Participants:
Series Code: CW
Program Code: CW000012S
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00:00 (gentle music)
00:05 - [Jim] Oh yes stay right there, 00:08 stay right there I will be right back. 00:13 Hey, welcome everybody, to Talking Donkey international 00:16 and our new television series, Country Wisdom. 00:18 - Let's set the tone for this new series of ours. 00:21 It's found in Proverbs 4, "Let your eyes look 00:26 directly forward and your gaze be straight before you. 00:30 Ponder the path of your feet, 00:33 and then all your ways will be sure." 00:36 - Join us now for Country Wisdom. 00:38 (gentle music) 00:45 - Have I ever told you the whole story 00:48 of how we decided to adopt our daughter? 00:49 - No, I don't think you have, I'd love to hear it. 00:52 - Oh, it's a great story, first of all, 00:54 you know we had two boys and I wanted a girl. 00:59 I had this idea that God would give me a daughter. 01:03 And I had mentioned a few times to Steve. 01:06 Well, maybe, you know, we could adopt some day. 01:09 And he kind of, eh, and in fact, 01:11 I think one day he actually said, 01:13 "Look, if that's what you need to really be happy, 01:18 then I won't stand in your way." 01:20 And I had the papers on the coffee table. 01:23 - You were ready for this? - And, 01:25 but I never sent them in, I filled out you know 01:28 the initial form but never sent it in. 01:32 Because I thought, okay, if I'm just doing this for me, 01:36 you know, our marriage is partnership. 01:38 I'm not just gonna, you know nag him to death 01:41 until he finally says, yes, you know, let's do it. 01:45 I felt like he was just giving me permission, you know 01:48 he really want this, but it wasn't what he really wanted. 01:52 So I never did anything about it. 01:55 And literally several years go by. 01:58 And then we had... - So you were patient? 02:00 - Well, I'd given up. (laughing) 02:02 Okay, okay, now the truth is out there. 02:06 - Because Steve wasn't as fully on board. 02:09 And then we had friends who were going to China for a year. 02:13 He was going to be teaching medical 02:16 Western surgery methods or some new surgery method. 02:20 And we were at their house and they had 02:23 told us what their plans were. 02:24 And on the drive home, I said, 02:28 really just kind of flippantly, 02:29 I was not completely serious. 02:32 I was just sort of harassing Steve cause I kind of do that. 02:36 And I said, "Well, since they're going to be in China 02:39 for a year, and China, you know at that time." 02:43 I said, "They tend to toss little girls out." 02:46 I said, "Maybe they can find us 02:48 one while they're over there." 02:51 And Steve said, "Well, maybe we should talk 02:54 to them about that, maybe that would work." 02:55 - So you almost fell out of your chair? 02:58 - If I hadn't been belted in, 02:59 probably, cause we were in the car. 03:02 No, I actually didn't say anything 03:04 because I was afraid of breaking the spell. 03:06 This was Steve finally saying, yeah, maybe we should. 03:10 - After you'd been waiting for years. 03:11 - So obviously, I don't know what happened, 03:13 but obviously, now he was ready. 03:17 I had been ready, but he was. 03:20 So the next day, I kind of broached the subject, you know, 03:24 so, were you really serious last night? 03:27 Because it would help, I was fairly certain, 03:31 so optimistic and naive, that having someone in the country, 03:35 having friends who were there, 03:37 that they could do some of the legwork, 03:39 that they would know who to go talk to, what agency. 03:43 And he said, "Yeah, yeah, let's talk to them about it." 03:47 And I was going, yes, but I didn't do a happy dance 03:52 because again, afraid of breaking the spell. 03:54 It's like, be casual, like, oh, well, 03:57 if you insist, I'll look into it, you know. 03:59 (laughs) 04:00 - Went behind the bedroom door and go, "Yes!" 04:02 (laughs) 04:03 - I know how to play my cards right. 04:05 So, we started the process and the only agency, 04:11 you have to have a home study done. 04:13 And I knew that, so the only agency 04:16 that would come to our little town was four hours away. 04:22 But they were really willing, 04:23 it was a nice Christian agency. 04:25 And they worked with orphanages 04:28 in several third world countries. 04:31 And they were delighted and they had 04:33 a social worker who didn't mind 04:35 driving all the way, four hours to interview us. 04:38 And Steve at that time, see it was 04:41 his partner who was in China. 04:44 So Steve was on call for a year. 04:47 It turned into two years, but that's another story. 04:50 So he couldn't leave to go down to Sacramento. 04:54 And normally they require you 04:56 to go through these parenting classes. 04:58 And they let me go down by myself. 05:01 They said, we need to at least meet him. (chuckles) 05:04 We need to know you're not talking about a phantom husband. 05:07 And one time he got coverage and we went down for 05:11 one all day, big, long meeting with them. 05:15 And after that, they have bent the rules and worked with us, 05:19 and Shyla kept making trips up to see us. 05:23 If I had known maybe how long the process 05:26 would end up taking, I don't know. 05:29 But it was, I was thrilled there 05:31 that we were going to get our daughter. 05:36 - Wow. - So, adoption is wonderful. 05:39 It was only part of the process 05:42 that I could have done without. 05:43 - You know, you talk about adoption, 05:45 I can't help but thinking about in heaven, you know, 05:48 God created the most beautiful couple, 05:51 gave them the most gorgeous location. 05:54 But then they decided to choose somebody else, 05:56 they'd been created with free will. 05:57 And here comes the devil who at that time, you know, 06:02 was Lucifer, the light, but he was a deceiver. 06:06 He totally deceived them saying, 06:08 "Hey, join my family, come along 06:10 and join my family, my family is much better." 06:14 - We have more fun in my family. 06:15 - And you know, they made that choice. 06:17 They decided to go that direction. 06:21 And basically right there, there was a whole gene change. 06:25 You know that the whole royalty just was out of their blood. 06:31 And they were grafted into the family of the devil. 06:34 And basically, that's where we've been ever since. 06:36 It's a sad situation, it's reverse adoption, really. 06:39 - I hadn't thought about it like that. 06:41 - But it's a cool thing God had a plan, too. 06:45 - When we got into the actual process, 06:49 like I said, we applied for it to China. 06:53 And Steve insisted, if we're going to adopt, 06:56 he wanted that baby, he wanted it as young as possible. 07:00 And he even put on there, on one of the forms. 07:04 That I think like one year old was his gap. 07:07 And I remember teasing him and saying, 07:10 "Oh, so you're saying if God has the perfect 07:12 four year old for us, you would go, no, sorry, too old." 07:16 And he just kind of laughed but he still 07:18 put that on the form, infant. 07:21 Now, you've met our daughter. 07:24 - I have. - And has it 07:26 occurred to you that she's not Chinese? 07:28 (laughs) Have you thought about that? 07:31 I kept expecting you to go, what do mean 07:33 you applied to China, I've met Aleah. 07:36 That is the most wonderful story. 07:38 - Even I can figure out she's not Chinese. 07:42 - We were, oh, at least halfway through the process. 07:45 We had done our home study, we had, 07:47 I'd gone multiple trips down to where the agency was. 07:51 We were getting close to the time 07:53 when they would be assigning us a child. 07:58 And one day, I think we were sitting at the table 08:02 and I suddenly had this thought and I said, 08:05 "Steve, how are we gonna choose which one? 08:08 Do you suppose they just show you like a catalog, you know? 08:12 I said, I'll just pick the cutest one, 08:14 I'm that shallow and so how do you do it? 08:18 And he just kind of, I don't know. 08:22 And I remember a story that I read years ago. 08:25 I was still a kid and my grandmother subscribed 08:28 to Guideposts Magazine, which is still around. 08:31 I subscribe to it now and I remembered a story 08:35 that I read when I was maybe 10 years old. 08:38 And it was a story about, I want to say Eddie Albert, 08:42 the story of Green Acres. - Oh yeah, yeah. 08:44 I can remember the old Green Acres. (indistinct) 08:45 - Well, yeah, I'm old enough I remember it too. 08:48 But he wrote a story in there. 08:52 He had been making a film in Spain. 08:54 His wife went with him they had no children. 08:57 And while he was off every day filming, 09:00 his wife found there was a little orphanage down the road. 09:03 And she had made friends with the orphanage director. 09:06 She would go down there and volunteer during the day, 09:08 she was playing with the kids and all. 09:10 So she told him, I want to adopt one of these children. 09:15 And they talked to the director. 09:17 Now, mind you, let's see this must have, 09:20 I don't even remember what year, this was maybe the 50s. 09:23 When he was, it was then this. 09:26 I was older than that when he wrote 09:28 this story but he was talking about 09:29 something that happened way before then. 09:31 'Cause I'm not old enough to remember the 50s. 09:35 (laughs) 09:37 So, they made all the arrangements. 09:40 It was easier then. - Yeah. 09:42 - But they're driving, on his last day of filming, 09:44 he'd wrapped, they're driving to the orphanage 09:47 to meet the director and choose a child. 09:51 And his wife said the same thing, all of a sudden, she goes, 09:53 "Wait, how are we going to choose?" 09:56 And they pulled over to the side of the road and prayed. 09:59 And they said, "Okay, Lord, we're gonna make 10:01 a deal with you, the very first kid that 10:04 that director brings to introduce us to, 10:07 we're gonna say yes, no matter what." 10:10 - That's scary. - And then he said, 10:12 When the director walked in with this little girl, 10:15 he almost reneged it was like, no, Lord, 10:17 you can't possibly mean that one. 10:19 Because he said she had a look on her face 10:22 that he just knew she was going to give them trouble. 10:26 - A fireball on the Harley. (laughs) 10:28 - And he almost went back on his promise to God. 10:31 But his wife didn't and they said, "Yes, we'll take her." 10:37 He was writing this story like 10:38 20 years later on the eve of her wedding. 10:43 And he was just saying, "God knew exactly who 10:47 they needed and who needed them, 10:49 and it was the perfect choice." 10:51 So that's what Steve and I did. 10:52 We actually prayed and said that, you know, 10:56 "We don't know what you have in mind, 10:58 but we know that you know who needs us and who we need, 11:02 and we'll do the same thing." 11:04 The very first baby that they offer us, 11:07 we'll say yes, no matter what. 11:09 And I thought we might be opening ourselves up for maybe 11:12 some medical issues, but that's fine. 11:16 Steve's a doctor, we know a lot 11:18 of people in the medical community. 11:19 We would give this little girl a chance she might not have. 11:25 When you leave things up to God, 11:27 the answer to your prayer might not look like what you think 11:31 it's gonna look like. - Most of the time not. 11:33 - First of all, we'd applied to China. 11:36 Secondly, Steve's insistent, baby. 11:40 And I had all these little pink 11:42 you know, little tiny dresses. 11:44 And they called us and said, "One of our workers 11:49 who's gotten to know you is actually 11:51 over in Addis Ababa where we have an orphanage." 11:54 And she said, "Call the Nelsons 11:55 and tell them I have their daughter." 11:57 And this woman on the phone is talking so fast. 12:00 She does not want me to break in 12:02 and say, no, no we are getting- 12:04 - That's a few miles from China. 12:05 - We're getting a Chinese baby. 12:06 What are you talking about, Addis Ababa? 12:08 You know, I might not be the best with geography, 12:10 but I know that's not in China. 12:13 And so she's talking fast and the whole 12:15 time I'm going, okay, all right. 12:17 And she said, "Well, this little girl, 12:19 they think she's about four years old." 12:21 But she said, "this one will give her brothers a run 12:24 for the money, you know, this is their daughter." 12:27 And I'm going, okay, she's going, 12:29 "Well, do you wanna talk to your husband about it?' 12:31 And I said, "Oh, I will, he's out fishing right now, 12:34 but I definitely will, but it's still yes." 12:37 And she goes, "Would you like to see 12:38 a picture first, we can have her send a picture." 12:40 And I said, "I would love to have a picture of her, 12:43 but the answer is still yes." 12:45 Now I had a brief moment because the first picture 12:51 they sent to us, I understood Eddie Albert thinking, 12:54 ah wait a minute because I thought 12:57 they sent us the wrong picture. 12:58 They sent me a picture, it was just a little headshot. 13:01 We got a better one a little later. 13:03 But this little headshot I thought 13:05 that's a little boy with a very bad haircut. 13:09 (laughs) 13:11 - Oh my. - No, that was her. 13:12 - Good thing your daughter isn't around to hear that. 13:14 - So we had not told our social worker 13:17 about the deal we'd made with God. 13:20 So she wasn't having to try to twist 13:23 our arms or talk us into anything. 13:25 It was, yes, yes, yes of course. 13:29 And it's true, she has been the most delightful thing. 13:35 I could not have picked a better daughter for myself. 13:38 I could not have given birth to a better daughter. 13:43 I sometimes I've had people who 13:45 would have occasionally said, 13:48 you've done such a great job with her. 13:52 And I tell them, "Oh no, no, no, she came that way, 13:55 I just with God's help kept her that way, 14:00 I didn't mess her up too badly." 14:02 Because she's just a wonderful person 14:05 inside out, beautiful person inside and out. 14:08 - They won't surprise you, I know to realize it, 14:12 you know, God's an amazing parent who said the same thing. 14:16 Just I'm gonna take them all, you know, 14:18 everyone that shows up to me I'm gonna take them in. 14:21 - And I'm sure that some of us kind of look like, you know 14:24 the picture that I first was sent or the little girl 14:27 who walked in that Eddie Albert laid eyes on, 14:31 a lot of people go, no, not that one. 14:35 But- - Think we got a minute. 14:37 Let's maybe we can find a place to sit down, I know. 14:39 I want to share a couple of bible text with you about, 14:42 cause you I know you've got a lot more to share too. 14:44 - Oh, you can get me talking about my daughter forever. 14:47 Are you kidding me, I could keep you here all day. 14:51 - [Narrator] God, once used a donkey to spread his word, 14:55 but he'd rather use all of us. 14:57 In partnership with you our mission is to share 14:59 the life saving love and hope only found in Jesus Christ. 15:07 - I'm too old to be traipsing 15:08 around the country like this, but master Balaam insisted. 15:15 Oh, and he was so angry, you should have seen him. 15:20 He was so angry, he didn't even 15:22 notice who was talking to him. 15:25 He didn't even notice it was the donkey. 15:29 This donkey spoke to him, except I don't believe 15:34 it was the donkey, I think God spoke to master Balaam. 15:40 Because he hadn't being listening before. 15:42 The donkey made him listen. - So, 15:45 how are you doing anyway, you know you can't talk, huh? 15:48 Well, you know, there was actually a donkey 15:50 in the Bible that talk, did you know that? 15:53 Matter of fact it's found in Numbers, well Numbers 22. 15:56 You'll see, it's an amazing story. 15:58 It's about this prophet, he was God's prophet, 16:01 but he'd wandered away, he'd strayed away from God. 16:04 And he began preaching against God's people. 16:08 One day he hops on his donkey 16:09 and he's riding down the trail and he gets down the trail, 16:12 and all of a sudden his donkey swerves away. 16:15 Did you know that his donkey totally 16:17 swerved away got out in the field. 16:19 And he beat him because he was so mad, 16:21 and got him back on the trail, going down the trail again, 16:23 and all of a sudden the donkey runs him into a wall, 16:27 and he's going, what is going on? 16:29 He beats him again and starts yelling at him. 16:31 And the third time the talkie does the same thing. 16:34 And this time the prophet gets 16:36 so mad he's beating the donkey. 16:38 And all of a sudden, the Bible says 16:39 that God gave the donkey voice. 16:42 That's right. (donkey brays) 16:43 Yeah, that's exactly right, God gave the donkey a voice. 16:46 Wait you got to stick around with me 16:47 and hear the rest of the story, okay? 16:50 God used a talking donkey to save a lost man. 16:52 We believe God is using a talking donkey, 16:54 once again, to save those who can't see 16:57 what is right in front of them, the God of eternity. 17:00 - [Narrator] Together, we can carry 17:02 the final advent message to the individuals of planet Earth 17:06 and hasten the return of our Lord. 17:08 Please pray for and support the successful mission 17:11 of Talking Donkey International. 17:14 - Give the donkey a voice. 17:15 Spread the word of Jesus Christ around the world. 17:18 Now is the time, there hasn't been a time 17:20 in earths planet earth history, actually like this. 17:23 Please join us today. (gentle music) 17:30 - Yeah I wanted to share a few of the text with you 17:33 because I think it's so important 17:35 for people to realize that God put everything into this. 17:38 I mean, he's invested the universe into our adoption again, 17:43 because we blew it, we gave it away, 17:45 we have allowed somebody else to adopt it. 17:47 So one of the first ones is Galatians 4. 17:50 And it says, in chapter four, "But when the fullness 17:53 of time had come, God sent forth his Son, 17:56 into the world, under the law". 17:59 Well, the law demanded that we'd totally blown it. 18:01 We you know, there was no way we could 18:05 get out of the situation we put ourselves in. 18:08 So Jesus came to live a life above all of this 18:11 and then die for us as if he was the one who blew it. 18:15 And it continues on, why did he do that? 18:18 To redeem them that were in the law, 18:20 to redeem well, if you're going to redeem us, 18:22 you know, his buying us back. 18:25 And then Paul says in, Romans chapter 8, 18:29 "For as many as are led by the 18:30 the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." 18:33 We can choose to go back to the life that God 18:36 had promised us where we can become royalty again. 18:39 You know, because Adam and Eve in the family 18:41 they were royalty in the garden. 18:43 - I like that idea. - Oh yeah. 18:46 - I can be royalty. (chuckles) 18:48 - Well, God wants us all to be royalty. 18:50 That's the key, you know, he says, 18:51 "For you have not received the spirit of bondage 18:54 against fear, you have not received the spirit 18:56 of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, father!" 19:00 You know, God is saying, I wanna adopt you, you know. 19:03 And then there's another one I wanted to share with you 19:05 and in, (indistinct) John verse 13. 19:11 It says, "Which were born, not of blood, 19:13 nor of the will of the flesh of God, 19:14 Nor the will of man but of God." 19:16 And the word was made flesh and blood among us. 19:19 Jesus came down, born of the man 19:21 to show us the way back to adoption. 19:23 He paved the way he laid it all out 19:25 for us that we can get back at. 19:28 And let me tell you, it costs God a lot. 19:32 - You remember I told you how at the beginning 19:34 of the process, I was a little naive 19:37 and optimistic, all kinds of roadblocks. 19:40 She ended up having measles, so it delayed her coming over. 19:45 In the U.S. they won't complete 19:47 an adoption until the child is here. 19:49 Ethiopia won't release the child 19:51 until the adoption is complete. 19:53 So we're doing everything twice, 19:55 doubling everything once here, once there. 19:59 And it's, some days seemed like 20:01 she was just never gonna arrive home. 20:04 We were never really gonna get her. 20:06 And I'm kind of glad that I didn't know how hard 20:09 parts of it were going to be, because I don't know 20:13 if I would have thought it was worth going through. 20:15 - That's what's so interesting 20:17 as God knew how much is going to cost. 20:19 God knew everything about the pain, 20:23 the suffering, the anguish, matter of fact. 20:26 That was God's plan A, he had no plan B. 20:29 He saw all of this stuff, he saw the sacrifice of Christ. 20:33 The death of his own son, all of these things. 20:36 And he chose to do it, that's what, 20:37 you know I mean that's exciting, to think about it. 20:41 It just, I think about, being in heaven 20:46 God's got everything around him. 20:48 You know, we're looking with the dirt 20:50 and crud and rocks and stuff. 20:52 Heaven's fabulous and God says, look, 20:54 I've laid all this out for you, I've chosen you, 20:59 matter of fact, I've marked you in the palms of my hand. 21:02 You're so precious. you know, 21:03 I'm scarred for eternity for you. 21:07 And he says, now, look, you get to sit with me 21:10 in my throne because you're royalty. 21:13 You're part of the family, you're the children 21:15 of the family, you know what I mean? 21:17 - And who wouldn't want to be the royalty? 21:19 I could see myself with a tiara. 21:22 (laughs) 21:23 - But you know, not until you throw it 21:25 at the feet of Jesus when you get there, right? 21:26 - Right, it won't mean anything. 21:28 - Yeah, yeah because he bought it all for us. 21:30 We'll think about that, we will sit in God's throne 21:33 with him and Jesus and rule the universe for eternity. 21:38 I certainly don't deserve it. 21:39 I don't think you do. - No, no. 21:41 - None of us do, but God says, look, I've washed you, 21:45 made you white as snow now and you're 21:48 joining in the family of God, think about that. 21:52 You know you've gone through that adoption process 21:55 and, but as many, says, as received Him 22:01 to them become sons and daughters of God. 22:04 - We have to make that choice. 22:06 He already chose us. - Yeah you're right. 22:08 It's our choice, just like they made 22:10 back in the garden to choose the devil 22:13 and his genetic pool and everything else. 22:15 You're right, we've gotta make a choice again. 22:19 - Hey, I've got one more place I'd like to show you. 22:22 And Aleah said, she'll meet us there, you up for it? 22:25 - Sure, sounds good, you know, 22:27 I was just thinking that one more thing I want to share 22:29 because it seems like it's so important. 22:30 And I don't know that a lot of people really grasp 22:33 or understand it, but that's adoption is for the redeemed 22:37 because the redeemer paid the price, you know 22:40 adoption is not a fanciful fiction. 22:43 It's reality, you know, God promises. 22:47 - And that's the best news ever. 22:49 - Absolutely. (footsteps receding) 22:53 I felt like Satan was constantly nipping 22:55 at my heels and I just couldn't catch my breath. 22:58 I was grieving, I felt scared, 23:00 confused, anxious, and depressed. 23:03 My life was literally turned upside down and falling apart. 23:08 I didn't know what to do, but I knew who had the answers. 23:12 Can you relate, this amazing study guide changed my life. 23:18 In twelve weeks, I caught my breath. 23:20 My faith grew stronger, my confusion turned to clarity, 23:24 my anxiety lessened, my depression eased. 23:28 I let myself be held in the arms of Jesus 23:31 and he calmed my aching heart. 23:35 Are you ready for a dramatic change in your life? 23:39 This twelve week study guide, 23:40 will guide you on your journey of transformation. 23:44 This study is packed with powerful content. 23:47 To lead you on an encounter with Jesus. 23:50 Jesus will use this study as a tool 23:53 to change your life as he did mine. 23:57 Order your copy today to experience your transformation, 24:00 log onto TalkingDonkeyInternational.org. 24:05 (upbeat music) 24:17 - [Narrator] Introducing Talking Donkey International, 24:20 God once used a donkey to spread his word 24:23 but he'd rather use all of us. 24:24 Our experience team has preached, 24:27 taught and filmed in countries around the globe. 24:30 In partnership with you, our mission is 24:32 to share the saving love and hope found only only 24:35 in Jesus Christ with everyone in this lost and dying world. 24:40 Your financial partnership with Talking Donkey 24:42 will enable this exciting ministry 24:44 to proclaim that Jesus is coming soon. 24:47 It's time to prepare quality programming created to attract 24:50 and reach viewers of the world together, 24:53 we can carry the final advent message to the individuals 24:57 of planet Earth and hasten the return of our Lord. 25:00 Please pray for and support the successful mission 25:03 of Talking Donkey International. 25:07 (gentle music) 25:09 - So there in that courthouse. 25:11 That's where it all finally ended. 25:14 We stood in front of a judge and signed the final papers, 25:19 or maybe I should say that's where it all began. 25:21 - The beginning, yeah, it probably really was. 25:23 - Hi there? - Hey how are you. 25:25 Greetings, this is the child? - This is her. 25:29 She didn't look like this the day 25:32 that we came out of that courthouse. 25:34 - Let's go ahead, have a seat. 25:35 - Yes, sit for a minute, I've been telling Jim 25:39 about coming to the courthouse to sign final papers 25:42 and feeling like great, it's finally over. 25:45 What do you remember about that day? 25:47 - That the judge was super scary. 25:50 - Why? - Well, 25:51 I was short and he was, you know, 25:53 on his pedestal and he seemed really big 25:55 and intimidating at that time. 25:56 - You're still short. - Just not (murmurs). 25:59 - Thank you for the reminder. (laugh) 26:01 So that would have been intimidating. 26:02 I think anyone who's standing in front 26:04 of a judge feels intimidated. 26:06 - [Jim] How old were you 26:07 at that time? - Between five to seven. 26:11 - [Jim] Why are you hesitating? 26:13 - 'Cause they didn't know my age, 26:15 I didn't come with birth certificates. 26:17 - [Janice] We had to guess. - [Jim] Had to guess. 26:19 How did you kind of zero in on it? 26:21 - They took me to their dentist to do, was it photographing? 26:27 - [Janice] Yeah, he looked at your teeth. 26:29 - To determine approximately the age. 26:32 - And the orphanage had said they thought 26:34 she was about four but he said, no, no, 26:36 she's six or seven. - [Jim] Okay. 26:39 - She had too many teeth to be four. 26:42 - [Jim So what happens next, the judges then what? 26:46 - [Janice] How much did you understand? 26:48 - None, well, I knew that this was the final process 26:53 and me getting to stay with this family so I understood 26:57 that much, everything else is kind of blur. 27:01 - Do you remember what you said as we came out the doors? 27:04 - Yes. - I know, 27:05 I remember you're holding daddy's hand on one side, 27:07 and my hands on the other, and kind 27:09 of skipping, you were very happy. 27:11 - Uh-Hmm, and I told you guys that you could no longer 27:14 get rid of me, that you're stuck with. 27:16 - So she understood that much, that this is it. 27:18 There's no fear of being sent back. 27:22 And that made me think about God, 27:26 because legally the judge explained we can not disown her. 27:32 We could disown the two we gave birth to 27:34 but we can't get rid of her legally. 27:37 If- - You had chosen her- 27:39 - And it's a done deal, - It's a done deal. 27:41 - A done deal. - She could 27:43 legally un-adopt us, but we can't initiate that. 27:49 If she ever decided I've had it with this family, 27:52 I never want to see them again, 27:54 she would have to make the first move. 27:57 - [Jim] Be your choice? - Oh yeah, 27:59 it would have to be my choice. 28:00 - And you know, if anybody is left out of the kingdom, 28:03 if there's anyone who isn't part of God's family, 28:07 you know at the end, it'll be their choice. 28:11 God will never unadopt us. - You know, 28:17 first God paid the ultimate price. 28:19 He gave his own life for you, that you might 28:22 be adopted in the family and as was just saying, you know 28:26 you're the only one that can change that. 28:27 God gave himself to bring you into the family. |
Revised 2021-02-23