Stay tuned to meet a couple whose lives are a testimony 00:00:01.36\00:00:03.80 to the transforming power of God. 00:00:03.83\00:00:05.83 My name is Yvonne Lewis 00:00:05.87\00:00:07.40 and you're watching Urban Report. 00:00:07.44\00:00:09.14 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:31.99\00:00:34.26 My guests today are Tim and Maiesha Lawson, 00:00:34.30\00:00:37.00 Panelists on D2D's Program, Pure Choices. 00:00:37.03\00:00:40.30 Tim is also on Chew's Challenge, 00:00:40.34\00:00:42.60 I was on the PC Set and heard their story. 00:00:42.67\00:00:45.67 Check out their amazing journey. 00:00:45.71\00:00:47.74 It's such a blessing to be on the Set of Pure Choices 00:00:47.81\00:00:55.05 with Tim and Maiesha Lawson. 00:00:55.08\00:00:56.99 Welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:57.02\00:00:58.85 Thank you so much. Thank you. 00:00:58.89\00:01:00.22 You know, I had the opportunity to produce Pure Choices 00:01:00.26\00:01:04.86 for this Season and you were both 00:01:04.89\00:01:07.93 on the Panel and what I heard you say 00:01:07.96\00:01:10.97 is so powerful, 00:01:11.00\00:01:12.97 I can't wait for you to watch Pure Choices. 00:01:13.00\00:01:17.41 These Programs are so profoundly impactful 00:01:17.44\00:01:21.24 and so, what you all were talking about 00:01:21.28\00:01:25.05 I had to bring you on Urban Report 00:01:25.08\00:01:27.95 because I want our Viewers to hear your whole testimony 00:01:27.98\00:01:32.39 and just know the power of God 00:01:32.45\00:01:35.82 to change your life. 00:01:35.86\00:01:37.49 So Maiesha, let's talk to you a little bit first 00:01:37.53\00:01:41.16 because I had Tim on before and our Viewers kind of know 00:01:41.20\00:01:44.77 Tim on Chew's Challenge 00:01:44.80\00:01:46.80 and also, I had you on Urban Report before too. 00:01:46.84\00:01:50.47 So, let's start with your lovely wife 00:01:50.51\00:01:52.01 and then I'm going to bring you in 00:01:52.04\00:01:54.18 and talk about some things too. 00:01:54.21\00:01:56.34 Where were you born Maiesha? 00:01:56.38\00:01:59.18 I was born in Oakland, California, 00:01:59.21\00:02:01.35 and at a young age 00:02:01.38\00:02:03.42 I moved to Sacramento, California, 00:02:03.49\00:02:06.22 my mother and my brother just us two. 00:02:06.25\00:02:08.59 Okay, so your dad wasn't in the home? 00:02:08.62\00:02:11.33 No, not at all well, to the age of eight 00:02:11.39\00:02:14.06 and then he... he had an addiction 00:02:14.10\00:02:16.93 so, he had to go take care of that 00:02:16.97\00:02:20.10 and go into Rehab and he missed out on 00:02:20.14\00:02:22.37 a few years of my life 00:02:22.40\00:02:24.51 so, I was in a single-parent home. 00:02:24.57\00:02:27.51 And was it a spiritual environment, 00:02:27.54\00:02:30.48 a secular environment? 00:02:30.51\00:02:32.05 I grew up Baptist but my mother... 00:02:32.08\00:02:37.52 she didn't know really how to have a spiritual home 00:02:37.55\00:02:43.29 she did the best of her ability 00:02:43.32\00:02:44.89 but we didn't have family worship 00:02:44.93\00:02:48.50 we were still able to listen and watch 00:02:48.53\00:02:52.43 secular things on television 00:02:52.47\00:02:55.24 and just still involved in secular things. 00:02:55.27\00:03:02.98 So, you grew up, 00:03:03.01\00:03:06.38 you were in Oakland, right, 00:03:06.41\00:03:07.75 you were born in Oakland Hmmm... hmmm... 00:03:07.78\00:03:09.15 and when you got to high school, 00:03:09.18\00:03:11.95 what happened, did anything happen to you 00:03:11.99\00:03:15.56 in high school, that kind of began to pull you 00:03:15.59\00:03:18.96 into the world or were you, 00:03:18.99\00:03:20.60 just, kind of, in the world anyway? 00:03:20.63\00:03:23.23 Yes, I was in the world anyway 00:03:23.26\00:03:25.77 so everything was normal to me and once I hit high school, 00:03:25.80\00:03:31.87 I got into boys, can't call them men, of course, 00:03:31.91\00:03:35.71 but I got into boys, and by the age of sixteen 00:03:35.74\00:03:39.51 I found myself in a relationship 00:03:39.55\00:03:41.48 with a guy that was three years older than me 00:03:41.55\00:03:43.72 and, of course I was sexually active, 00:03:43.75\00:03:48.12 I began to use drugs and drink alcohol 00:03:48.19\00:03:52.79 and it progressed to being abused as well. 00:03:52.83\00:03:57.57 So, he was... it was a domestic violence 00:03:57.60\00:04:01.90 he was abusing you, Yes. 00:04:01.94\00:04:03.51 and did you feel... because this is important for 00:04:03.54\00:04:07.34 young women who are in an abusive relationship, 00:04:07.38\00:04:11.11 did you feel that that was normal? 00:04:11.15\00:04:12.95 Yes, I did, because I grew up seeing it 00:04:12.98\00:04:16.32 not just only from my mother and my father 00:04:16.35\00:04:19.52 but maybe people out in the streets of Oakland, 00:04:19.55\00:04:22.82 I've seen women get beat up by their husbands 00:04:22.86\00:04:26.19 or their boyfriends, you also see it on TV 00:04:26.23\00:04:30.10 and, you know, other family members as well. 00:04:30.13\00:04:34.74 So you were sixteen and you had started... 00:04:34.77\00:04:39.37 you were sexually active 00:04:39.41\00:04:41.34 you had started drinking, using some drugs 00:04:41.38\00:04:44.45 and you were being abused. Yes. 00:04:44.51\00:04:46.48 How were you feeling about yourself at that point? 00:04:46.51\00:04:50.19 Well, by the age of 16, I was diagnosed with depression 00:04:50.25\00:04:54.59 severe depression, so I was very unhappy 00:04:54.62\00:04:58.39 me and my mother... 00:04:58.43\00:05:01.06 we didn't have a close relationship 00:05:01.10\00:05:05.17 in my teenage years, I guess, 00:05:05.20\00:05:06.60 once you hit puberty you think you're grown 00:05:06.63\00:05:09.40 and you don't need to listen to anyone 00:05:09.44\00:05:12.81 and me, I was hardheaded, of course, 00:05:12.84\00:05:15.98 and I needed someone to have, 00:05:16.01\00:05:21.38 I needed that discipline but what I really needed was 00:05:21.42\00:05:25.19 some attention and I needed love, 00:05:25.22\00:05:28.92 and I'm not saying that my mother didn't love me 00:05:28.96\00:05:31.93 but she loved me from a mother's perspective 00:05:31.96\00:05:34.90 and not a father's perspective 00:05:34.93\00:05:37.07 and that's what I needed the most. 00:05:37.13\00:05:38.53 Maiesha, this is such an important point 00:05:38.57\00:05:41.57 because on Urban Report, a lot... 00:05:41.60\00:05:44.51 I talk about the impact of fathers 00:05:44.54\00:05:47.24 the importance of the father being in the home 00:05:47.28\00:05:49.44 and how... not just for sons 00:05:49.48\00:05:52.21 but for daughters, daughters need their dads 00:05:52.25\00:05:55.02 because their dad is the first model 00:05:55.05\00:05:57.79 of what a man is supposed to be like 00:05:57.82\00:06:00.49 and how he's supposed to be with his wife 00:06:00.52\00:06:03.83 I mean, well, you hope that he would be the model for that 00:06:03.86\00:06:07.16 and so, without your dad, 00:06:07.20\00:06:09.93 you don't really know how to gauge things, 00:06:09.96\00:06:12.87 you don't know how a man is supposed to be 00:06:12.90\00:06:15.74 and you're not getting the affection and the attention 00:06:15.77\00:06:19.27 from your dad so you seek it in other places 00:06:19.31\00:06:22.98 and so, what I'm hearing you say is that 00:06:23.01\00:06:26.15 your relationship with your mom wasn't great 00:06:26.18\00:06:29.25 because as a teenager, you start challenging 00:06:29.28\00:06:32.29 their authority, Right. 00:06:32.32\00:06:33.72 and then you didn't have your daddy there 00:06:33.76\00:06:35.86 to kind of guide you 00:06:35.89\00:06:37.59 and then you had this guy that you were dealing with 00:06:37.63\00:06:41.06 that was abusing you, so you went into depression. 00:06:41.10\00:06:44.07 Right and I felt that he was everything, you know, 00:06:44.10\00:06:46.94 everything that I needed, of course, 00:06:46.97\00:06:48.84 and I felt that though we argued and we fought 00:06:48.87\00:06:52.14 I felt that, because he was still there for me 00:06:52.17\00:06:55.38 that that's what mattered, you know. 00:06:55.41\00:06:59.05 And so many teenage girls are dealing with the same thing 00:06:59.08\00:07:04.92 they think that that kind of treatment is okay, 00:07:04.95\00:07:08.09 it's not okay, they think that it's normal 00:07:08.12\00:07:12.23 it's not normal, nobody deserves to get hit 00:07:12.29\00:07:16.30 by their significant other, no one, 00:07:16.33\00:07:19.57 so that's sixteen, 00:07:19.60\00:07:22.57 tell us how your life progressed after that. 00:07:22.60\00:07:26.61 Well, I continued this relationship with my Ex 00:07:26.64\00:07:31.08 for the age of 20, I met you when I was 20 right? 00:07:31.11\00:07:35.48 yeah, okay, so at the age of 20 00:07:35.52\00:07:38.05 I was going back and forth with him 00:07:38.12\00:07:40.59 I was promiscuous and I engaged in doing fraud, 00:07:40.62\00:07:47.23 I would go into banks and withdraw money 00:07:47.26\00:07:51.53 and I ended up going to jail for that 00:07:51.60\00:07:55.84 and I was looking at jail... 00:07:55.87\00:07:58.57 well, I was looking at prison time 00:07:58.61\00:08:00.98 the Feds came and spoke with me 00:08:01.04\00:08:03.35 but, by the grace of God, that didn't stick, 00:08:03.38\00:08:06.21 so, I did a total of six months in jail 00:08:06.25\00:08:09.95 and then I got out 00:08:09.98\00:08:12.52 and there were no other charges against me 00:08:12.55\00:08:16.66 it was considered "time served" 00:08:16.69\00:08:18.93 so, as I'm in another State, there was no family, no support, 00:08:18.96\00:08:24.17 I met some women that allowed me to stay with them 00:08:24.23\00:08:29.57 but, of course, I had to fend for myself. 00:08:29.60\00:08:31.77 So, they were working girls, they were dancers 00:08:31.81\00:08:34.91 and they were in the prostitution business 00:08:34.94\00:08:38.01 and they introduced me to that, I had no choice, 00:08:38.05\00:08:41.48 I had to feed myself, I had to clothe myself, 00:08:41.52\00:08:44.95 I had to take care of myself, 00:08:44.99\00:08:48.26 and that's how I began my life, 00:08:48.29\00:08:50.69 in the Entertainment Business. 00:08:50.73\00:08:53.09 So, it's interesting because you know, 00:08:53.13\00:08:57.80 now that you are who you are, 00:08:57.83\00:09:01.54 you wouldn't say, "Well, I had to do that" 00:09:01.57\00:09:05.01 because you know you could depend on God 00:09:05.04\00:09:08.44 but then you didn't know that. 00:09:08.48\00:09:10.65 You're operating from a carnal mindset 00:09:10.68\00:09:13.75 because you don't know you didn't know, 00:09:13.78\00:09:16.79 so, they introduced you to the Entertainment Business 00:09:16.82\00:09:21.62 what does that mean, what were you doing? 00:09:21.66\00:09:24.43 Well, I started off dancing, and I wasn't making enough 00:09:24.46\00:09:32.47 I was making enough for me 00:09:32.50\00:09:34.10 but when I'm looking at the women are doing less for more 00:09:34.14\00:09:39.24 I wanted a taste of that 00:09:39.27\00:09:42.38 you know, I can spend eight hours to ten hours 00:09:42.41\00:09:46.41 dancing, and they can still... 00:09:46.45\00:09:48.05 they're still making more than me 00:09:48.08\00:09:49.65 and they're only spending 30 minutes to an hour 00:09:49.68\00:09:52.35 with just one person, you know, 00:09:52.39\00:09:54.36 and so I asked questions because I was curious 00:09:54.39\00:09:57.53 and they showed me the ropes to that type of profession 00:09:57.56\00:10:01.53 and I stuck with that. 00:10:01.56\00:10:04.57 And how long were you involved with that? 00:10:04.63\00:10:07.60 Well, I started at the age of 19 to 22 or 23 I believe, yeah. 00:10:07.64\00:10:17.35 And how did you get out of it? 00:10:17.38\00:10:20.18 Oh! the Lord is good. 00:10:20.22\00:10:22.95 Well, I got tired of the life that I was living 00:10:22.98\00:10:28.22 and in the midst of this I met Timothy 00:10:28.26\00:10:34.03 and he was going through his time with the Lord as well 00:10:34.06\00:10:39.43 and the Lord was fixing him, 00:10:39.47\00:10:40.84 the Lord spoke to him to witness to me, 00:10:40.87\00:10:46.11 and he continued to... you know... 00:10:46.14\00:10:51.31 pray with me and all that and then, I'm going through... 00:10:51.35\00:10:56.79 the Lord is speaking to me 00:10:56.82\00:10:58.22 through my heart and my conscience 00:10:58.25\00:11:00.52 you know, every time I'm working, 00:11:00.56\00:11:02.82 I'm like, "This is totally wrong" 00:11:02.86\00:11:05.09 I felt a sense of conviction and I've been around people 00:11:05.13\00:11:11.03 that were religious that went to church 00:11:11.07\00:11:15.40 but they... not only were they just religious, 00:11:15.44\00:11:17.21 but they had a... you can tell that 00:11:17.24\00:11:18.57 they had a relationship with Jesus 00:11:18.61\00:11:20.84 and I wanted that, I wanted that feeling, 00:11:20.88\00:11:23.24 I wanted the joy that they were talking about 00:11:23.28\00:11:25.61 I wanted the "peace" that they were talking about 00:11:25.65\00:11:28.22 because I know in this life... I'm not getting it 00:11:28.25\00:11:30.82 and that's where I began to change my life. 00:11:30.85\00:11:35.19 So, you met Timothy, let's talk about that 00:11:35.22\00:11:38.43 and I want to get Tim's perspective 00:11:38.49\00:11:41.66 on how he felt when he met you. 00:11:41.70\00:11:43.77 So, how did you meet Maiesha? 00:11:43.80\00:11:46.47 I was in the world at the time, 00:11:46.50\00:11:49.44 so we had just finished, you know, 00:11:49.50\00:11:51.77 partying and everything as it were, 00:11:51.81\00:11:54.04 and our friend said, he had some friends 00:11:54.08\00:11:56.14 that he wanted to invite over, and we were at my house 00:11:56.21\00:11:58.51 and so she literally walked in my front door 00:11:58.55\00:12:01.15 and through that we began to spark up a relationship 00:12:01.18\00:12:06.42 and a friendship and everything, 00:12:06.45\00:12:07.86 not even imagine it would go anywhere that it went, 00:12:07.89\00:12:12.06 it went through a turbulent year, 00:12:12.09\00:12:14.73 of... as you're in the world... worldly relationships, 00:12:14.76\00:12:17.90 kind of fussing and fighting and at the end of that year, 00:12:17.93\00:12:21.04 I went to prison, and so to fast forward, 00:12:21.10\00:12:23.87 when I'm getting out of prison, I'm starting to seek the Lord 00:12:23.91\00:12:26.54 and re-contacted her, sending her verses, 00:12:26.57\00:12:29.91 encouraging her, things of that nature, 00:12:29.94\00:12:33.28 and lo and behold, 00:12:33.31\00:12:35.58 she had started 00:12:35.62\00:12:37.32 wondering about church 00:12:37.35\00:12:38.89 and it would be her and her friend 00:12:38.92\00:12:40.29 they'd be on the phone and we'd be 00:12:40.36\00:12:41.96 you know, talking about Bible topics, 00:12:42.02\00:12:43.63 and Bible questions, and she... 00:12:43.66\00:12:45.63 once she came up for Christmas 00:12:45.66\00:12:47.56 and she said, you know, about the spiritual people 00:12:47.60\00:12:49.76 that I was hanging around, 00:12:49.80\00:12:51.47 she decided then that that's what she wanted, 00:12:51.50\00:12:53.84 and started taking Bible Studies 00:12:53.87\00:12:55.44 where she was at, which was Las Vegas, 00:12:55.47\00:12:57.81 so I was in Sacramento, 00:12:57.84\00:12:59.27 she was in Vegas taking her Bible Studies, 00:12:59.31\00:13:01.74 she came back to Sacramento and finished those Bible Studies 00:13:01.78\00:13:04.75 and then that summer, we both got baptized 00:13:04.78\00:13:08.78 on the same day. 00:13:08.82\00:13:10.15 That is tremendous, you know what's amazing to me, 00:13:10.19\00:13:14.19 you guys, is that 00:13:14.22\00:13:15.56 God knew all along where He would bring you to 00:13:15.59\00:13:21.63 you know, the enemy has a plan 00:13:21.66\00:13:24.07 and he's trying to just take you down 00:13:24.10\00:13:26.77 and he doesn't care what he does 00:13:26.80\00:13:29.10 to get you on that downward spiral 00:13:29.14\00:13:31.37 that's what he wants to do but God wants to prosper you 00:13:31.41\00:13:35.38 and give you the abundant life and give you joy, 00:13:35.41\00:13:38.38 and that's what he's done because when I look 00:13:38.41\00:13:41.62 into your countenances, I see the peace and joy 00:13:41.65\00:13:44.82 of the Lord, it's just amazing to me 00:13:44.85\00:13:47.66 I can imagine that when you were in the world, 00:13:47.69\00:13:51.23 and of the world, 00:13:51.29\00:13:52.63 your countenances were totally different 00:13:52.66\00:13:54.93 you can just see in people's eyes 00:13:54.96\00:13:56.80 you can see a totally different spirit. 00:13:56.83\00:14:00.47 I was always angry, negative, wary about people 00:14:00.50\00:14:04.01 and you don't know how to be a man either, 00:14:04.04\00:14:06.47 treating women and things of that nature 00:14:06.51\00:14:08.84 when the Lord comes upon your heart 00:14:08.88\00:14:11.01 you find out that gentleness and meekness and kindness 00:14:11.05\00:14:15.82 are really manly traits, not weak traits 00:14:15.85\00:14:18.65 and you find joy in helping and treating someone lovingly 00:14:18.69\00:14:23.59 and it's like, 00:14:23.63\00:14:25.13 everybody is trying to please the Lord and please each other, 00:14:25.16\00:14:29.06 and it's that circle of love that God creates 00:14:29.10\00:14:31.50 that we've been able to experience 00:14:31.53\00:14:33.47 and it's better than anything that the devil tells you he has 00:14:33.50\00:14:36.84 out there in the world. 00:14:36.87\00:14:38.51 Absolutely, absolutely, 00:14:38.54\00:14:40.28 what would you say has been the biggest challenge 00:14:40.31\00:14:45.28 for you to having left that lifestyle 00:14:45.31\00:14:49.12 and come into the truth 00:14:49.18\00:14:52.15 what would you say though 00:14:52.19\00:14:53.82 have been, rather than just one 00:14:53.86\00:14:56.26 have been some of the challenges that you've had to face 00:14:56.32\00:14:59.09 as a result of having come out of there? 00:14:59.13\00:15:02.56 Well, I would like to say was, how to love each other 00:15:02.60\00:15:06.10 the way God wants us to love each other 00:15:06.13\00:15:10.47 but before we can do that is how, you know, 00:15:10.51\00:15:13.68 we have to experience the love of Christ first 00:15:13.71\00:15:16.81 because, we can't give each other what we don't have 00:15:16.85\00:15:21.58 so we have to experience the love of Christ 00:15:21.65\00:15:25.15 it was very challenging because we're in the midst of marriage 00:15:25.19\00:15:30.29 trying to experience this love of Christ 00:15:30.33\00:15:32.96 so that's where it comes in, you know, 00:15:32.99\00:15:35.56 they didn't start where I have my, you know, 00:15:35.60\00:15:38.40 experienced the love of Christ first 00:15:38.43\00:15:40.64 and then get married, no, it was... 00:15:40.67\00:15:43.54 it was... doing it all at once 00:15:43.57\00:15:46.41 and that's the most challenging part. 00:15:46.44\00:15:49.44 What about you, Tim? 00:15:49.48\00:15:51.18 I think, it was, you know, in the Book of Genesis, 00:15:51.21\00:15:53.85 it is said, when... 00:15:53.88\00:15:55.78 after God created Eve 00:15:55.82\00:15:57.72 that they both were naked and not ashamed, 00:15:57.75\00:15:59.82 and when you're in the world, 00:15:59.85\00:16:01.39 especially in the profession she was in, 00:16:01.42\00:16:03.09 me being out in the world, being out in the street, 00:16:03.12\00:16:05.53 dealing with different women and selling drugs 00:16:05.59\00:16:09.03 you always have your guard up, 00:16:09.06\00:16:10.67 and then you take that into marriage 00:16:10.70\00:16:12.87 as we know... what does this person want from me 00:16:12.90\00:16:15.17 and I have to protect myself, 00:16:15.20\00:16:16.97 but that doesn't work in marriage, 00:16:17.01\00:16:19.11 you all have to be vulnerable, 00:16:19.14\00:16:20.54 and be willing to give a hundred percent 00:16:20.58\00:16:22.81 but in the world, you're always reserving key 00:16:22.84\00:16:25.08 because you don't want to get hurt, 00:16:25.11\00:16:26.45 you're always watching people, 00:16:26.48\00:16:27.82 and so, really, letting your guard down 00:16:27.85\00:16:29.98 has been, some of the, what was... 00:16:30.02\00:16:31.89 really challenging, yeah. 00:16:31.92\00:16:33.62 See, I really can appreciate that because, 00:16:33.66\00:16:37.23 I would imagine that in the beginning, 00:16:37.29\00:16:40.26 especially since, you were saying Maiesha, 00:16:40.30\00:16:43.23 that you guys got married first, 00:16:43.26\00:16:46.40 and then you came to Christ really, 00:16:46.43\00:16:49.50 is that what you were saying? 00:16:49.54\00:16:51.17 Well, we got baptized, okay, and then a year later 00:16:51.21\00:16:54.74 we got married, but as for me, you know, 00:16:54.78\00:16:57.75 Still learning, Yeah, we're still learning, 00:16:57.78\00:17:00.68 it takes more than a year to... to get to know who Christ is. 00:17:00.72\00:17:04.75 Yes, yes, but the beauty too is that 00:17:04.82\00:17:08.42 you have this deal where you and your husband 00:17:08.46\00:17:12.59 and Christ is at the center and so, He's guiding... 00:17:12.63\00:17:16.87 it's a covenant relationship with the three of you 00:17:16.90\00:17:21.10 and He's guiding and directing and, I mean, 00:17:21.14\00:17:25.44 it's just a beautiful thing. 00:17:25.47\00:17:26.84 Tim, give us a little summary, 00:17:26.88\00:17:29.11 for those who didn't see Urban Report before, 00:17:29.14\00:17:31.75 give us a little summary of your journey. 00:17:31.78\00:17:34.98 Well, growing up... raised in the church 00:17:35.02\00:17:38.12 but was basically just in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:17:38.15\00:17:41.42 but not converted 00:17:41.46\00:17:42.79 and so when you're growing up in the church, 00:17:42.82\00:17:44.26 sometimes you come into church you hear all the messages, 00:17:44.29\00:17:46.80 but it doesn't do anything inside into the heart, 00:17:46.83\00:17:49.26 and so once the messages really did start affecting me, 00:17:49.30\00:17:52.50 at 17 I decided to get baptized but it was more... 00:17:52.53\00:17:56.30 I was a soldier for the Lord I was into the messages, 00:17:56.34\00:18:00.08 and I didn't also learn how to have that 00:18:00.11\00:18:02.98 solid relationship with Jesus and so when trials came, 00:18:03.01\00:18:07.65 I got blown with the wind as it were 00:18:07.68\00:18:11.25 and left the church, and then I went into the world 00:18:11.29\00:18:14.26 and began a lifestyle of heavy fornication, 00:18:14.29\00:18:17.59 and I was addicted to alcohol, mild addiction to Cocaine, 00:18:17.63\00:18:21.66 and smoking and drinking and just a very selfish lifestyle 00:18:21.70\00:18:25.70 trying to get what I want out of life, 00:18:25.73\00:18:28.54 and it happened one night, I was drinking, 00:18:28.57\00:18:31.31 and if you can imagine, 00:18:31.37\00:18:33.84 I had my daughter in the car, two-year-old daughter, 00:18:33.88\00:18:35.91 and I decided to run from the police 00:18:35.94\00:18:37.98 in the midst of that the Lord saved both of us, 00:18:38.01\00:18:42.55 protected us, but I had to go to prison 00:18:42.58\00:18:44.29 and I can remember my first day being locked up 00:18:44.32\00:18:48.22 on the 8th Floor, Sacramento County Jail 00:18:48.26\00:18:51.33 by myself, not even in my own clothes, 00:18:51.36\00:18:54.00 in the jail clothes and in that attire, 00:18:54.03\00:18:56.63 and I sat on my bunk and said, 00:18:56.67\00:18:58.37 "All right, I'm listening, what do you want to say to me?" 00:18:58.40\00:19:02.67 He had your whole attention eh? 00:19:02.70\00:19:04.77 And from then on He told me 00:19:04.81\00:19:06.81 He wouldn't stop me from going to jail 00:19:06.84\00:19:08.68 I was going to have to go through it 00:19:08.71\00:19:10.45 but He would go through it with me 00:19:10.48\00:19:12.15 and I began a process to read my Bible in there 00:19:12.18\00:19:15.62 and start to change my thoughts and change my emotions 00:19:15.65\00:19:18.65 so He could change my character, which He's still doing today. 00:19:18.69\00:19:21.76 Praise the Lord, 00:19:21.79\00:19:23.36 that's a beautiful, beautiful testimony. 00:19:23.39\00:19:26.19 So, what is God doing not just in your marriage but 00:19:26.23\00:19:30.43 in your ministry? 00:19:30.47\00:19:31.80 Tell us about the ministry that you have together. 00:19:31.83\00:19:34.00 Well, right now, I'm an Elder of the church 00:19:34.04\00:19:38.64 and I never thought I would be Elder of the church 00:19:38.67\00:19:42.68 I didn't even know about church positions but 00:19:42.71\00:19:45.75 God saw fit to place me there, I'm a part of a 00:19:45.78\00:19:48.78 Christ Frontline Operation, 00:19:48.82\00:19:50.29 and so, it's a group of young people 00:19:50.35\00:19:52.52 who came through a similar experience 00:19:52.55\00:19:54.62 that I came through, being out in the world, 00:19:54.69\00:19:57.73 finding Christ and leaving the world 00:19:57.76\00:19:59.79 which is composed of me, Taariq and Adam Patel, 00:19:59.86\00:20:03.20 and Ameerah and Hassan Byrd, 00:20:03.23\00:20:06.13 and my wife is the Secretary of Christ Frontline Operations 00:20:06.17\00:20:11.07 and we go around doing Week of Prayers, 00:20:11.11\00:20:13.34 Evangelistic Series, 00:20:13.38\00:20:14.84 Medical Missionary Training Seminars at different churches 00:20:14.88\00:20:17.91 just trying to spread the Three Angels' Message 00:20:17.95\00:20:20.32 and also, my other duties that the Lord has given me, 00:20:20.35\00:20:24.19 we have a beautiful home with three girls 00:20:24.22\00:20:26.72 one is eight, and one is three, and one is... one year old 00:20:26.76\00:20:31.43 and their names are: Anaya, Alona, and Avia 00:20:31.46\00:20:34.96 and so they keep us very busy 00:20:35.00\00:20:37.10 and on my knees. 00:20:37.17\00:20:38.83 I'm sure, I'm sure, 00:20:38.87\00:20:41.50 where do you see your ministry going 00:20:41.57\00:20:45.97 I mean, of course, we don't know what God's going to do 00:20:46.04\00:20:48.41 but what is your hope for your ministry together? 00:20:48.44\00:20:52.65 I believe that our testimony is going to further our ministry 00:20:52.68\00:20:58.55 for young adults, 00:20:58.59\00:21:01.06 I'm really going for it to talk to young women 00:21:01.12\00:21:07.86 that are in bondage within the lifestyle that I lived 00:21:07.93\00:21:12.60 so they'll know that there is hope 00:21:12.63\00:21:14.60 and that they can be changed and become a Godly woman 00:21:14.64\00:21:18.94 and to be in the likeness and image of Christ. 00:21:18.97\00:21:22.11 That's wonderful and so what does it take 00:21:22.14\00:21:26.01 to change your life, 00:21:26.05\00:21:28.38 there's a young woman watching right now 00:21:28.42\00:21:30.92 who is caught up in the lifestyle 00:21:30.95\00:21:34.56 she wants the quick money she wants to strip, 00:21:34.59\00:21:37.36 she wants to... she wants to do the whole nine yards 00:21:37.39\00:21:40.93 because she wants that money, 00:21:40.96\00:21:42.30 what would you say to her right now, 00:21:42.33\00:21:44.83 look out at your camera right there 00:21:44.87\00:21:47.30 and talk to that young lady that's caught up 00:21:47.34\00:21:50.81 in that lifestyle. 00:21:50.84\00:21:52.27 Personally, I've been there 00:21:52.31\00:21:55.64 and I just let go... and let God... 00:21:55.68\00:22:01.22 I know you are struggling when it comes down to money, 00:22:01.25\00:22:05.95 or a place to live, 00:22:05.99\00:22:08.39 you don't know where your next meal is going to come from 00:22:08.42\00:22:10.96 but this is the time 00:22:10.99\00:22:12.79 that you should just fall on your knees 00:22:12.83\00:22:15.96 if you have never prayed before, 00:22:16.00\00:22:17.67 I want you to get on your knees today, right now, 00:22:17.73\00:22:23.34 and pray and ask the Lord to lead you and guide you 00:22:23.37\00:22:28.94 every aspect of your life 00:22:28.98\00:22:31.15 and to take the things that the devil wants you to do 00:22:31.18\00:22:35.68 to make them undesirable, 00:22:35.72\00:22:37.89 that you want to do everything in God's will, 00:22:37.95\00:22:41.66 you want to live your life according to His will 00:22:41.72\00:22:45.39 and ask Him for the things that you need 00:22:45.43\00:22:48.40 the Lord knows what you need before you even ask, 00:22:48.43\00:22:51.67 but still ask, and He will provide for you. 00:22:51.70\00:22:55.67 That is beautiful, what about you, Tim, 00:22:55.70\00:22:59.57 a young man is dealing with drug... selling drugs, 00:22:59.61\00:23:05.51 addiction to drugs, wanting fast money, 00:23:05.55\00:23:10.15 just kind of being out there, talk to that young man 00:23:10.19\00:23:14.49 and tell him what you need to tell him. 00:23:14.52\00:23:17.93 Well, first, you don't have to believe 00:23:17.96\00:23:21.30 all the lies of the devil, Society is trying to tell you 00:23:21.33\00:23:25.03 that for you to be a young man or a young Black man, 00:23:25.10\00:23:28.50 you have to act and behave in a certain manner 00:23:28.54\00:23:31.27 and a certain fashion and as I didn't know, 00:23:31.31\00:23:34.01 God has a whole different set of rules 00:23:34.04\00:23:36.38 on how to be a man that have longevity in them 00:23:36.41\00:23:39.18 and that are not just for the short time. 00:23:39.21\00:23:41.95 That life that you want to live, you might make those funds, 00:23:41.98\00:23:45.42 you might have a good time, but when things go bad, 00:23:45.45\00:23:49.02 they go horrible, and those horrible instances 00:23:49.06\00:23:52.13 will scar and shape your life in such a way 00:23:52.16\00:23:55.20 that sometimes, it might not be any recovery 00:23:55.23\00:23:58.23 but God is faithful, 00:23:58.27\00:23:59.60 He can reshape you, He can remake you, 00:23:59.63\00:24:01.87 and your worth as a man 00:24:01.90\00:24:04.07 is not just in the material things 00:24:04.11\00:24:05.84 it's just not in the outside things, 00:24:05.87\00:24:07.58 but your worth is in Christ and what He paid for you 00:24:07.61\00:24:10.51 and inside, you're worth more to Him 00:24:10.55\00:24:13.21 than any gold or any money 00:24:13.25\00:24:15.22 or any attention that the world can give, 00:24:15.25\00:24:17.49 and you can rest assured in that 00:24:17.52\00:24:19.45 and rest assured that He loves you 00:24:19.49\00:24:21.36 and if all these other people out here don't love you 00:24:21.39\00:24:23.53 or they only love you for the things that you have, 00:24:23.56\00:24:25.63 He loves you even though you have nothing 00:24:25.66\00:24:27.86 and though you have to be a man and take care of yourself, 00:24:27.93\00:24:30.57 as my wife just said to the young ladies, 00:24:30.60\00:24:33.13 God can take care of you, you know, 00:24:33.17\00:24:35.64 the greatest blessing that a man has 00:24:35.67\00:24:37.67 is he doesn't have to worry about 00:24:37.71\00:24:39.67 how he's going to take care of himself 00:24:39.71\00:24:41.14 because whatever problems he has, 00:24:41.18\00:24:42.54 he can fall on his knees 00:24:42.58\00:24:43.95 and ask Christ to take care of him 00:24:43.98\00:24:46.51 and God will do that for you. 00:24:46.55\00:24:47.88 That is beautiful, 00:24:47.92\00:24:50.05 I just know that someone watching 00:24:50.09\00:24:53.15 will be so blessed by your testimony 00:24:53.19\00:24:57.03 and your willingness to share 00:24:57.06\00:24:58.39 you know, there are a lot of people who 00:24:58.43\00:25:00.13 might not be willing to talk about this 00:25:00.16\00:25:01.96 but you are new creatures in Christ 00:25:02.00\00:25:04.60 that person that existed before... 00:25:04.63\00:25:07.17 she and he... they're dead... they are dead 00:25:07.20\00:25:10.81 you are new creatures in Christ so, I mean, 00:25:10.84\00:25:15.21 it's just amazing to me that God is so faithful 00:25:15.24\00:25:18.48 that He will just take us by the hand 00:25:18.51\00:25:22.08 and lead us through life if we'll just go with Him 00:25:22.12\00:25:25.22 Hmmm... hmmm... Oh yeah... 00:25:25.25\00:25:26.59 just go with Him, He'll lead us, 00:25:26.62\00:25:28.52 tell us what we can... in the one minute 00:25:28.56\00:25:31.59 well, actually, 30 seconds, what can we look forward to 00:25:31.63\00:25:34.63 on Pure Choices this coming Season? 00:25:34.66\00:25:36.43 Oh man, we have a jam-packed season for Pure Choices 00:25:36.46\00:25:40.74 you can look forward to some real topics 00:25:40.80\00:25:42.87 that people are really going through right now 00:25:42.90\00:25:44.74 if you watch the show, Pure Choices this Season 00:25:44.77\00:25:46.54 either you're going to go through 00:25:46.57\00:25:48.44 some of the stuff that we're talking about, 00:25:48.48\00:25:49.81 or you are going through it right now 00:25:49.84\00:25:51.58 and what's beautiful is everybody on the Panel 00:25:51.61\00:25:54.58 has been through the topics we're talking about 00:25:54.62\00:25:57.52 and so you're getting firsthand experience 00:25:57.59\00:25:59.85 on people that went through it 00:25:59.89\00:26:01.56 and how God helped them out of it. 00:26:01.59\00:26:03.56 Most definitely and I mean 00:26:03.63\00:26:05.79 the topics that we're talking about 00:26:05.83\00:26:07.46 are very popular in today's world, 00:26:07.50\00:26:09.06 you know, they're popular in the world, 00:26:09.10\00:26:11.53 and they're popular inside the church as well, 00:26:11.57\00:26:14.30 you know, so, we're going to give you a broad 00:26:14.34\00:26:17.74 view of inside the church and outside the church. 00:26:17.77\00:26:21.11 Awesome, awesome, 00:26:21.14\00:26:22.88 Viewers, you are not going to want to miss 00:26:22.91\00:26:26.21 this Season's programming of Pure Choices 00:26:26.25\00:26:30.19 God has just handpicked the participants 00:26:30.22\00:26:33.99 all the Panel members, God has handpicked them 00:26:34.06\00:26:37.43 to be on that Panel, our God is a mighty God 00:26:37.46\00:26:40.80 and our God is a faithful God, our God is a good God, 00:26:40.83\00:26:44.77 get to know Him for yourself today. 00:26:44.80\00:26:48.00 God bless you and thank you so much. 00:26:48.04\00:26:51.21 Thank you so much. 00:26:51.24\00:26:54.18 That was powerful, 00:26:54.21\00:26:57.05 well, thank you so much for joining us, 00:26:57.11\00:26:59.08 join us next time because 00:26:59.11\00:27:00.68 it just wouldn't be the same... without you. 00:27:00.72\00:27:03.02