Who should win the Father of the Year Award? 00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70 Stay tuned to meet some men who you may just want to nominate. 00:00:02.73\00:00:06.37 My name is Yvonne Lewis 00:00:06.40\00:00:08.10 and you're watching Urban Report. 00:00:08.14\00:00:09.87 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:33.43\00:00:35.23 Earlier today, Jason and I had the opportunity 00:00:35.26\00:00:38.23 to interview three men on our new Dare to Dream Program 00:00:38.27\00:00:41.40 "A Father's Heart. " 00:00:41.44\00:00:42.77 What a compelling interview, check it out. 00:00:42.80\00:00:47.94 What a blessing it is 00:00:47.98\00:00:49.84 to be sitting on the set of: A Father's Heart. 00:00:49.88\00:00:53.28 You have no idea what's gone into this program. 00:00:53.31\00:00:56.65 I have wanted to do a program about Fatherhood 00:00:56.69\00:01:00.22 for years on Dare to Dream 00:01:00.26\00:01:02.26 and every year we have somebody to host 00:01:02.29\00:01:06.86 and it just wouldn't work out right... for whatever reason 00:01:06.90\00:01:10.00 but the Lord is faithful 00:01:10.03\00:01:12.30 and He has sent some folks to this program 00:01:12.33\00:01:16.20 that are just amazing! 00:01:16.24\00:01:18.27 So, we're going to introduce them to you 00:01:18.31\00:01:20.44 but first I just want to tell you, 00:01:20.48\00:01:22.04 I got my son and assistant, Jason Bradley with me, yea, Jay. 00:01:22.08\00:01:26.35 Jason: Right... Yvonne: Yeah... 00:01:26.38\00:01:27.72 So, it's really great and we're going to talk 00:01:27.75\00:01:29.35 to these wonderful men of God... 00:01:29.38\00:01:30.82 these wonderful fathers who, you will see, 00:01:30.89\00:01:34.59 are authentic and transparent and what a blessing it is 00:01:34.62\00:01:38.56 so, we're going to start with the Host, Xavier Morales, 00:01:38.59\00:01:42.50 and we welcome you Xavier. 00:01:42.53\00:01:44.33 Xavier: Thank you. 00:01:44.37\00:01:45.70 You are no stranger to Dare to Dream, 00:01:45.73\00:01:47.87 you've been on Pure Choices with your wife, Brittany, 00:01:47.90\00:01:50.51 and we're going to talk about 00:01:50.54\00:01:51.87 your journey and all that in a bit. 00:01:51.91\00:01:54.01 Thank you so much for hosting 00:01:54.04\00:01:55.94 and for being on: A Father's Heart 00:01:55.98\00:01:59.05 and then we have, Pastor Gordon Fraser 00:01:59.08\00:02:02.42 who is another amazing man of God, 00:02:02.45\00:02:05.72 we have Pastor Denry White who also is an amazing man of God 00:02:05.75\00:02:11.46 so we are thrilled to have them and thrilled for you 00:02:11.49\00:02:16.16 to become acquainted with them. 00:02:16.20\00:02:17.90 You need to know who they are, you need to know their journeys 00:02:17.93\00:02:21.27 and most of all, you need to know 00:02:21.30\00:02:23.51 that these are men who'll be authentic 00:02:23.54\00:02:27.04 and transparent with you 00:02:27.08\00:02:28.88 to show you that if you're a father 00:02:28.94\00:02:31.28 and you're trying and struggling 00:02:31.31\00:02:33.58 to do the right thing, they're going to show you... 00:02:33.62\00:02:36.52 they've made mistakes but you get back up 00:02:36.55\00:02:38.72 by the grace of God and keep going. 00:02:38.75\00:02:41.76 So, let's talk a bit about your journey. 00:02:41.79\00:02:45.33 Let's start with you, Pastor White, 00:02:45.39\00:02:48.30 let's start with you. 00:02:48.33\00:02:50.20 Where were you born, where were you raised? 00:02:50.23\00:02:52.90 I was born originally... 00:02:52.93\00:02:54.27 I was born in Jamaica, West Indies, 00:02:54.30\00:02:56.87 but then I was raised in New York City 00:02:56.91\00:02:59.44 Harlem, New York... and then went to Oakwood College 00:02:59.47\00:03:03.85 and took the call to Ministry there. 00:03:03.88\00:03:05.71 Yvonne: Yea... we're Oakwoodites too! 00:03:05.75\00:03:08.48 You too? yeah, a further call to Ministry 00:03:08.52\00:03:11.02 would compel to go to Oakwood but then... you know... 00:03:11.05\00:03:14.49 you know how we try to run from our God... 00:03:14.52\00:03:16.89 I said, "God, you've made a mistake," 00:03:16.93\00:03:18.89 I went to Atlanta, stayed there seven years 00:03:18.93\00:03:21.83 and God would not leave me alone... 00:03:21.86\00:03:23.30 Well, before you get that far... let's go back... 00:03:23.33\00:03:26.20 because I kind of want to know... 00:03:26.23\00:03:28.20 since you're hosting... you're on A Father's Heart, 00:03:28.24\00:03:32.77 what... what... did you grow up in an intact family? 00:03:32.81\00:03:37.21 Or was it a single-parent family or... 00:03:37.25\00:03:40.32 where was your dad? 00:03:40.35\00:03:42.25 My biological father was in Jamaica 00:03:42.28\00:03:46.02 but even while the time we were in Jamaica, 00:03:46.05\00:03:49.06 he was in and out of my life, he has six children, 00:03:49.09\00:03:54.46 all boys and different mothers and so... 00:03:54.50\00:03:57.90 he and my mother never married, she had me at 19-years-old 00:03:57.93\00:04:01.97 and, you know, my mother... 00:04:02.00\00:04:03.74 her mother actually was 00:04:03.77\00:04:05.97 a Founder of our Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica, 00:04:06.01\00:04:08.18 so she went through a whole "shame" process 00:04:08.21\00:04:11.28 but, you know, I felt... later on... 00:04:11.31\00:04:13.38 it affected my life and my journey because of... 00:04:13.42\00:04:16.35 you know... her relationship... 00:04:16.38\00:04:18.12 of her trying to hide the pregnancy... 00:04:18.15\00:04:19.79 then have to go through the shame 00:04:19.82\00:04:22.82 because it was a very ultra-conservative church 00:04:22.86\00:04:25.43 and my grandmother was very strict, 00:04:25.46\00:04:27.43 didn't talk about sex, didn't talk about family, 00:04:27.46\00:04:30.13 didn't talk about relationship. 00:04:30.17\00:04:31.53 I remember my mom even telling me one time 00:04:31.57\00:04:33.87 they got spanked for looking at a boy 00:04:33.90\00:04:37.21 when they were sitting in the car, 00:04:37.24\00:04:40.54 and those kinds of things and so, 00:04:40.58\00:04:42.98 when she had me she was very ashamed of it... 00:04:43.01\00:04:47.05 and so, I think later on that affected me... 00:04:47.08\00:04:50.39 Yvonne: How... how do you think it affected you? 00:04:50.42\00:04:53.66 Well, how I knew this was... 00:04:53.72\00:04:56.86 for years I've just had this anger in me, 00:04:56.89\00:04:59.63 I'm a man of humor, I love to laugh... 00:04:59.66\00:05:02.50 I love to make people laugh and stuff but 00:05:02.53\00:05:05.30 when I had my dark moments, I would just be angry, 00:05:05.33\00:05:08.80 I lost two jobs... doing that, 00:05:08.84\00:05:11.74 I worked in Mental Health and I just lost my temper twice. 00:05:11.77\00:05:15.91 I just couldn't take it and I just... was fired because 00:05:15.94\00:05:20.02 I'd lost my temper, and I've... in the early part of my marriage 00:05:20.05\00:05:24.05 put holes in doors, just angry... 00:05:24.09\00:05:28.06 I never hit my wife... nothing like that... 00:05:28.09\00:05:30.06 but I was just so angry and I just didn't know why. 00:05:30.09\00:05:33.63 Like I said, it was the opposite of me. 00:05:33.66\00:05:37.13 I was usually the fun-loving, laughing person... 00:05:37.17\00:05:40.27 I always had to joke... these guys know me... 00:05:40.30\00:05:43.30 I always have something to lighten up the place but then 00:05:43.34\00:05:45.74 when I had my moments, I'll just be upset... 00:05:45.77\00:05:48.61 and I couldn't know why and I went to... 00:05:48.64\00:05:51.45 my wife was like... one day, she was like... 00:05:51.48\00:05:54.25 she's an African American woman, 00:05:54.28\00:05:55.95 she said, "You're going to see a Counselor or I'm out... " 00:05:55.98\00:05:59.22 and I had to swallow my pride and see a Counselor 00:05:59.25\00:06:02.22 and after talking for a while, 00:06:02.26\00:06:03.73 you know how they pull all your background, 00:06:03.76\00:06:06.83 you know... that's why I grab my pillow sometimes 00:06:06.86\00:06:08.53 Yvonne: Oh, we love that... 00:06:08.56\00:06:10.53 Jason: That's the signature move on A Father's Heart. 00:06:10.57\00:06:12.87 So let me grab my pillow now because we're having a good time 00:06:12.90\00:06:15.17 and so... he went all the way to my background 00:06:15.20\00:06:19.27 even to the womb... even into the womb... 00:06:19.34\00:06:22.94 and this is something we'll talk about later on 00:06:22.98\00:06:26.51 even to the womb... of how my mother's fear... 00:06:26.55\00:06:30.02 trying to hide a pregnancy... the shame... 00:06:30.05\00:06:33.09 affected me... and I was like... "How's that?" 00:06:33.12\00:06:35.86 And then he showed me the patterns of my life... 00:06:35.89\00:06:38.59 like, when I came to America... 00:06:38.63\00:06:40.83 I was taunted by some... the classmates 00:06:40.86\00:06:44.23 when I was in first and second grade... 00:06:44.27\00:06:45.63 called all kinds of names, reference to my nose, 00:06:45.67\00:06:49.27 my skin color, all these things 00:06:49.30\00:06:50.74 and I felt like the only way to fit in 00:06:50.77\00:06:54.34 was to make fun of people too, 00:06:54.38\00:06:56.21 this is where the humor part comes in, 00:06:56.24\00:06:58.35 you know... and then so... throughout my life 00:06:58.41\00:07:01.02 I felt like the only way to fit in 00:07:01.05\00:07:03.02 because I felt like I always had to fit in, 00:07:03.05\00:07:05.35 I was just never enough... and constantly throughout my life 00:07:05.39\00:07:08.79 even with my wife... like... sometimes I would feel like... 00:07:08.82\00:07:12.19 "What more do you need me to do, 00:07:12.23\00:07:14.20 you don't want me?" I would just say to her... 00:07:14.23\00:07:15.63 "Are you sure you married the right one?" 00:07:15.66\00:07:17.37 and she would just look at me like... 00:07:17.40\00:07:19.37 "I'm invested in this... what do you... 00:07:19.40\00:07:21.34 why do you keep asking me this?" 00:07:21.37\00:07:22.70 And so I brought this up to the Counselor... the Psychologist 00:07:22.74\00:07:27.08 and he was explaining to me the effects of being in the womb 00:07:27.11\00:07:31.61 with your mother... living in shame... 00:07:31.65\00:07:34.58 and constantly... even reminding you... 00:07:34.62\00:07:36.89 while you're out of the womb, like, 00:07:36.92\00:07:39.12 "Hey, I had to hide the pregnancy... " 00:07:39.15\00:07:41.42 all this... worked into me 00:07:41.46\00:07:44.23 and so... for most of my life, I've dealt with rejection... 00:07:44.29\00:07:49.66 I wasn't wanted... I was the "mistake child" 00:07:49.70\00:07:52.83 the mistake... because in her eyes... 00:07:52.87\00:07:57.27 it was a mistake... it was her first time... 00:07:57.31\00:08:00.14 because she wasn't taught about sex, 00:08:00.18\00:08:02.71 she wasn't taught about relationships 00:08:02.74\00:08:05.11 and so, the next thing she knew was... 00:08:05.15\00:08:07.42 that she was pregnant so she was living in shame 00:08:07.48\00:08:09.75 it was her first time... so, I thought I was a mistake 00:08:09.78\00:08:12.39 until... yeah. 00:08:12.42\00:08:14.42 And isn't it amazing that what happens in the womb 00:08:14.46\00:08:18.19 affects us throughout our lives, 00:08:18.23\00:08:21.46 we don't even realize that, 00:08:21.50\00:08:23.20 it's not something that is commonly known... 00:08:23.23\00:08:25.70 it's not something that's commonly discussed, 00:08:25.73\00:08:28.54 but it can affect us throughout our lives 00:08:28.57\00:08:31.27 that's why it's so important to take care of that baby, 00:08:31.34\00:08:36.34 even in utero, because... because... 00:08:36.38\00:08:40.38 in your life... it can just follow you... your whole life 00:08:40.42\00:08:45.69 And you also brought out a good point 00:08:45.72\00:08:47.86 that... you know... she wasn't talked to about sex, 00:08:47.89\00:08:50.26 her parents never taught her anything, 00:08:50.29\00:08:51.79 and that's why it's so important that parents teach their kids 00:08:51.83\00:08:54.60 about sex and all that stuff 00:08:54.66\00:08:57.07 because if they don't learn from their parents, 00:08:57.10\00:08:58.83 the right way... the Biblical way... 00:08:58.87\00:09:00.67 "after you get married... " 00:09:00.70\00:09:03.17 then, they're either learning just... 00:09:03.20\00:09:05.64 from what they see on television 00:09:05.67\00:09:08.21 or what they're learning from their friends 00:09:08.24\00:09:09.58 or if they're learning from the Street, 00:09:09.61\00:09:11.01 they're learning about lust 00:09:11.05\00:09:13.25 and not love and God's plan after marriage. 00:09:13.28\00:09:16.85 Exactly... exactly... 00:09:16.89\00:09:18.35 So, you carried this into your adulthood and... 00:09:18.39\00:09:24.43 how did this affect your being a father? 00:09:24.46\00:09:29.26 I didn't have a father to talk to, 00:09:29.30\00:09:31.47 even my step-dad... for years kind of neglected me 00:09:31.50\00:09:35.87 he loved me... but what he considered was love 00:09:35.90\00:09:39.31 was not what I was looking for... for years 00:09:39.34\00:09:42.68 and so, now... as a father... 00:09:42.71\00:09:45.38 with three beautiful children, best children in the world, 00:09:45.41\00:09:47.68 my children are better than 00:09:47.72\00:09:49.05 anyone of yours' children... see that? 00:09:49.08\00:09:51.92 and so... my three beautiful children... 00:09:51.95\00:09:54.92 wonderful guys... wonderful, beautiful young girl, 00:09:54.96\00:09:58.26 a lot of times 00:09:58.29\00:09:59.89 I want to have an example 00:09:59.93\00:10:04.53 that I can use in reference to them... 00:10:04.57\00:10:07.34 in a situation... but I have none... 00:10:07.37\00:10:10.14 or it's not the best example... it's a negative one 00:10:10.17\00:10:14.48 and so it's a struggle it really... even to this day 00:10:14.51\00:10:18.78 now that I use my... 00:10:18.81\00:10:20.95 I try to look at God as my example... 00:10:20.98\00:10:23.22 I look at Him as a father but in human nature 00:10:23.25\00:10:25.55 you always want something tangible... the human... 00:10:25.59\00:10:27.86 that you can say, "Hey... I want to model 00:10:27.89\00:10:29.72 after that person. " 00:10:29.76\00:10:31.09 and so, there's a difficulty 00:10:31.13\00:10:33.80 because there's a void that's missing... 00:10:33.83\00:10:35.76 and so... sometimes when I look for something, 00:10:35.80\00:10:38.77 I don't have it, 00:10:38.83\00:10:40.17 so a lot of times I have to make it up 00:10:40.20\00:10:42.67 or pray... literally pray and ask God, 00:10:42.70\00:10:44.74 "What shall I do in this situation?" 00:10:44.77\00:10:46.78 And I made a lot of mistakes in my parenting 00:10:46.81\00:10:50.71 as well as my marriage and by the grace of God, 00:10:50.75\00:10:54.55 I'm doing better, I'm doing much better 00:10:54.58\00:10:59.22 and I have a lot better to do. 00:10:59.25\00:11:00.72 Amen, thank you, that's a beautiful piece 00:11:00.76\00:11:06.19 of your journey because so many men 00:11:06.23\00:11:09.70 have not had a father as an example, 00:11:09.73\00:11:13.17 so, what do you do? 00:11:13.20\00:11:14.97 What do you pull from? 00:11:15.00\00:11:16.71 And that's what a father's heart is about. 00:11:16.74\00:11:19.44 It's about your... sharing your journeys 00:11:19.47\00:11:22.08 as well as giving strategies and tips to men 00:11:22.14\00:11:26.15 who want to be better fathers who don't know how. 00:11:26.18\00:11:29.58 What about you, Pastor Gordon, 00:11:29.62\00:11:32.75 tell us about your journey and your dad. 00:11:32.79\00:11:37.49 I... I had a father... and an intact family 00:11:37.53\00:11:42.16 my dad was never there 00:11:42.20\00:11:45.70 the marriage was a communal marriage 00:11:45.73\00:11:47.97 so, most of the time, he worked away from home, 00:11:48.00\00:11:53.01 very good provider, there was nothing that 00:11:53.04\00:11:56.34 we could have ever gone without, 00:11:56.38\00:11:58.75 we had everything that we needed, 00:11:58.78\00:12:00.72 grew up... growing up in Guyana, 00:12:00.75\00:12:02.65 it was a wonderful place, 00:12:02.68\00:12:04.35 but still you had some economical challenges but 00:12:04.39\00:12:08.36 my family... because of my dad's position 00:12:08.39\00:12:10.49 and because of what He did, we never had it... anything... 00:12:10.53\00:12:14.33 but what I didn't have was him in the home. 00:12:14.36\00:12:18.73 I missed that, so it was just my mom 00:12:18.77\00:12:23.30 that was with us playing ball and doing all of the things 00:12:23.34\00:12:27.81 that a father would normally do, 00:12:27.84\00:12:30.81 when he came home on the weekends... 00:12:30.85\00:12:32.18 because my mom... we were a Seventh-day Adventist family, 00:12:32.21\00:12:36.35 he was not... he had left the church 00:12:36.38\00:12:38.95 so, he wouldn't even go to church with us, 00:12:38.99\00:12:41.96 and I still remember those days when we would walk to church 00:12:42.02\00:12:47.40 and my dad was out with the car, driving, 00:12:47.43\00:12:50.37 and we'd just walk to church and come back home 00:12:50.40\00:12:54.47 and so we never had that... 00:12:54.50\00:12:56.57 I never had that time that I craved, 00:12:56.60\00:12:59.77 so I grew up... unbeknownst to me 00:12:59.81\00:13:02.91 with a lot of resentment towards my dad 00:13:02.94\00:13:05.95 and when it all clicked is when... my dad got very sick 00:13:05.98\00:13:12.15 and had Diabetes... he lost his sight... 00:13:12.19\00:13:17.76 and it was very, very difficult for me... as a son... 00:13:17.79\00:13:27.04 to step in to help him, 00:13:27.07\00:13:28.87 I remember days when he would be calling me 00:13:28.90\00:13:32.14 and I'd just sit there and didn't want to go. 00:13:32.17\00:13:35.41 looking back, how much... 00:13:35.44\00:13:39.38 it's a lot of pain even talking about it, right now, 00:13:39.41\00:13:42.55 but... I had to forgive him, 00:13:42.58\00:13:47.26 I had to get to a point where I'd forgive him... 00:13:47.29\00:13:51.86 if I didn't... there was no way 00:13:51.89\00:13:54.33 that I could have reached out to him 00:13:54.36\00:13:56.67 and just do what I needed to do as a son, 00:13:56.70\00:14:00.27 I always wanted to... not to be like my father... 00:14:00.30\00:14:06.54 working... working... 00:14:06.57\00:14:08.68 spending no time with the children 00:14:08.71\00:14:10.88 but somehow... I was turning out to be like him 00:14:10.91\00:14:17.12 in ministry... always gone... 00:14:17.15\00:14:20.89 but I thank God that every now and again, 00:14:20.92\00:14:23.73 I have a wife that checks me and says, 00:14:23.79\00:14:26.56 "Hmmm... hmmm... you're gone too much, 00:14:26.59\00:14:29.06 you need to spend time with the children. " 00:14:29.10\00:14:32.00 I did a lot of that when they were babies 00:14:32.03\00:14:34.80 and I was not in ministry, just working in Florida, 00:14:34.84\00:14:37.77 I would spend time, I was there, 00:14:37.81\00:14:40.08 I was always there with them going right... 00:14:40.11\00:14:42.64 doing the things that my dad didn't do, 00:14:42.68\00:14:45.18 riding with them, taking them out, 00:14:45.21\00:14:48.22 I mean, they were always in my hand, 00:14:48.25\00:14:51.62 they just stayed right here, you know, 00:14:51.65\00:14:55.22 but coming back to when my dad was sick 00:14:55.29\00:14:58.83 he was in a nursing home, 00:14:58.86\00:15:01.30 we had to take him and put him in a nursing home... 00:15:01.33\00:15:03.20 I wouldn't go see him, I just couldn't. 00:15:03.23\00:15:08.04 Did you feel... when you weren't going... 00:15:08.07\00:15:12.67 did you feel anger toward him, 00:15:12.71\00:15:15.54 what were you feeling that was blocking... going? 00:15:15.58\00:15:20.55 That's the amazing thing, I really... 00:15:20.58\00:15:23.65 I can't articulate what I was feeling... 00:15:23.69\00:15:26.76 it was almost like a numbness, say, you know, 00:15:26.79\00:15:31.06 why even go? almost a resentment. 00:15:31.09\00:15:35.66 But I really... at that time... couldn't articulate 00:15:35.70\00:15:39.63 what I was dealing with until later on in life. 00:15:39.67\00:15:43.57 Then, I was actually preaching a sermon 00:15:43.61\00:15:47.94 and I used the illustration and then all of a sudden, 00:15:47.98\00:15:51.05 I broke down and then I realized 00:15:51.08\00:15:54.55 "Wow! this is what I was dealing with" 00:15:54.58\00:15:59.59 and I'll never forget the sight of the thing, 00:15:59.62\00:16:04.19 the Holy Spirit drove me to the Nursing Home 00:16:04.23\00:16:07.63 and I got there and I walk into the room, 00:16:07.66\00:16:11.03 I looked at my dad and I just... 00:16:11.07\00:16:13.94 Pastor: Sorry man... Yvonne: Yeah... take your time 00:16:13.97\00:16:21.64 I just broke down, 00:16:21.68\00:16:24.71 because here's the son 00:16:24.78\00:16:27.78 now becoming a father... Yvonne: Hmmm... 00:16:27.82\00:16:31.62 a father who wasn't there... 00:16:31.65\00:16:36.22 Yvonne: Yes... 00:16:36.26\00:16:37.96 Gordon: and... Hmmm... 00:16:37.99\00:16:47.54 I just got over to him and I touched him 00:16:47.57\00:16:51.37 and said, "Dad, I'm here" 00:16:51.44\00:16:55.58 Yvonne: Hmmm... 00:16:55.61\00:16:58.21 and the Holy Spirit just said, just sing... 00:16:58.25\00:17:01.85 and I started to sing... "When peace like a river" 00:17:01.88\00:17:05.29 and then I moved to "What a friend we have in Jesus" 00:17:05.32\00:17:08.22 and something just started to change... 00:17:08.26\00:17:13.33 inside of me 00:17:13.36\00:17:15.23 and I started to pray and ask God to forgive me 00:17:15.26\00:17:20.37 because the times that I could have had with him 00:17:20.40\00:17:25.27 I knew he was not going to last for too long... 00:17:25.31\00:17:30.18 the times I could have had... I wasted those times... 00:17:30.21\00:17:35.02 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... 00:17:35.05\00:17:36.69 But I thank God that I was able to push all of that hurt 00:17:36.72\00:17:41.82 and anger and stuff inside and allow the Holy Spirit 00:17:41.86\00:17:46.49 to just change me so that I could reach out to him 00:17:46.53\00:17:51.10 and I tell you this... the latter days of his life 00:17:51.13\00:17:55.60 were the best days of my life with him 00:17:55.64\00:17:58.94 because I would visit him and sing to him 00:17:58.97\00:18:02.21 and ask him to give his life... 00:18:02.24\00:18:04.81 "Lord, forgive him for everything" 00:18:04.85\00:18:07.32 so the one great consolation that I have... 00:18:07.38\00:18:11.79 is that when Jesus comes again, I will see him again 00:18:11.82\00:18:17.76 and when I see him again, 00:18:17.79\00:18:20.16 we will have all the time in the world to spend together 00:18:20.20\00:18:25.83 so, that's what keeps me encouraged, 00:18:25.90\00:18:30.31 that's what keeps me going, 00:18:30.34\00:18:32.27 because I know I would have that time. 00:18:32.31\00:18:34.48 That is so beautiful, you know, 00:18:34.54\00:18:36.68 a couple of things, one is... 00:18:36.71\00:18:38.85 forgiveness frees us, 00:18:38.91\00:18:42.58 you know, when we hold things... 00:18:42.62\00:18:45.35 and you can't... have to make a conscious decision 00:18:45.39\00:18:48.52 that "Lord, please help me to forgive" 00:18:48.59\00:18:51.29 because people can hurt us so deeply... 00:18:51.33\00:18:54.00 so deeply... and yet... 00:18:54.03\00:18:56.23 you know, you asked God to help you to forgive him 00:18:56.26\00:19:00.37 and He did, and you were set free, 00:19:00.44\00:19:03.84 you were set free, 00:19:03.87\00:19:06.24 because it wasn't him so much as you... 00:19:06.27\00:19:09.54 so God set you free through forgiveness 00:19:09.58\00:19:12.85 and yet so many people are... 00:19:12.88\00:19:14.72 you might be harboring 00:19:14.75\00:19:16.65 some ill feelings towards someone that's hurt you deeply, 00:19:16.69\00:19:19.85 but know that God wants to set you free from that 00:19:19.89\00:19:23.63 you have to just ask Him, "Help me, set me free... 00:19:23.66\00:19:27.30 help me to forgive this person" and it's not easy 00:19:27.33\00:19:30.93 but when you do that, it sets you free. 00:19:30.97\00:19:35.44 And the other thing that I wanted to mention 00:19:35.50\00:19:38.41 was that, so often we can get caught up 00:19:38.44\00:19:42.51 even in the work of the Lord I mean... these are pastors... 00:19:42.54\00:19:45.48 chaplains... all here... 00:19:45.51\00:19:47.98 you can get so caught up in the work of the Lord, 00:19:48.02\00:19:51.82 that you neglect the Lord of the work 00:19:51.85\00:19:54.02 and we have to stay, prayed up, 00:19:54.06\00:19:59.09 we have to stay connected because without that connection, 00:19:59.13\00:20:03.03 it's just works... 00:20:03.06\00:20:04.40 it's just works... and our families are suffering. 00:20:04.43\00:20:09.00 That's a good point because 00:20:09.04\00:20:10.61 Sister White says in Adventist Home, 00:20:10.67\00:20:12.84 I couldn't tell you the page number, 00:20:12.87\00:20:14.94 my girlfriend and I read Adventist Home together, 00:20:15.01\00:20:18.48 it's like 500 something pages right... so... 00:20:18.51\00:20:21.48 Yvonne: I'm proud of you. Jason: Thanks to Tiffany. 00:20:21.52\00:20:23.42 But she says that ministry starts in the home, 00:20:23.45\00:20:28.76 so often we look to go outside of the home to minister, 00:20:28.79\00:20:32.86 we look to go to outside of the Country, 00:20:32.89\00:20:34.90 we have our own problems right here in America, 00:20:34.93\00:20:37.27 we have our own problems right here at home, 00:20:37.33\00:20:39.60 and so... so often we see a lot of pastors that... 00:20:39.63\00:20:42.94 they get so caught up in ministry 00:20:43.00\00:20:46.64 that they neglect their families and it's not on purpose 00:20:46.68\00:20:50.18 it's just that they're ministering to everyone else 00:20:50.21\00:20:54.08 and their families need them to minister to them. 00:20:54.12\00:20:59.75 Yes, so, we're so thankful that God is a faithful God 00:20:59.79\00:21:05.39 and that He knows your journey intimately 00:21:05.43\00:21:09.00 and He has brought you from this point to this point 00:21:09.03\00:21:14.44 because now, there are so many men 00:21:14.50\00:21:17.84 and women whose fathers and mothers... on some level 00:21:17.87\00:21:21.68 have just... you know... it's been dysfunctional 00:21:21.71\00:21:25.45 and what you are doing with this program 00:21:25.48\00:21:29.05 is... sharing your journey and letting people know 00:21:29.08\00:21:32.45 that God is faithful and that He will redeem... 00:21:32.49\00:21:35.86 and that He will restore... 00:21:35.89\00:21:37.79 because that's what He's done for you. 00:21:37.83\00:21:40.03 What about you Xavier? 00:21:40.06\00:21:42.16 I grew up in the perfect home, so to speak, 00:21:42.20\00:21:45.27 Adventist, vegetarian, the works... 00:21:45.30\00:21:48.67 I did everything according to the book, 00:21:48.70\00:21:52.01 and my dad and my mom 00:21:52.07\00:21:54.61 have been married for almost 40 years now, 00:21:54.64\00:21:56.41 so it's been fantastic yet... 00:21:56.44\00:21:59.15 and I was taught by my dad... I'm the only child, 00:21:59.18\00:22:01.48 so I was taught... my dad was always there... 00:22:01.52\00:22:03.79 when he got home from work 00:22:03.82\00:22:06.05 even though tired, he'll spend time with me, 00:22:06.09\00:22:07.82 he taught me how to fix cars, how to build things and 00:22:07.89\00:22:11.06 basically everything that a dad needs to do 00:22:11.09\00:22:13.66 except on how to cope with my emotions... 00:22:13.70\00:22:16.20 that always has been my handicap all my life. 00:22:16.23\00:22:20.27 My dad... he only taught me what he knew 00:22:20.30\00:22:24.37 but what he knew was anger, he never abused me 00:22:24.41\00:22:28.88 but I did get disciplined and the way he coped with me 00:22:28.91\00:22:36.58 when I would get... you know... 00:22:36.62\00:22:37.99 I tried to talk to him about my emotions 00:22:38.02\00:22:40.22 and just... you know, basically not deal with it 00:22:40.26\00:22:43.43 you know, I'd have to talk to my mom 00:22:43.46\00:22:46.06 and I remember when I got to the age... 00:22:46.09\00:22:48.63 at my adolescent age, 00:22:48.66\00:22:50.13 between the hormones and everything, 00:22:50.17\00:22:52.70 I was always wanting to talk, 00:22:52.73\00:22:55.00 I was always more of the emotional son... 00:22:55.07\00:22:57.24 I wanted to talk... express myself 00:22:57.31\00:22:59.14 and my dad... one time... he just looked at me 00:22:59.17\00:23:01.84 and he said, "I can't deal with... " 00:23:01.88\00:23:03.45 he looked at my mom... he looked at me... 00:23:03.48\00:23:05.05 he said, "I can't deal with him anymore... you talk to him" 00:23:05.08\00:23:07.45 I felt so rejected in my own home that I was like... 00:23:07.48\00:23:12.49 "If he rejects me... then... I don't like God anymore" 00:23:12.55\00:23:17.53 because he was the image of God to me 00:23:17.56\00:23:21.16 my father reflects my Heavenly Father 00:23:21.23\00:23:24.67 and I rejected and I said to myself... 00:23:24.70\00:23:28.14 "Well, if God doesn't exist... 00:23:28.17\00:23:29.50 if God exists according to what they say, 00:23:29.54\00:23:31.47 then the devil exists too" 00:23:31.51\00:23:32.87 so if my father rejects me... then... 00:23:32.91\00:23:35.24 I don't want any part of this, I'm going to the other side 00:23:35.28\00:23:37.75 and I accepted Satan... as it were 00:23:37.78\00:23:41.52 into my heart for 12 years... 00:23:41.55\00:23:43.65 Yvonne: 12 years! 00:23:43.69\00:23:45.75 When you first were drawn to that whole... the dark side... 00:23:45.79\00:23:52.19 did you have any kind of reticence about getting into it 00:23:52.23\00:23:58.60 were you hesitant at all? 00:23:58.63\00:24:00.14 Did you say... "Oooh! I don't know about that?" 00:24:00.17\00:24:04.11 What drew you to that? 00:24:04.14\00:24:06.14 I was angry and part of my emotional state was because 00:24:06.17\00:24:09.54 I was in my adolescent stage, I had been rejected by girls... 00:24:09.58\00:24:13.82 "the short pudgy guy... " and then rejected by my father, 00:24:13.85\00:24:17.85 I was just angry and God wasn't making my anger go away 00:24:17.89\00:24:22.22 so I wanted to feed into it and I wanted people to pay 00:24:22.26\00:24:26.56 and I remember I told the devil, "I will join you... 00:24:26.59\00:24:30.83 I already know what you're about... 00:24:30.87\00:24:32.50 I don't want to be some dark-dressing, 00:24:32.53\00:24:35.57 Goth-looking person, I want to serve you and 00:24:35.60\00:24:38.61 I want to kill those who hurt me. " 00:24:38.64\00:24:42.14 Pastor: Mercy... Yvonne: Wow... 00:24:42.21\00:24:44.45 I studied about serial killers 00:24:44.51\00:24:46.68 and I wanted to be the most famous of them all. 00:24:46.72\00:24:49.38 Pastor: Mercy... have mercy... Yvonne: Wow! 00:24:49.42\00:24:53.82 You really... really went over to the dark side 00:24:53.86\00:24:58.26 and let's be clear about where you are 00:24:58.29\00:25:03.60 when you're on that side, like... did you have any joy? 00:25:03.63\00:25:07.80 Did you have any... like where were you 00:25:07.84\00:25:10.41 in the other parts of your emotional life? 00:25:10.44\00:25:12.91 I thought I had joy... I mean... I got everything I wanted 00:25:12.94\00:25:18.31 but it was my flesh... I wanted it and not... 00:25:18.38\00:25:22.18 it was always... at the end of the day I still felt empty 00:25:22.22\00:25:24.99 and I fed my emptiness with alcoholism... 00:25:25.02\00:25:29.59 at 15... I was already an alcoholic, 00:25:29.62\00:25:31.66 drugs, women, pornography, 00:25:31.69\00:25:36.77 everything that can keep my brain... a pile of mush 00:25:36.80\00:25:40.34 so I could still be a puppet of the devil. 00:25:40.37\00:25:43.20 Every type of coping mechanism, if you want to call it that 00:25:43.24\00:25:47.58 was available to me at my disposal 00:25:47.61\00:25:50.25 and I would get in fights with people 00:25:50.28\00:25:52.88 and not even recall... all I remembered was just 00:25:52.91\00:25:56.65 waking up and knowing nothing on me... 00:25:56.69\00:25:59.35 but they were just beyond injured 00:25:59.39\00:26:01.52 and I lost a lot of friends because they told me, 00:26:01.59\00:26:04.99 "Xavier, you're going to kill somebody... " 00:26:05.03\00:26:07.83 and they said, "You don't even need a weapon, 00:26:07.86\00:26:10.60 you'd just do it with your bare hands. " 00:26:10.67\00:26:12.20 And I remember, I would look at them and say, 00:26:12.23\00:26:15.74 "That's the goal... " and I lost a lot of friends 00:26:15.80\00:26:19.27 and... I mean... it took me till I was 25 00:26:19.31\00:26:21.41 and I met God... 00:26:21.44\00:26:24.28 I ended up in jail by getting into a Bar fight 00:26:24.31\00:26:27.55 and I was already a Police Officer 00:26:27.58\00:26:29.48 trying to do the right thing 00:26:29.52\00:26:31.15 and all that... but my dad... 00:26:31.19\00:26:32.79 I never talked to my dad throughout that time, 00:26:32.82\00:26:35.39 I talked to my mom and my mom said, 00:26:35.42\00:26:38.39 "We'll pray for you" and, 00:26:38.43\00:26:40.53 you know, "please... " she would beg with me 00:26:40.56\00:26:42.70 and I just didn't listen, I was so angry at the world 00:26:42.73\00:26:46.23 and I resonate with Pastor Denry because I worn down... 00:26:46.27\00:26:49.74 I would smash doors, windows, I mean, I would bleed, 00:26:49.77\00:26:53.24 my hands would bleed and I would feel no pain, 00:26:53.27\00:26:55.11 I mean, the anger was so... I can't even describe it. 00:26:55.14\00:26:59.18 Yvonne: Hmmm... Xavier: I was so angry 00:26:59.21\00:27:02.32 and God met me in jail. Pastor: Mercy... 00:27:02.35\00:27:05.35 And He said... and it's not this compassionate God 00:27:05.39\00:27:09.36 that people... He knew I was hard-headed. 00:27:09.39\00:27:11.93 He just said, "Are you done?" 00:27:11.96\00:27:13.83 All: Hmmm... 00:27:13.86\00:27:15.20 "Are you ready to try my way now?" 00:27:15.23\00:27:16.56 All: Hmmm... 00:27:16.60\00:27:17.93 And I started to... and... I talked to my dad, 00:27:17.97\00:27:21.07 my dad was actually the one... I was in a different State 00:27:21.10\00:27:25.31 I was out of the State of Florida, 00:27:25.34\00:27:26.71 in West Virginia and 00:27:26.74\00:27:28.11 he's the one that came... bailed me out of jail 00:27:28.14\00:27:30.05 with his retirement fund and... 00:27:30.08\00:27:32.95 Now this was before or after you had an encounter with God? 00:27:32.98\00:27:37.52 After I had an encounter and... 00:27:37.55\00:27:39.65 I mean, I tried to commit suicide 00:27:39.69\00:27:41.72 before that... everything... you name it... 00:27:41.76\00:27:44.03 I was just empty... empty... empty... empty... 00:27:44.06\00:27:46.23 an emptiness that I could not describe, it's like a black hole 00:27:46.26\00:27:48.60 and you try to fill it but it just doesn't work, 00:27:48.63\00:27:52.17 it's the "God space," 00:27:52.20\00:27:53.54 it's the space that God needs to take. 00:27:53.57\00:27:55.20 Yvonne: That's right. 00:27:55.24\00:27:56.57 And my dad packed up all my stuff 00:27:56.60\00:27:58.74 and he says, you know, I lost a home... 00:27:58.77\00:28:01.04 I lost... I had a house, 00:28:01.08\00:28:02.64 two cars, a wife... in 24 hours, everything was gone. 00:28:02.68\00:28:07.12 Wife, cars, everything... 00:28:07.15\00:28:09.92 and my dad said, "You're coming home" 00:28:09.95\00:28:11.89 and we talked for... it was like a twelve-hour trip, 00:28:11.92\00:28:14.39 we talked and he asked me for forgiveness... 00:28:14.42\00:28:18.39 for not listening, for being too strict on me 00:28:18.43\00:28:22.10 and not teaching me that a real man cries, 00:28:22.13\00:28:25.77 Yvonne: Hmmm... 00:28:25.80\00:28:27.14 So I made amends with my dad and it wasn't until I was an adult 00:28:27.17\00:28:34.01 that I learned how to be a father. 00:28:34.04\00:28:36.88 It's crazy because I have two girls 00:28:36.95\00:28:39.75 and I'm like, "God... 00:28:39.78\00:28:41.75 I'm such a... I'm so rough around the edges 00:28:41.78\00:28:45.15 why did you give me two girls?" 00:28:45.19\00:28:46.52 And my four-year-old ministers to me 00:28:46.55\00:28:50.13 and makes me a better father. 00:28:50.19\00:28:52.26 Hmmm... that is a powerful testimony, 00:28:52.29\00:28:57.73 I mean, because, you know, what you show 00:28:57.77\00:29:00.57 is that... because we always talk about God's plan, 00:29:00.60\00:29:04.14 God has a plan to prosper us, 00:29:04.17\00:29:06.17 God has a plan to give us a future and a hope 00:29:06.21\00:29:09.81 you know... an expected end 00:29:09.84\00:29:11.75 but Satan has a plan... to destroy... 00:29:11.78\00:29:14.75 and so... whoever we choose... 00:29:14.78\00:29:18.05 that's the plan we're on, 00:29:18.09\00:29:19.69 and when we choose God's plan, God has just brought you back up 00:29:19.75\00:29:26.29 that hole is full now with His presence 00:29:26.33\00:29:30.20 but before... Satan was taking you down 00:29:30.27\00:29:34.07 and you were more and more despondent, 00:29:34.10\00:29:36.57 more and more in despair because... 00:29:36.60\00:29:39.07 because you were serving 00:29:39.11\00:29:40.84 the enemy of souls and so, when you do that... 00:29:40.88\00:29:45.11 you're going to be... you're walking the dark side 00:29:45.15\00:29:48.65 but God is so faithful because He knew what it took 00:29:48.68\00:29:52.12 to get your attention and He knew what it took 00:29:52.15\00:29:55.62 to bring you back to Him, to really bring you to Him, 00:29:55.69\00:29:59.69 this time, not through your parents, 00:29:59.73\00:30:02.33 not through their relationship but your relationship 00:30:02.36\00:30:05.77 and so... I mean... I think that that is just 00:30:05.80\00:30:09.27 incredible and I think all of you are better fathers 00:30:09.30\00:30:13.21 because of your journey, not that... you know... 00:30:13.24\00:30:17.08 not that God put you on that path... we make choices... 00:30:17.15\00:30:21.48 and there are consequences to those choices 00:30:21.52\00:30:25.52 but your journey has made you better dads. 00:30:25.55\00:30:29.49 What do you think Jason? 00:30:29.52\00:30:30.96 It's also interesting because I mean... 00:30:30.99\00:30:32.83 usually in all situations 00:30:32.86\00:30:34.46 where there's either an absent father 00:30:34.50\00:30:37.23 or a father who just really doesn't know how to be a father 00:30:37.27\00:30:41.10 to his child, that kid grows up 00:30:41.14\00:30:43.41 and he either goes one of two ways... 00:30:43.44\00:30:46.31 . either he becomes just like his dad... 00:30:46.37\00:30:49.14 and treats his kids the same way that his dad did, 00:30:49.21\00:30:52.18 or he breaks that cycle 00:30:52.21\00:30:54.95 and he gives his kids what he never had 00:30:54.98\00:30:57.69 and so it's interesting to see that the fathers that grow up 00:30:57.72\00:31:04.16 and the kids that grow up and become fathers 00:31:04.19\00:31:07.33 that give their kids what their dad never gave them. 00:31:07.40\00:31:11.83 My dad... when I was a kid... 00:31:11.87\00:31:15.47 he lost his dad at a very early age, 00:31:15.50\00:31:19.07 I mean, he was still a kid himself 00:31:19.11\00:31:22.61 and so I never had a chance to meet my grandpa, 00:31:22.64\00:31:25.45 well, from the stories that I've heard, 00:31:25.51\00:31:27.58 my dad didn't experience... 00:31:27.62\00:31:31.02 like... he didn't have the greatest childhood 00:31:31.05\00:31:34.89 I think he got like his first present 00:31:34.92\00:31:38.99 I think is... what? his only present was like a bike 00:31:39.06\00:31:42.96 or something like that... 00:31:43.00\00:31:44.63 that was like one of his only presents 00:31:44.67\00:31:46.97 for his birthday or something like that 00:31:47.00\00:31:49.27 and it's not about material things 00:31:49.30\00:31:51.04 but there were other issues within the family 00:31:51.07\00:31:53.31 but when I came... when I broke out into the world 00:31:53.34\00:31:58.35 in... well... we won't say the year... 00:31:58.38\00:32:01.18 but when I broke out into the world, 00:32:01.25\00:32:03.99 my dad gave me what his father didn't give him, 00:32:04.02\00:32:11.59 you know, we don't... we don't say, 00:32:11.63\00:32:14.56 "I love you" and stuff like that a lot 00:32:14.60\00:32:17.53 but I can tell by his actions that he loves me. 00:32:17.57\00:32:21.34 My mother and father got divorced when I was... 00:32:21.37\00:32:25.07 what? five or six? Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 00:32:25.11\00:32:27.48 and when I was about five or six... 00:32:27.51\00:32:29.31 of course, as a kid, I didn't understand that, 00:32:29.34\00:32:31.78 I wasn't happy about it at first 00:32:31.81\00:32:34.28 but then I grew to like it for selfish reasons 00:32:34.32\00:32:36.62 I had two places to go... two sets of gifts 00:32:36.65\00:32:38.92 and my dad wasn't in the church, 00:32:38.95\00:32:43.09 he wasn't an Adventist and so, it was different, 00:32:43.12\00:32:47.70 it was different, he was the "fun parent" 00:32:47.73\00:32:50.13 Yvonne: Thanks a lot. 00:32:50.17\00:32:51.50 Jason: Well, you were fun but... 00:32:51.53\00:32:53.10 Yvonne: No, I really wasn't as much fun as your dad was. 00:32:53.13\00:32:55.74 I had different rules in the house. 00:32:55.77\00:32:58.67 Yeah, you did... and he had rules but it was different, 00:32:58.71\00:33:01.14 so, I got... 00:33:01.18\00:33:03.58 you ended up getting re-married when I was... 00:33:03.61\00:33:06.61 going into like the fifth grade, 00:33:06.65\00:33:09.22 but one thing that really stood out that my dad's done... 00:33:09.25\00:33:13.82 is... when we moved to Texas, I threw a temper tantrum, 00:33:13.86\00:33:18.29 I was throwing things, 00:33:18.33\00:33:19.66 I was so hurt because I wanted my dad there, 00:33:19.69\00:33:23.06 my dad uprooted his whole life and moved to Texas 00:33:23.10\00:33:26.33 to finish raising me and I mean that is so... 00:33:26.37\00:33:29.57 I was the only reason why he moved there 00:33:29.60\00:33:33.34 and for me... that just... that showed me how much 00:33:33.38\00:33:37.55 he loves me and I hope that when I grow... 00:33:37.58\00:33:41.78 well, I'm grown up now 00:33:41.85\00:33:44.49 but when I grow and become a father, 00:33:44.52\00:33:47.32 if that's God's will... that I can be like him in that sense. 00:33:47.36\00:33:54.03 Yeah, it means a lot to know... 00:33:54.10\00:33:58.83 for your children to know 00:33:58.87\00:34:00.44 that you really love them, that you really care about them 00:34:00.47\00:34:04.57 and you show them, not just by what you say 00:34:04.61\00:34:06.68 but by the time that you've spent 00:34:06.71\00:34:08.68 and that's what you guys talk about too 00:34:08.71\00:34:10.78 on: A Father's Heart. 00:34:10.81\00:34:12.28 The time that you spend in... and you give tips and strategies 00:34:12.31\00:34:17.22 let's talk about the importance of the father in the home 00:34:17.25\00:34:20.46 because even if... again, in Jay's case... 00:34:20.49\00:34:24.33 his Dad wasn't... we weren't together 00:34:24.36\00:34:26.90 but we were friends enough for me to say, 00:34:26.93\00:34:29.43 "Come, come down here, 00:34:29.46\00:34:31.37 Jason really needs you it's fine with me," 00:34:31.40\00:34:34.00 I knew his dad wasn't going to interfere in my life, so... 00:34:34.04\00:34:37.67 And you never talked bad about dad to me 00:34:37.71\00:34:40.28 and he's never talked bad about you to me 00:34:40.31\00:34:42.84 and that's important too. 00:34:42.88\00:34:45.11 Yvonne: Yeah, yeah, and I praise the Lord for that. 00:34:45.15\00:34:47.95 You know, it's important that we don't 00:34:47.98\00:34:49.55 put our children in the middle and make them "pawns" 00:34:49.58\00:34:53.39 you know, just because you and the spouse 00:34:53.42\00:34:58.36 or significant other didn't make it, 00:34:58.39\00:35:00.66 you don't put the child in the middle 00:35:00.70\00:35:02.90 but we have a crisis in our communities today, 00:35:02.96\00:35:08.24 we have a crisis of not... of having absentee fathers 00:35:08.27\00:35:14.24 it blows my mind that all the media pushes sex 00:35:14.28\00:35:21.18 it pushes: have sex, do this, do that, 00:35:21.22\00:35:24.02 but it's not talking about the babies 00:35:24.05\00:35:26.86 that you're going to be siring, 00:35:26.89\00:35:28.99 you know, it's one thing... 00:35:29.02\00:35:31.06 you're not a man or a woman because you can procreate, 00:35:31.09\00:35:35.16 because you can have a child, 00:35:35.20\00:35:37.33 you are a real man or a real woman 00:35:37.37\00:35:40.14 when you parent, that's... you know... 00:35:40.17\00:35:42.90 and in our communities, we are missing fathers, 00:35:42.94\00:35:46.68 let's talk about the effect of that... 00:35:46.71\00:35:49.98 not just in the family but on the community at large, 00:35:50.01\00:35:53.28 what do you think Pastor Denry? 00:35:53.31\00:35:54.68 I mean... it's... it's... the turning point in my life 00:35:54.72\00:35:57.65 was about four years ago, 00:35:57.69\00:36:00.42 I picked up the phone, my dad was calling me, 00:36:00.46\00:36:03.66 I actually called him, my stepfather... 00:36:03.69\00:36:05.89 and the first time in my life, he said, "Hello, Son... " 00:36:05.93\00:36:11.27 Yvonne: Hmmm... 00:36:11.30\00:36:12.93 My stepfather always referred to me as, "Young man" 00:36:12.97\00:36:15.67 and... I mean... this was only four years ago 00:36:15.70\00:36:19.37 and that was a turning point in my life to hear that... 00:36:19.44\00:36:23.01 remember I said that I dealt with rejection 00:36:23.04\00:36:25.51 and even though he raised me most of my life, 00:36:25.55\00:36:27.95 I always felt that he never accepted me as his own 00:36:27.98\00:36:31.52 and so, when he said that, 00:36:31.55\00:36:33.69 that just blew me away... 00:36:33.72\00:36:35.82 I called my wife like... after... and like... 00:36:35.86\00:36:38.83 "My dad called me 'son'" so I can imagine like 00:36:38.89\00:36:42.23 kids in the communities who never hear that... 00:36:42.26\00:36:45.60 if it meant something to me at... 00:36:45.63\00:36:48.50 a few years ago... and I'm an adult man, married, 00:36:48.54\00:36:52.84 have my children, could you imagine what it means 00:36:52.87\00:36:56.21 to these kids who've never heard that? 00:36:56.24\00:36:58.58 If they can just hear their father 00:36:58.61\00:37:00.52 call them "son" or "daughter... " 00:37:00.58\00:37:02.42 I mean, that would just like... do some... good... 00:37:02.45\00:37:05.89 I mean other people have called your son, whatever, 00:37:05.92\00:37:08.86 you try to have mentors... that means something to us, 00:37:08.89\00:37:11.79 that title means... 00:37:11.83\00:37:13.23 that's like the best title you can have 00:37:13.26\00:37:15.20 for your parent to call you what you are to them. 00:37:15.26\00:37:19.93 And so, by reaching to our communities and mentoring 00:37:19.97\00:37:23.10 or whatever we can do, stepping in sometimes as fathers 00:37:23.14\00:37:26.21 because we have some experience 00:37:26.27\00:37:28.11 and maybe... we can't replace the father 00:37:28.14\00:37:30.48 but just being a mentor and let them know... you know... 00:37:30.51\00:37:33.42 you are God's son, you are God's daughter, 00:37:33.45\00:37:36.92 I believe that will just give them this boost 00:37:36.95\00:37:40.02 like it did for me because from that point, 00:37:40.06\00:37:42.56 things that had been going to rejection... 00:37:42.59\00:37:45.06 and all of that... to just going... 00:37:45.09\00:37:47.13 things have been going good for me 00:37:47.16\00:37:49.50 Yvonne: Praise the Lord, that's great, 00:37:49.53\00:37:51.83 just by calling you "son. " 00:37:51.87\00:37:54.90 Denry: That's it... that's all I wanted to hear, all these years. 00:37:54.94\00:37:56.84 Did you tell him how much it meant to you? 00:37:56.91\00:38:00.38 I kept it... I kept... I guess I just kept it... 00:38:00.41\00:38:03.14 it was some... a joy that I just had to share 00:38:03.18\00:38:05.68 but I need to tell him, I do need to tell him... 00:38:05.71\00:38:07.82 I think it would be interesting, 00:38:07.85\00:38:09.18 I think it would be interesting to see how he responds 00:38:09.22\00:38:12.52 to your letting him know how much it meant to you. 00:38:12.55\00:38:15.92 Because I was forced to call him "daddy" 00:38:15.96\00:38:18.63 because I used to call him by his name 00:38:18.66\00:38:21.30 and my mother was like... 00:38:21.33\00:38:22.66 "He's going to be around for a while could you call him daddy?" 00:38:22.70\00:38:25.93 I was like... ten years' old, 00:38:26.00\00:38:27.97 I was like, "He's not my dad though" 00:38:28.00\00:38:29.54 and mom said, "Could you call him daddy?" 00:38:29.57\00:38:31.04 I said, "Okay, I'll call him daddy. " 00:38:31.07\00:38:32.54 But now, when I call him daddy, 00:38:32.57\00:38:35.18 that's my dad... he's my dad... 00:38:35.21\00:38:37.75 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... 00:38:37.78\00:38:39.45 I think that a lot of times the men out there... 00:38:39.48\00:38:44.52 they're struggling with the past 00:38:44.55\00:38:47.99 so they can't even reach out to their own children, 00:38:48.02\00:38:51.63 and we don't look at that angle, 00:38:51.69\00:38:53.53 I know, my dad meant well, I know, for him, 00:38:53.56\00:38:57.37 is... provide... I've got to provide... 00:38:57.40\00:39:01.10 and I have the same kind of makeup... I've got to provide... 00:39:01.14\00:39:04.84 but I have a balance through education, 00:39:04.87\00:39:09.04 through reading... knowledge, just get a balance, 00:39:09.08\00:39:11.71 because I know, "Yes, I have to provide... 00:39:11.75\00:39:13.42 but, I have to still spend time" 00:39:13.45\00:39:16.69 my son... now he's 19... 00:39:16.72\00:39:18.39 my daughter is 16... 00:39:18.42\00:39:20.12 and we have such an open relationship in our home, 00:39:20.16\00:39:24.29 they can come, they can talk 00:39:24.33\00:39:26.46 and I'll be in my office in the middle of a sermon 00:39:26.49\00:39:29.60 and this is about 11:30 00:39:29.63\00:39:32.23 and my son will knock on the office door 00:39:32.27\00:39:35.10 I'd say, "Come on in... " 00:39:35.14\00:39:36.47 and that's the time he wants to sit down and talk 00:39:36.50\00:39:38.31 and you know when you're in the middle of... 00:39:38.34\00:39:41.11 you're absorbed... you're in the Word... 00:39:41.14\00:39:43.45 and guess what I do? I stop... 00:39:43.48\00:39:46.35 I stop... he'll sit there in my chair 00:39:46.38\00:39:50.22 and we'll just talk about whatever he wants to talk about 00:39:50.25\00:39:54.26 until it's time for him to 00:39:54.29\00:39:56.32 just feel... "Okay dad, I'm gone. " 00:39:56.36\00:39:59.36 That's what's needed for fathers... 00:39:59.39\00:40:01.46 we need to just be able to spend time with them 00:40:01.50\00:40:05.10 and listen to them because I realized 00:40:05.13\00:40:07.30 from the time he was born until age 19... time went so fast, 00:40:07.34\00:40:12.24 it just disappeared and I realized that sooner or later, 00:40:12.27\00:40:17.15 he's going to be out of the home, 00:40:17.18\00:40:18.88 my daughter's going to be out of the home, 00:40:18.91\00:40:20.58 so I'm going to invest all the time 00:40:20.62\00:40:24.79 that I possibly can with him, 00:40:24.82\00:40:27.06 because I don't want him to... to have the same feelings 00:40:27.09\00:40:32.19 or the same things that I went through, 00:40:32.23\00:40:34.06 I'm trying to protect him from that. 00:40:34.10\00:40:36.16 One thing that my dad did with us... is that 00:40:36.20\00:40:39.47 every year we would get in the car... 00:40:39.50\00:40:41.27 we would drive 60 to 70 miles 00:40:41.30\00:40:44.21 to our other family home 00:40:44.24\00:40:47.61 and that is something that is still within me. 00:40:47.64\00:40:51.01 It's amazing how some of the things that you 00:40:51.05\00:40:54.35 you used to do with your father, it's amazing how it just sticks. 00:40:54.38\00:40:59.05 As, every now and again... 00:40:59.09\00:41:00.99 I like to take these long road trips 00:41:01.02\00:41:03.29 but my wife doesn't like the car, 00:41:03.32\00:41:05.56 so it doesn't balance up, 00:41:05.59\00:41:08.80 I got into the car and said, "Okay, we're going to Arizona, 00:41:08.83\00:41:11.10 we're going from Michigan all the way to Arizona... " 00:41:11.13\00:41:13.67 I had the best time 00:41:13.70\00:41:15.14 but they didn't have such a good time... 00:41:15.17\00:41:16.97 I was re-living my childhood and I was just having a good time, 00:41:17.01\00:41:24.05 because... it was a time where I felt close to my father 00:41:24.08\00:41:29.18 you know, we just had a good time 00:41:29.22\00:41:30.89 but I think to spending time is crucial, 00:41:30.92\00:41:34.82 I think we need to encourage our fathers to spend time, 00:41:34.86\00:41:39.83 it's okay to stop what you're doing 00:41:39.86\00:41:42.40 and let them know that they're important. 00:41:42.43\00:41:44.73 You said a key word, "Balance... " 00:41:44.77\00:41:48.20 now there are a lot of fathers at home that don't know... 00:41:48.24\00:41:50.91 maybe... how to have that balance, 00:41:50.94\00:41:53.64 what advice would you give them 00:41:53.68\00:41:56.31 to be able to balance raising their kids? 00:41:56.34\00:42:00.42 Well, the advice I'll give them is that... first of all... 00:42:00.45\00:42:03.32 you have to understand that they're important, 00:42:03.39\00:42:05.49 they're first in your life, I mean... besides God, 00:42:05.52\00:42:09.32 then, they're first 00:42:09.36\00:42:10.69 and, I think, be able to understand that 00:42:10.73\00:42:13.96 and know that whenever they want to have a conversation 00:42:14.00\00:42:18.73 or just play... stop what you're doing 00:42:18.77\00:42:20.54 but yet it's going to only take them about 10 to 15 minutes... 00:42:20.57\00:42:24.94 I noticed that with children, 10 to 15 minutes... 00:42:24.97\00:42:28.04 30 minutes... and they're gone... 00:42:28.08\00:42:30.15 they're off to the next thing 00:42:30.18\00:42:31.58 so now you can resume your regular activities, 00:42:31.61\00:42:34.12 don't think that they're going to be there forever 00:42:34.15\00:42:36.62 and you can't do what you need to, 00:42:36.65\00:42:38.55 so, you have to be able to find that balance though 00:42:38.62\00:42:40.09 a little time for my children 00:42:40.12\00:42:41.66 and a little time where I can get back to work 00:42:41.69\00:42:44.59 or do what I need to do. Yvonne: Hmmm... 00:42:44.63\00:42:45.96 I think too, one of the things... 00:42:45.99\00:42:48.46 going back to what Pastor Denry and Jason talked about, 00:42:48.50\00:42:51.47 you know my four-year-old comes from a divorced home, 00:42:51.50\00:42:54.40 my ex-wife and I are not together, 00:42:54.44\00:42:56.20 I'm remarried to Brittany, we talked about it, 00:42:56.24\00:42:59.47 we have a new-born baby and everything 00:42:59.51\00:43:01.41 and it was important 00:43:01.44\00:43:03.24 as a lot of times, parents get divorced 00:43:03.28\00:43:05.98 and their fathers divorce the kids at the same time. 00:43:06.01\00:43:07.98 Yvonne: Hmmm... a very good point. 00:43:08.02\00:43:09.75 To me it's like... and it's not easy... 00:43:09.78\00:43:12.12 but you know what? 00:43:12.15\00:43:13.49 Just because you two couldn't work out your issues on things 00:43:13.52\00:43:16.96 just... they didn't happen 00:43:16.99\00:43:18.33 because that's not the way God intended, 00:43:18.36\00:43:20.10 doesn't mean you can't get along, 00:43:20.13\00:43:21.80 you're adults to your children and we have a dynamic in which 00:43:21.83\00:43:26.84 yeah, you have your bad times and good times 00:43:26.87\00:43:28.97 but your children feel it even if they don't see it. 00:43:29.00\00:43:32.27 They feel it and for me... it's critical that I maintain a 00:43:32.31\00:43:35.74 good co-parental relationship with my ex-wife 00:43:35.78\00:43:38.81 and my wife now, she knows that 00:43:38.85\00:43:40.82 and she helps me through that too 00:43:40.85\00:43:42.62 we pray for me and we pray together 00:43:42.65\00:43:44.35 and we pray for her as well, and you know, 00:43:44.39\00:43:46.92 my daughter is pretty much... my wife's daughter too. 00:43:46.96\00:43:50.83 There's no step-parent, step-parent, 00:43:50.86\00:43:54.03 step-daughter relationship, that's her daughter as well, 00:43:54.06\00:43:56.26 they love each other, they spend time together, 00:43:56.30\00:43:58.57 when our newborn was born, I was like, 00:43:58.60\00:44:01.10 "Can you take her for a little bit 00:44:01.14\00:44:02.90 so I can spend time with Andrea 00:44:02.97\00:44:04.71 for a little bit, that's my four-year-old... 00:44:04.74\00:44:07.84 spend time a little bit with her, 00:44:07.91\00:44:09.41 so that way we can bond" and to me that was... 00:44:09.44\00:44:14.15 to me that's important 00:44:14.18\00:44:15.52 and just getting along and just being there, 00:44:15.55\00:44:17.92 my dad taught me... like I said, 00:44:17.95\00:44:20.19 "No matter how tired you are, 00:44:20.22\00:44:22.42 you always spend time with your kids" 00:44:22.46\00:44:23.83 and sometimes I come home from a full day of work 00:44:23.86\00:44:27.03 and I'm exhausted, I mean, I'm worn out, 00:44:27.06\00:44:30.13 and I pick up my four-year-old from school 00:44:30.17\00:44:33.20 and I... she'll be like, 00:44:33.23\00:44:34.57 "Daddy, can I go and eat some sushi?" 00:44:34.60\00:44:36.50 Because she likes sushi, the avocado rolls, 00:44:36.54\00:44:39.94 so we go... and we go get some sushi 00:44:39.97\00:44:42.08 and we sit down and we talk, 00:44:42.11\00:44:43.45 we always make time in our household to talk to our kids, 00:44:43.48\00:44:47.08 and to listen, even though she's four, 00:44:47.12\00:44:49.75 even though the newborn is a newborn... two months' old, 00:44:49.78\00:44:52.59 they talk to us and we listen 00:44:52.65\00:44:55.92 and we want to dedicate and build the time with them now 00:44:55.96\00:45:00.00 and spend time with them... and always... 00:45:00.03\00:45:02.16 it's difficult for me because they're girls 00:45:02.23\00:45:04.30 and it's like... my daughter... 00:45:04.33\00:45:06.40 my oldest one wants to play dress-up or tiara and I'm like 00:45:06.43\00:45:10.27 "Mmmm... I don't want to play that... but okay... " 00:45:10.31\00:45:13.04 she puts a little tiara on my head and I'm like, 00:45:13.07\00:45:15.51 "All right... what do we do now?" 00:45:15.54\00:45:16.88 You know, sometimes, I've grabbed the kitchen chairs 00:45:16.91\00:45:21.18 and blankets and made a princess castle for her 00:45:21.22\00:45:24.52 and just put her over the TV so she has a... 00:45:24.55\00:45:27.26 a big-screen TV... right there... 00:45:27.29\00:45:29.29 a TV and princess castle all together... 00:45:29.32\00:45:31.39 we order pizza and the whole family... 00:45:31.43\00:45:33.50 we just sit under the... my wife is like... 00:45:33.53\00:45:35.13 "You're going to have to clean this up" 00:45:35.16\00:45:36.63 I'm like... "No problem," 00:45:36.67\00:45:38.83 we sit underneath the little castle, 00:45:38.87\00:45:40.97 we have a sleepover and we eat pizza 00:45:41.00\00:45:43.07 and we just sit there and watch her movies that she likes 00:45:43.10\00:45:45.91 and... you know... it doesn't take a lot... 00:45:45.94\00:45:49.11 they don't expect you... the expectations they have 00:45:49.14\00:45:52.98 for you as a father and that you feel 00:45:53.01\00:45:55.48 only come from outside, 00:45:55.52\00:45:57.05 the expectations that they have for you are very minimal, 00:45:57.09\00:46:00.56 they just want you to be there and I remember listening to 00:46:00.62\00:46:04.06 two young girls talking about it, 00:46:04.13\00:46:05.46 in the University, they were talking about... 00:46:05.49\00:46:09.36 one of them was talking about how her parents were divorced 00:46:09.40\00:46:11.37 and all she wanted to do was... for her dad... just to call her 00:46:11.40\00:46:14.50 or send her a letter or something 00:46:14.54\00:46:16.94 and to me... that's critical... just to be there for my child 00:46:16.97\00:46:21.58 and make sure that she knows she's loved 00:46:21.61\00:46:23.95 and mom... even though mom and dad are not together 00:46:23.98\00:46:26.68 they both love her and they can be there for her 00:46:26.72\00:46:29.35 and that's just critical for me to make sure I do that. 00:46:29.38\00:46:32.82 And what you're doing is... you're making memories 00:46:32.85\00:46:35.62 with your children, things that... 00:46:35.66\00:46:38.03 just like your trip with your dad 00:46:38.06\00:46:40.36 has been in your heart all of these years 00:46:40.40\00:46:43.43 you want to do that with your kids 00:46:43.47\00:46:46.30 you want to create memories 00:46:46.33\00:46:48.40 so that they have something to draw from 00:46:48.44\00:46:50.57 later in life and I just think that's so beautiful. 00:46:50.61\00:46:53.21 So I'm going to get back to my original question again 00:46:53.24\00:46:55.81 why is a father important? 00:46:55.84\00:46:59.01 why can't it just be the mother... 00:46:59.05\00:47:01.08 mother... I mean... the dad's not there 00:47:01.12\00:47:03.49 and then... why does a father need to have input 00:47:03.55\00:47:07.32 into the children's lives? 00:47:07.36\00:47:09.59 When you look at... 00:47:09.62\00:47:11.46 I worked in Mental Health in a juvenile facility, 00:47:11.49\00:47:15.00 and most of them... if not all of them... 00:47:15.03\00:47:18.03 had some kind of problem with the father 00:47:18.07\00:47:21.47 father wasn't there, father was deceased, 00:47:21.50\00:47:24.87 father was in prison, father was also in gangs, 00:47:24.91\00:47:28.18 father was abusive to the mom, 00:47:28.21\00:47:30.68 most of the conversations I had with them 00:47:30.71\00:47:33.92 were their fathers... 00:47:33.95\00:47:35.28 and it's interesting how God designed the Bible 00:47:35.32\00:47:40.06 I mean, God is... He is God 00:47:40.09\00:47:43.46 and He chooses to play the father 00:47:43.49\00:47:48.06 you know, he could have said something else, 00:47:48.10\00:47:51.57 but he chooses a father, and I really believe 00:47:51.60\00:47:55.00 that... because He's all-knowing and knows the future, 00:47:55.07\00:47:59.37 He knew that there would be a problem with the male figures 00:47:59.41\00:48:02.64 in our Society and so... therefore, He says, 00:48:02.71\00:48:07.08 "Look, I will step in and be that father now... 00:48:07.12\00:48:11.42 so point them to me and I will repair the damage" 00:48:11.45\00:48:15.76 you know, but you've talked to everyone, 00:48:15.79\00:48:17.39 even perfect homes, they'll say, 00:48:17.43\00:48:20.56 "Yeah, my father was good... " whatever... 00:48:20.60\00:48:21.93 but they'd want more 00:48:21.96\00:48:25.13 and you look at Mother's and Father's Day, 00:48:25.17\00:48:28.30 we give our mothers accolades, we love them, 00:48:28.34\00:48:31.44 we give all the flowers, 00:48:31.47\00:48:32.81 we were talking the other day about... in prison 00:48:32.84\00:48:36.51 how on Mother's Days... every phone is full... 00:48:36.54\00:48:40.18 there are lines for phones, 00:48:40.22\00:48:41.55 but for Father's Day... 00:48:41.58\00:48:42.92 you can hear almost like a cricket making noise, 00:48:42.95\00:48:46.02 and so there's a serious void from... problem with the father. 00:48:46.05\00:48:49.56 I do think the father is important 00:48:49.59\00:48:52.16 because we see God through the eyes of our earthly father 00:48:52.19\00:48:56.97 and that's just 00:48:57.00\00:48:59.37 how we see God 00:48:59.40\00:49:01.70 but when we have a problem with our earthly father 00:49:01.74\00:49:04.54 we see God the same way, 00:49:04.57\00:49:05.91 there's a... then... direct relationship 00:49:05.94\00:49:09.88 between the Heavenly Father and the earthly father 00:49:09.91\00:49:13.01 so fathers are important, they're the anchor for the home, 00:49:13.05\00:49:16.89 mothers are the nourishers 00:49:16.92\00:49:18.25 so fathers are important in the home 00:49:18.29\00:49:21.59 to anchor that family, 00:49:21.62\00:49:23.26 fathers are the priests of the home 00:49:23.32\00:49:25.59 they're the ones that are responsible 00:49:25.66\00:49:27.93 for taking their children to the Lord 00:49:27.96\00:49:30.30 and praying for them without that... 00:49:30.33\00:49:33.70 in the home... we will lose our children 00:49:33.74\00:49:36.81 so it's very, very important for us to have fathers in the home 00:49:36.87\00:49:40.91 then there needs to be 00:49:40.94\00:49:43.41 some kind of understanding 00:49:43.45\00:49:45.85 in our male generation that they're important. 00:49:45.88\00:49:48.45 I don't think they're important... 00:49:48.48\00:49:49.82 they've been devalued so much that they feel 00:49:49.85\00:49:54.19 that they're no longer important 00:49:54.22\00:49:56.16 but they are important... they need to be known, 00:49:56.19\00:49:59.23 they need to stand up and be fathers 00:49:59.29\00:50:01.90 instead of allowing the mothers to be fathers and mothers 00:50:01.96\00:50:07.80 and what has happened in Society 00:50:07.84\00:50:09.87 because of sin and because of all the other things, 00:50:09.90\00:50:12.64 mothers have taken the role of fathers 00:50:12.67\00:50:15.64 so the boys are now... no longer... 00:50:15.68\00:50:18.58 have that strength that a father should have, 00:50:18.61\00:50:22.25 that gentleness also that a father should have 00:50:22.28\00:50:25.82 because they're now all... mothers have been raised by moms 00:50:25.85\00:50:30.69 so that's the... there's no balance... yes... 00:50:30.73\00:50:34.70 And that is a major point 00:50:34.73\00:50:36.83 because one of the things that I'm seeing as a woman... 00:50:36.87\00:50:39.53 and I look across a field of young men... 00:50:39.57\00:50:43.77 who have not had their fathers in their lives... 00:50:43.81\00:50:47.34 they take on a role of, 00:50:47.38\00:50:50.18 "You as the woman... should support me... 00:50:50.25\00:50:53.62 you as the woman should take care of me, 00:50:53.65\00:50:56.99 I'm going to sit here and play my video games 00:50:57.02\00:50:59.99 while you go out to work... because that's what mom did... " 00:51:00.02\00:51:02.26 so, it's... it's... they have no idea of what the role of the man 00:51:02.29\00:51:07.06 is to be... the provider... and the... you know... 00:51:07.10\00:51:10.90 people will probably blow about me saying that this is a... 00:51:10.93\00:51:14.60 there might blow about me saying that 00:51:14.64\00:51:16.64 "man should be the provider" because I believe in roles... 00:51:16.67\00:51:19.71 Pastor: Yes, some people will say that... 00:51:19.74\00:51:21.94 It is... it is... but it's not politically correct 00:51:22.01\00:51:24.91 and so... but I do... I do... feel that... 00:51:24.95\00:51:28.05 the role of the man has been so played down 00:51:28.08\00:51:32.35 into this dependent kind of thing 00:51:32.39\00:51:35.06 where the man should be independent 00:51:35.09\00:51:37.69 and should be the one that is out there... 00:51:37.73\00:51:40.73 he should come home to this haven... 00:51:40.76\00:51:43.90 Yes, it should be a little piece of heaven 00:51:43.97\00:51:47.54 but I think with the roles getting confused 00:51:47.57\00:51:51.07 and all that stuff... 00:51:51.11\00:51:52.44 I think that sometimes you have 00:51:52.47\00:51:54.54 really independent women who... it's like when 00:51:54.61\00:51:59.35 the roles get so confused on both sides too... 00:51:59.38\00:52:05.55 and going back to being in a home with no father, 00:52:05.59\00:52:11.66 you miss out on the interaction that a man should have 00:52:11.69\00:52:14.53 with his wife and how he should treat a woman 00:52:14.56\00:52:18.93 and if it's a little girl... she is missing out on seeing 00:52:18.97\00:52:22.60 how she should be treated by a man 00:52:22.64\00:52:25.31 and that's... that's... crucial, that's crucial... 00:52:25.34\00:52:29.74 It's actually interesting too because not only does the 00:52:29.78\00:52:33.21 girl miss out on how a man should treat her 00:52:33.25\00:52:36.85 but she also misses out on how she should treat her husband 00:52:36.89\00:52:39.75 which is critical... it's a two-way street 00:52:39.79\00:52:44.16 and I know we live in a Society in which 00:52:44.19\00:52:48.53 we have strong women and... 00:52:48.56\00:52:50.13 but there was a reason why God took Eve out of the side of Adam 00:52:50.17\00:52:54.87 to bring that journey together, 00:52:54.90\00:52:58.07 there are a lot of women around walking with a missing rib 00:52:58.11\00:53:02.21 and these girls are learning the wrong things to do, 00:53:02.24\00:53:07.22 the men are learning the wrong things to do 00:53:07.25\00:53:08.75 and they're just creating chaos 00:53:08.78\00:53:10.65 over one simple little thing which is, 00:53:10.69\00:53:13.76 "Take responsibility and be there" 00:53:13.79\00:53:16.76 you don't have to be perfect, there are no manuals, 00:53:16.79\00:53:20.16 you don't know what to do but that's okay. 00:53:20.20\00:53:22.46 There's a heavenly Father who can teach you what to do 00:53:22.50\00:53:25.80 step by step... 00:53:25.83\00:53:27.44 And there are programs too out there... 00:53:27.47\00:53:30.97 I know... I've been in touch with 00:53:31.01\00:53:34.08 the Brother from Fathers Incorporated... 00:53:34.11\00:53:37.25 I mean... there are all kinds of programs 00:53:37.28\00:53:40.32 and resources out there for people who want to know more 00:53:40.35\00:53:44.02 and I know you guys are going to be doing some things 00:53:44.09\00:53:47.72 in the communities and in the churches and all 00:53:47.76\00:53:50.59 to help men who want to be better fathers. 00:53:50.63\00:53:53.43 Speaking of A Father's Heart, 00:53:53.46\00:53:55.46 tell us what we can expect from this Season. 00:53:55.50\00:53:58.57 Reality... no holding back... no sugar coating... 00:53:58.60\00:54:03.57 you're going to see three broken men 00:54:03.61\00:54:06.47 who don't really know how to be fathers 00:54:06.51\00:54:10.05 but yet we rely on the Heavenly Father 00:54:10.11\00:54:13.58 and we also rely on each other for fathering strategies 00:54:13.62\00:54:17.39 stepping out of the... 00:54:17.42\00:54:19.42 "we can't share our emotions as men... " but we can 00:54:19.45\00:54:23.26 and share strategies through talking and 00:54:23.32\00:54:25.79 we learn how to make each other better fathers as a group. 00:54:25.86\00:54:29.60 That's good... what do you think about this season coming? 00:54:29.63\00:54:33.30 I think the season is a great thing that we can actually 00:54:33.34\00:54:36.97 talk so openly, I think, 00:54:37.01\00:54:38.81 this is the biggest counseling team for me 00:54:38.84\00:54:42.48 I have given birth to things that I don't talk about 00:54:42.51\00:54:47.12 and I thank God that they're here to listen 00:54:47.15\00:54:51.09 I'm hoping and praying that 00:54:51.12\00:54:53.39 people will be impacted in such a way 00:54:53.46\00:54:56.42 that they can just breath... exhale... 00:54:56.46\00:54:59.39 and all the things that have been holding them back 00:54:59.43\00:55:02.53 from being the best possible father 00:55:02.56\00:55:04.73 this season is going to be a great season. 00:55:04.80\00:55:07.27 I know lives are going to be changed 00:55:07.30\00:55:10.04 and I know God is going to just... 00:55:10.07\00:55:12.01 because there's such realness, well... it's real... 00:55:12.07\00:55:15.21 what you see is what you get. 00:55:15.24\00:55:17.91 What do you think, Denry? 00:55:17.98\00:55:20.62 I believe, we're going to reveal the secret manual 00:55:20.65\00:55:23.05 that there is a manual but He is a person... 00:55:23.08\00:55:26.89 and He's God the Father and He's full of love, 00:55:26.96\00:55:30.26 He's full of guidance, He's full of wisdom 00:55:30.29\00:55:33.53 and we can use Him even if you didn't have an example 00:55:33.60\00:55:37.47 you can look at Him as an example 00:55:37.53\00:55:39.93 and trust me... the rewards in your children 00:55:39.97\00:55:43.27 are going to be beyond the atmosphere 00:55:43.30\00:55:45.91 because He's so loving, 00:55:45.94\00:55:47.28 so I'm looking forward to this season. 00:55:47.31\00:55:50.11 Yeah... what do you think Jay... you've had a chance to sit in 00:55:50.15\00:55:54.32 on the tapings of A Father's Heart, 00:55:54.35\00:55:58.29 what do you think... as a potential father? 00:55:58.32\00:56:00.79 Well, I don't know... we'll see... 00:56:00.82\00:56:02.72 Pastor: Kind of scared him... 00:56:02.76\00:56:06.09 Yvonne: Yeah, I know, he looks a little nervous. 00:56:06.13\00:56:08.26 I mean that's a huge responsibility 00:56:08.30\00:56:10.67 but I think that... what our Viewers can expect 00:56:10.70\00:56:14.20 from this program is so much wonderful information, 00:56:14.24\00:56:17.67 things that may be they have never experienced 00:56:17.71\00:56:21.68 themselves due to the absence of a father... 00:56:21.71\00:56:24.61 they can expect to see 00:56:24.65\00:56:26.01 you guys being very open and transparent 00:56:26.05\00:56:29.82 and being vulnerable and sharing with them 00:56:29.85\00:56:33.02 the difficulties that you went through 00:56:33.05\00:56:36.06 and how you were able to overcome that 00:56:36.09\00:56:39.06 and how that translated into your raising of your children. 00:56:39.09\00:56:44.83 It's such a great Series, 00:56:44.87\00:56:49.34 I can't wait for our Viewers to watch it. 00:56:49.37\00:56:51.94 It was worth the wait, I have to say that 00:56:51.97\00:56:54.48 all these years we've been trying to get it going... 00:56:54.51\00:56:58.31 and finally it's here... A Father's Heart is here 00:56:58.35\00:57:01.88 and I want to thank you for all that you're doing 00:57:01.92\00:57:05.32 for A Father's Heart 00:57:05.35\00:57:07.39 and all that you're going to be doing 00:57:07.42\00:57:10.19 because I know you're going to be getting into the Community 00:57:10.23\00:57:12.66 so Viewers... you have to make sure that you tune in... 00:57:12.69\00:57:15.13 this is going to be a tremendous blessing. 00:57:15.16\00:57:18.03 Pastor: Amen. 00:57:18.07\00:57:19.40 That interview nearly brought me to tears. 00:57:19.43\00:57:23.27 You'll really enjoy this program 00:57:23.30\00:57:25.51 so watch the schedule for when it airs 00:57:25.54\00:57:27.78 if you have any questions or to contact these dads directly, 00:57:27.84\00:57:31.35 please e-mail them at: afh@3abn. org 00:57:31.41\00:57:36.42 that's: afh@3abn. org 00:57:36.45\00:57:39.92 what a blessing they are, 00:57:39.95\00:57:43.36 how transparent they were, how authentic they are 00:57:43.39\00:57:47.26 and when you watch these programs, 00:57:47.30\00:57:49.16 you'll be able to see for yourself 00:57:49.20\00:57:51.00 that they know they don't have all the answers 00:57:51.03\00:57:53.77 but they know that Jesus is the answer 00:57:53.80\00:57:55.97 and that He will lead them through. 00:57:56.00\00:57:58.44 Well, thank you so much for joining us, 00:57:58.47\00:58:00.64 join us next time because you know what? 00:58:00.68\00:58:03.08 It just wouldn't be the same without you. 00:58:03.11\00:58:05.48