kind of see
00:15:57.35\00:16:00.29
the difference in
the way you look now
00:16:00.32\00:16:03.22
and the way you looked then.
00:16:03.26\00:16:04.59
Yes, there are three
pictures that we have
00:16:04.63\00:16:09.50
this is one of them,
00:16:09.53\00:16:11.43
I was in a car, I
couldn't even tell you
00:16:11.47\00:16:14.44
where I was going or
where I was coming from,
00:16:14.47\00:16:16.24
it could have been
a party at the time
00:16:16.30\00:16:18.17
we have another picture
00:16:18.24\00:16:21.08
where I was
getting ready to go out
00:16:21.11\00:16:24.18
or I just came from going
out, it's very dark, you know,
00:16:24.21\00:16:30.19
it was a dark time in my life
00:16:30.22\00:16:31.55
that's another picture
where I was going to go party
00:16:31.59\00:16:36.59
Hmmm... hmmm... to
the wrong kind of parties.
00:16:36.62\00:16:40.13
Yeah, God is so amazing because
00:16:40.20\00:16:42.83
during the time you
were away in college,
00:16:42.86\00:16:46.80
of course, I didn't know all
the stuff you were getting into
00:16:46.84\00:16:49.87
I knew about the
apartment getting broken into
00:16:49.90\00:16:52.17
and that kind of
thing, but I didn't know about
00:16:52.21\00:16:54.44
the drugs and the selling
of the drugs and all that,
00:16:54.48\00:16:57.91
but I knew that you
weren't walking with the Lord
00:16:57.95\00:17:01.35
and so, the praying...
00:17:01.38\00:17:05.82
I was praying
for you and for Mark
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.52
and have been, I mean,
00:17:08.56\00:17:10.59
because that's what
we have to do as parents
00:17:10.63\00:17:13.80
we have to stand in
the gap for our kids,
00:17:13.83\00:17:17.37
and I knew that
your life wasn't right
00:17:17.40\00:17:20.44
but I didn't know the extent
00:17:20.47\00:17:21.80
I didn't know how
far away you had gone
00:17:21.84\00:17:25.91
because you kept
it... you kept it from me
00:17:25.97\00:17:30.01
and so that was
one phase of your life
00:17:30.05\00:17:34.65
what happened later
00:17:34.68\00:17:36.02
that was so
life-changing for you?
00:17:36.05\00:17:38.42
Well, there were
a couple of things
00:17:38.45\00:17:42.32
one is... after
a while... okay...
00:17:42.36\00:17:46.23
I went to a private college
00:17:46.26\00:17:47.86
after TSU, I went to a
Seventh-day Adventist College
00:17:47.90\00:17:52.93
and I ended up driving back
to TSU to buy some Marijuana
00:17:52.97\00:17:58.84
and bring it back to
school and sell it...
00:17:58.87\00:18:01.01
You were going to sell it
back at the Private school?
00:18:01.04\00:18:03.68
Yes, yes, there are
people that abuse drugs
00:18:03.75\00:18:08.58
everywhere Yeah.
00:18:08.62\00:18:09.95
and so, I was
going to sell it there
00:18:09.98\00:18:12.35
but I ended up getting
robbed at a gas station
00:18:12.42\00:18:14.29
in one of these States, okay,
00:18:14.32\00:18:18.16
and so, then,
what that did was...
00:18:18.19\00:18:21.33
that was still a
little bit of a protection
00:18:21.36\00:18:23.83
because I ended up
getting pulled over
00:18:23.87\00:18:25.27
down the highway, and
the Cop ended up lying
00:18:25.30\00:18:30.54
and saying that I didn't...
00:18:30.57\00:18:32.27
I failed the breathalyzer
or something and he said...
00:18:32.31\00:18:37.31
basically I didn't
have anything to drink
00:18:37.35\00:18:39.91
but it was
zeroes across the things
00:18:39.95\00:18:42.02
that I had point 008
which was legal and so he lied,
00:18:42.05\00:18:45.79
they ended up
letting me go, taking me back
00:18:45.82\00:18:47.99
and I went on and got back home,
00:18:48.02\00:18:51.63
went on my merry way,
but later on in life though
00:18:51.66\00:18:54.73
my appendix
ruptured inside of me
00:18:54.76\00:18:58.83
and that was a
life-threatening issue
00:18:58.87\00:19:02.70
because I had been misdiagnosed,
I got sent home twice
00:19:02.74\00:19:06.41
the third time, my doctor
was supposed to be on vacation,
00:19:06.47\00:19:10.11
but he happened
to be in the office
00:19:10.15\00:19:11.48
and he came and saw me,
that's not just a coincidence
00:19:11.51\00:19:15.18
that's God putting
him in the building
00:19:15.22\00:19:17.19
that particular
time when I needed him
00:19:17.25\00:19:19.09
and so he ran one more
test and sent me to the ER
00:19:19.15\00:19:23.73
and told my dad to take me to ER
00:19:23.79\00:19:25.13
they performed an
emergency surgery on me
00:19:25.16\00:19:29.13
and Dr. Carlton Byrd
came and prayed with me
00:19:29.16\00:19:32.90
I didn't know him
because I wasn't going to church
00:19:32.93\00:19:35.40
but that prayer meant so much
and I thank him all the time
00:19:35.44\00:19:40.34
whenever I see him, so,
if you're watching this,
00:19:40.38\00:19:42.38
Dr. Byrd, thank
you for praying with me
00:19:42.41\00:19:45.01
and you would have thought
that after that experience
00:19:45.05\00:19:48.85
that I would have
given my life to God,
00:19:48.88\00:19:51.32
I thanked Him, but I
was still stuck on "me"
00:19:51.35\00:19:54.22
I was still stuck on
things that I wanted to do
00:19:54.26\00:19:57.09
so I ended up
getting out of the hospital
00:19:57.13\00:19:59.66
and as soon as I was okay
to walk around and move around,
00:19:59.69\00:20:04.87
I want back to the "hood"
00:20:04.90\00:20:07.67
and I started
selling drugs again
00:20:07.70\00:20:10.71
and using drugs, this
particular day, though,
00:20:10.74\00:20:14.28
I ended up having
14 bags of Marijuana
00:20:14.31\00:20:19.68
and two Ecstasy Pills,
and these Cops walked up
00:20:19.71\00:20:25.49
from behind the building...
00:20:25.52\00:20:26.86
Undercover? No...
they were in uniform
00:20:26.89\00:20:29.36
but they came up
from behind the building
00:20:29.39\00:20:31.89
so, I was
walking into the building
00:20:31.93\00:20:35.00
because I saw them
coming and I was acting like
00:20:35.03\00:20:37.03
I was on the phone and
they called me back out
00:20:37.07\00:20:38.97
to sit down with everybody else
and they wanted to search us
00:20:39.00\00:20:43.17
and they were asking
us to give up our drugs,
00:20:43.20\00:20:45.71
they ended up finding
my 14 bags of Marijuana
00:20:45.74\00:20:48.24
I had tried to discard it,
00:20:48.28\00:20:49.98
but they found it
and they took me to jail
00:20:50.01\00:20:53.08
my stomach was still
open at the time, mind you,
00:20:53.11\00:20:55.62
From your surgery?
00:20:55.65\00:20:56.99
yes, from my
surgery, and I went to jail,
00:20:57.02\00:21:00.82
they took me to jail,
and that ended up being
00:21:00.86\00:21:04.73
one of the best days of my life
00:21:04.76\00:21:06.80
because it was a turning
point, it was a wake-up call
00:21:06.86\00:21:09.10
and it was that
push that I needed
00:21:09.13\00:21:12.60
it was like, God saying,
"I've protected you this far,
00:21:12.63\00:21:16.10
I'm still protecting you,
you're being held in here,
00:21:16.14\00:21:19.51
but I'm still protecting
you but you need this to wake up
00:21:19.54\00:21:22.64
and change your life
around, so I got out of jail,
00:21:22.68\00:21:25.91
and I was
determined not to go...
00:21:25.95\00:21:28.15
How long were you
in... just overnight, right?
00:21:28.18\00:21:30.39
I spent the night
and I slept on steel
00:21:30.42\00:21:32.05
because when I came
back from the Pre-trial,
00:21:32.09\00:21:34.79
there was no
mattress pad or anything,
00:21:34.82\00:21:36.96
just straight metal,
I got out the next day,
00:21:36.99\00:21:40.90
anybody who knows
me knows I love food,
00:21:40.93\00:21:43.13
so, I do not
like to be in a place
00:21:43.16\00:21:45.57
where I can't go
in my refrigerator
00:21:45.60\00:21:47.97
or go get what I
want to eat so I got out
00:21:48.00\00:21:51.67
and when I got out, my
family didn't abandon me
00:21:51.71\00:21:55.91
my family rallied behind me
and supported me through it all
00:21:55.94\00:21:59.21
and helped me get
the help that I needed.
00:21:59.28\00:22:02.75
I still didn't
give my life to Christ,
00:22:02.78\00:22:06.22
I went a couple more years,
00:22:06.25\00:22:09.12
I'm not convicted of
anything that's a blessing,
00:22:09.16\00:22:11.73
I'm not convicted of a
felony or a misdemeanor,
00:22:11.79\00:22:14.33
I went on through life and then
00:22:14.36\00:22:17.47
I ended up managing a restaurant
which was a huge blessing
00:22:17.53\00:22:22.70
because I needed to
gain that experience
00:22:22.74\00:22:26.37
I needed to
experience success so to speak
00:22:26.41\00:22:30.28
I had 60 to 70
people under me at the time
00:22:30.31\00:22:34.18
and so I became a
Restaurant Manager
00:22:34.22\00:22:36.18
I was working crazy
hours, 70 hours a week,
00:22:36.22\00:22:39.62
but I was making good money,
00:22:39.65\00:22:40.99
but there was
still that emptiness
00:22:41.02\00:22:43.26
I was still empty and
going back to my upbringing,
00:22:43.29\00:22:46.76
from when I was a kid,
00:22:46.80\00:22:48.13
I've always heard,
"Money isn't everything"
00:22:48.16\00:22:50.07
I would not have believed that
until I started making the money
00:22:50.10\00:22:54.84
and then realizing
that I'm still not happy
00:22:54.87\00:22:57.61
that money isn't
everything and I knew
00:22:57.64\00:22:59.97
that the only person that
could fill that void was Jesus
00:23:00.01\00:23:03.45
and so when I
accepted the Lord as my Savior,
00:23:03.48\00:23:06.31
How did you know
that, how did you know that?
00:23:06.38\00:23:08.95
because I had the money,
I had the good-looking girl
00:23:08.98\00:23:13.56
I had a house, I
had... I had things,
00:23:13.59\00:23:17.49
but things don't
bring that happiness
00:23:17.53\00:23:20.40
it does for a
short period of time,
00:23:20.43\00:23:23.20
"I'm okay, I got
this" but there's still...
00:23:23.23\00:23:27.60
you lack that inner
peace and so I knew that
00:23:27.64\00:23:30.37
that void that
needed to be filled,
00:23:30.41\00:23:33.07
money wasn't going to fill it,
women weren't going to fill it,
00:23:33.11\00:23:35.91
drugs and alcohol
weren't going to fill it,
00:23:35.94\00:23:37.85
and even before that, I
had been doing Club Promotions
00:23:37.88\00:23:43.79
I was known within a
circle where I could go in
00:23:43.82\00:23:49.42
and I'd be in VIP,
I'd get in for free,
00:23:49.46\00:23:52.26
I had all the
benefits of the wrong places,
00:23:52.29\00:23:56.20
I'd drink for free, whatever,
00:23:56.23\00:23:58.43
all the benefits
of the wrong places
00:23:58.47\00:24:01.00
and so, after coming
to the realization that,
00:24:01.07\00:24:04.54
"Okay, my way has
been wrong all this time
00:24:04.57\00:24:07.34
and it's not
bringing me happiness... "
00:24:07.38\00:24:10.28
I accepted the Lord
as my personal Savior,
00:24:10.31\00:24:13.15
and I came to 3ABN and
it was the Day of Prayer
00:24:13.18\00:24:17.52
and on that Day of Prayer, I
remember Danny Shelton saying
00:24:17.55\00:24:21.72
that if you leave this place
00:24:21.79\00:24:25.16
and you can't get
it off of your mind,
00:24:25.19\00:24:28.76
and this is where
God would have you to be.
00:24:28.80\00:24:32.13
So, I went back
home, I was still working,
00:24:32.17\00:24:35.44
managing the restaurant,
working 60 to 70 hours a week,
00:24:35.47\00:24:38.34
and I kept
thinking, 3ABN... 3ABN...
00:24:38.37\00:24:40.44
Dare to
Dream... Dare to Dream...
00:24:40.48\00:24:42.54
and I was like,
00:24:42.58\00:24:45.15
"This is where God
would have me to be"
00:24:45.21\00:24:47.95
you're here,
Grandy's here, my Grandpa,
00:24:47.98\00:24:50.69
and I was like,
00:24:50.75\00:24:53.72
this is where God
would have me to be
00:24:53.76\00:24:56.02
because I can't
get it out of my mind.
00:24:56.06\00:24:59.29
Hmmm... hmmm...
It's so amazing, Jay, how
00:24:59.33\00:25:02.30
we talk about
God's divine purpose,
00:25:02.36\00:25:05.40
and how everyone has a purpose,
00:25:05.43\00:25:08.40
for me... I was
trying to get an Assistant
00:25:08.44\00:25:11.77
and could not get an Assistant,
I'd get different resumes,
00:25:11.81\00:25:15.91
but I would instantly...
after talking to people
00:25:15.94\00:25:19.15
I'd know, they really just
wanted to be on television,
00:25:19.21\00:25:21.98
I was looking for
an Assistant, and so...
00:25:22.02\00:25:25.62
and God never let
me get one until you...
00:25:25.65\00:25:29.12
and you had
worked for me in Dallas
00:25:29.16\00:25:31.19
when I had a Medical Practice
and I knew your work ethic,
00:25:31.23\00:25:34.50
I knew how you were with people,
00:25:34.53\00:25:36.80
and so, I
wanted you here with me
00:25:36.87\00:25:39.07
and look at what God
did, He brought you...
00:25:39.10\00:25:41.64
how do you like
your job as the Assistant
00:25:41.67\00:25:44.77
to the General Manager?
00:25:44.81\00:25:46.17
I love it and I'm
fine with not being on TV
00:25:46.21\00:25:48.88
I'm fine with
being behind the desk
00:25:48.91\00:25:50.98
doing whatever... traveling,
all that, I love this job
00:25:51.01\00:25:54.22
and I feel like I'm
walking in my divine purpose
00:25:54.25\00:25:57.42
this is where God
would have me to be.
00:25:57.45\00:25:59.25
That is so... so awesome,
00:25:59.29\00:26:02.22
what would you
say to that young man
00:26:02.26\00:26:04.39
who thinks that women and
drugs and alcohol and money
00:26:04.43\00:26:09.06
are the answer,
look into your camera
00:26:09.10\00:26:11.73
and tell that
young man right now
00:26:11.80\00:26:14.40
what he needs to do.
00:26:14.44\00:26:15.94
First of all, the
money and the drugs,
00:26:16.00\00:26:20.31
the alcohol, the women,
00:26:20.38\00:26:21.71
none of that is going
to bring you happiness,
00:26:21.74\00:26:24.25
you might have happiness
for a short period of time
00:26:24.28\00:26:27.22
but it's not going to last
00:26:27.25\00:26:29.52
and then you're going to be
searching for something else.
00:26:29.58\00:26:31.42
You might not be
as blessed as I was
00:26:31.45\00:26:35.42
to have escaped
that bullet that night,
00:26:35.46\00:26:39.43
to have escaped somebody...
00:26:39.46\00:26:41.76
and I didn't even go into the
"somebody popping their trunk"
00:26:41.80\00:26:45.37
while we were sitting
at a light which means
00:26:45.40\00:26:47.57
they're going to get a
gun, you might not dodge that,
00:26:47.60\00:26:51.37
you might get
that life sentence,
00:26:51.41\00:26:53.91
you might get
robbed, you might get killed,
00:26:53.94\00:26:56.04
change your life today,
00:26:56.08\00:26:58.81
if you're watching this Program,
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.55
please, make a
decision to accept Jesus Christ
00:27:00.58\00:27:03.55
because He is the answer
00:27:03.59\00:27:04.92
and He will bring
you true happiness
00:27:04.95\00:27:06.29
and He will bring you
that inner peace that you need,
00:27:06.32\00:27:08.42
you have nothing to
lose but everything to gain
00:27:08.46\00:27:11.93
so, do it today.
00:27:11.96\00:27:13.83
Amen. Thank you Jay,
00:27:13.86\00:27:15.70
you know I'm so proud
of the man that you are,
00:27:15.73\00:27:19.93
that God has brought
you such a mighty long way
00:27:19.97\00:27:24.17
and I'm just so
thankful for that.
00:27:24.21\00:27:25.94
Look at what God
did, I needed an Assistant
00:27:25.97\00:27:28.64
my son was away from the Lord,
00:27:28.68\00:27:31.55
and He did both things
00:27:31.58\00:27:33.28
in one move,
00:27:33.31\00:27:34.68
you know,
brought you back to Him,
00:27:34.72\00:27:36.58
and brought you here to help me
00:27:36.62\00:27:38.39
and now I feel like
Dare to Dream is really
00:27:38.42\00:27:41.66
in such a better place because
00:27:41.69\00:27:43.83
the Lord has brought
you here so, thank you,
00:27:43.86\00:27:46.23
and thank you for
being so transparent.
00:27:46.26\00:27:47.96
Thank you. I love you so much,
00:27:48.03\00:27:49.46
I'm so proud of you.
00:27:49.53\00:27:50.87
I love you too.
00:27:50.90\00:27:52.23
And parents, know that God
has a plan for your children
00:27:52.27\00:27:55.30
don't be
discouraged, you hang in there
00:27:55.34\00:27:57.51
and God's going to
bring them through.
00:27:57.54\00:27:59.64
That's the end of our Program,
00:27:59.67\00:28:01.21
join us next time,
because you know what?
00:28:01.24\00:28:02.94
It just wouldn't be
the same without you.
00:28:02.98\00:28:05.35