Celebrating Life in Recovery

The Privilege Of Prayer

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Cheri Peters (Host), Michael and Latisha Fa'asoa

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Series Code: CLR

Program Code: CLR000011


00:10 Welcome to Celebrating Life In Recovery, my name is Cheri,
00:13 your host and today we are going to be talking about
00:15 the privilege of prayer.
00:17 It is such an incredible topic, so come
00:19 join us in the café.
00:48 I love the topic today, the privilege of prayer.
00:51 Does God want us to talk to Him? Does He talk to us?
00:54 I'm thinking if we get this, it would help us tremendously.
00:58 God not only wants us to talk to Him, He says asks Me.
01:01 Ask Me, I want to pour into you, I want to give you gifts.
01:04 I want to fill you up to where your life is just a blast.
01:08 I learned that in different ways.
01:10 There was a time that I had left the church, somebody
01:13 said something and it offended me and I left the church.
01:17 I met this guy, it was amazing, and it is so funny because
01:20 he's from a background that is just normal,
01:24 even more than normal.
01:25 His dad did an Ambassadorship for the United Nations.
01:28 His mom is a violinist. He was a Boy Scout until he was
01:31 18 years old, and I am a heroin addict and homeless
01:33 for 10 years and a literate at 23.
01:35 We start to actually like each other which cracked me up.
01:39 We ended up getting married and because I had left the
01:43 church when I met him, I ended up meeting and marrying
01:47 a non-Christian.
01:48 I don't know if I would have done that in the church,
01:49 hopefully I wouldn't have, but anyhow I met him.
01:51 He was a non-Christian for the first 14 years of our
01:54 marriage, and so not just for a few days.
01:56 14 years I'm praying God, please make Yourself real to
02:01 this guy, and I'm doing ministry and I love God.
02:05 I love the church, I came back full force.
02:07 I'm doing evangelism all over the world and he is not
02:10 even a Christian, it was hilarious, it was hilarious.
02:13 I would come home, like I went to Thailand and watched God
02:16 do miracles, sent an angel to rescue us when the Mafia
02:19 was threatening to gut us.
02:20 Hang our intestines in the back of the club, sends us
02:23 angels and I come home saying, Brad guessed what happened?
02:26 He was like giving me about 10 or 15 minutes to talk about
02:29 spiritual things, and the whole time I'm thinking this is
02:32 crazy and I'm praying and praying.
02:33 I've got to tell you a little bit about our private life.
02:36 Because this guy absolutely adores me.
02:39 It's amazing, I don't know if any woman is loved as much,
02:42 except for you Latisha.
02:44 But anyhow he adores me and he knows I have this whole
02:48 dysfunctional background.
02:49 He is like you know what Cheri? I want to show you
02:52 everything I got to see as a child.
02:54 Every national Park, I want to take you canoeing, and
02:58 rafting, and skiing, I mean the guy is just amazing.
03:02 So he surprises me with trips.
03:05 Like we will be doing something, going over to his
03:08 parents for Christmas, and this was one year we drove
03:11 from California to Madison, Wisconsin.
03:13 We are driving and he has got a surprise he wants to show
03:16 me but never wants to tell me what the surprise is until
03:20 we walk onto the place, I don't even know.
03:23 So he says, it's going to be exciting.
03:26 The more we drive its like this blizzard happens and we
03:29 are driving across a couple of states and you can't see
03:32 the front of the car.
03:33 In Wyoming they shut the freeway down, literally closed
03:36 it down, I didn't even know they did that with freeways.
03:39 We are sleeping on the side of the road and there was an
03:41 18 wheeler that had jackknifed and they were trying to
03:44 clear that up, I mean it was just this crazy weather.
03:47 So once they opened the road again and we start driving,
03:51 I have my little daughter in her car seat in the back seat
03:54 and we are driving again.
03:55 He gets off this little tiny road and he says, I said,
03:59 what are you doing? He says, I want to show you something
04:02 and I'm like are you nuts? It is like a blizzard.
04:05 You can't see the front of the car. This road is tiny.
04:08 We are going to be snowed in, we're going to die.
04:10 I'm serious, get back on the freeway, even the freeway
04:13 wasn't that safe because they were closing that off.
04:16 And this tiny road didn't looks safe to me at all.
04:19 He's like no, I want to show you something.
04:20 I'm thinking, I'm like thinking I've got this mother bear
04:26 instinct to protect my young.
04:28 You have to get back on the freeway or were going to die.
04:32 This is crazy. He was like no, no you will love this.
04:35 I saw this when I was a kid and I was so blessed and
04:38 I want to show you and I want to show Jackie.
04:39 I'm like get back on the freeway, and now I'm getting mad
04:43 I'm trying to figure out beside threatening his life,
04:46 or to leave him for ever, I was trying to figure out how
04:49 I'm going to get him back on the freeway.
04:50 He says, Cheri. I said, what? He said, will you pray?
04:57 I said pray about what? I'm so mad at him,
05:00 he's not even Christian what does he mean will I pray?
05:03 I look at him and he says would you pray that God
05:05 just clear up the weather?
05:07 I'm like oh shut up. But what I'm thinking that I look at
05:11 him and he's got a tear in his eye.
05:12 I'm thinking he really believes that I can pray and God
05:16 can clear up the weather.
05:17 I'm all of a sudden thinking God please, and I seriously
05:21 started praying, and it was quiet.
05:23 I say God I know everything You have done in my life.
05:26 I know that you healed me from all kinds of stuff.
05:28 Hepatitis A, B, and C. And I have damaged my body and to
05:31 my mind and was so twisted when I met him.
05:33 My teeth were all a wreck, my face was rotted from all my
05:37 drugs and homelessness and they had to literally go in and
05:40 scrape out my face and jawbone.
05:42 And all that stuff, and I know God did all that.
05:45 He made sure all that happened and He blessed me with taking
05:48 me back to school, I learned to read and all that stuff.
05:51 I thought God, I know you did miracles in my life that
05:53 nobody will ever know on this side of heaven.
05:56 I'm begging You please clear up the weather for Brad,
06:00 not for the weather sake, but to just let him know You
06:04 love him and it matters to You what he does and that he
06:08 knows that You a real and that kind of stuff.
06:10 So I'm praying like crazy and what was really interesting
06:13 is I start praying I look at the weather and it's
06:16 starting to clear up, I'm like oh man.
06:18 This is so good, I'm like Brad the weather is clearing up.
06:21 How cool is this? We start paying attention and Jackie
06:25 is little, she's five or so, four or five I don't know.
06:28 She is paying attention, but she doesn't know.
06:30 We start to go into this national Park, it's a park
06:34 called Devils Tower in Wyoming, North Dakota or something.
06:38 So we start to pull in and there was a snow plow truck
06:42 that pulls right in front of us.
06:43 So not only is there this blizzard, snow on the ground,
06:46 there is a snow plow truck right in front of us.
06:49 I'm thinking God that was so good, I love You.
06:52 God is a blast sometimes.
06:54 Anyhow we are following this truck in, we stop and this
06:57 guy gets out and Brad gets out.
06:59 He does this man thing, I don't know if you guys realize
07:02 that you do this. But he's like, I'm bringing my kids
07:04 to show them the tower.
07:06 He says I was here the last time in 1963.
07:09 The guy says that's the first year I started working here.
07:13 I got my job in 1963 so these men started to bond about
07:16 that, and it was really cool to watch them.
07:19 Just saying ya I was here, and of course they didn't remember
07:21 each other, but now he's saying I'm bringing my family and
07:24 it is way cool.
07:25 And the guy says what you have to do? You have to hike around
07:28 the tower, it's a mile hike and you'll have a blast.
07:32 Then he says when you are done I'm going to clear out this
07:35 one road, and drive this one road when you leave and
07:38 I will plow it out for you and give you the best
07:40 view of the tower.
07:42 So he leaves to go to that. We hiked around the tower and
07:45 Jackie is little and in her Sabbath school class they are
07:47 looking at animals prints and all that stuff so she starts
07:50 looking at animal footprints.
07:51 We are doing all that stuff and we have so much fun and
07:54 I look up and all of a sudden there is blue and the sky.
07:57 So not only has the blizzard stopped, but there is blue in
08:00 the sky and I'm thinking how amazing is God?
08:03 I'm taking pictures of the whole thing because I can't
08:05 believe the changes in the weather just since that prayer.
08:08 We march all the way around the tower and we come to the
08:11 front and there is a photo op right in front of the tower.
08:13 It's like this built up platform. On that photo op
08:16 it says, tower of fire. So Brad and I look
08:20 at each other and say, I wonder why they call it
08:22 the tower of fire?
08:24 As we said that, the clouds opened up, and I promise you,
08:29 I have pictures of this, I should of brought them.
08:31 The clouds opened up and the sun comes through full blast
08:34 and hits this tower, this Devils Tower.
08:36 The way the rock is, it just lit up as if it was
08:43 fire for five minutes.
08:45 Both of us stood there and were like oh man, thank you,
08:49 thank you, thank you.
08:51 It was so fun because at that moment I saw Brad's life
08:55 change, I saw him believe for the first time that God
08:59 heard him, God cared about him, God intervened for his
09:03 family just to be blessed and it wasn't about anybody else.
09:06 We stood there for five minutes like I said and we were
09:10 overwhelmed, I mean hair standing up overwhelmed.
09:13 Taking pictures like crazy, asking each other do you
09:16 think this was God, do you think God did this?
09:18 I'm thinking, oh man I think God did this because we
09:21 prayed, and all of a sudden the entire storm comes back.
09:24 Poof, it was done, I think how fun is that.
09:28 That God wants to bless us, God wants to hear us.
09:31 I'm not saying that everybody that prays the weather
09:34 clears up, He's not going to do that.
09:35 But I know that He says ask, ask Me because I want to
09:39 speak to you, I want to show you how incredible I Am.
09:42 I want you to know it is that personal.
09:45 So we are going to talk about the privilege of prayer.
09:47 We are going to talk about how God intervenes in people's
09:49 lives and you will be so blessed.
09:51 So I want you to stay tuned and I want to introduce you to
09:56 the guest today Latisha and Fa'asoa.
10:00 Both of their testimonies are amazing so you've got to
10:04 stay with us, we will be right back.
10:10 We want to introduce you to a beautiful book
10:12 called 'Steps To Christ'.
10:14 Each program in this series is based on a different
10:17 chapter showing you how to become a Christian and
10:19 gain victory over your addictions.
10:21 'Steps To Christ' is our gift to you free of charge.
10:24 Just call us at:
10:51 Welcome back, you know this is my most favorite part of
10:55 the show where we get to interview the guests.
10:57 I want to say you know what Latisha, thank you for coming,
11:00 Fa'asoa thank you for coming.
11:02 So Fa'asoa you are going to be a Pastor. - yes.
11:05 You are in seminary now. - yes. - that is way cool.
11:08 You know what? You look real sweet when you say yes like
11:11 that - I'm really not. - but you are wild.
11:16 So I met you years ago at a teen retreat,
11:18 right? - Umhumm! - First time we met.
11:21 I Want to tell a little story about the teen retreat so jump
11:23 in any time, but it is really for Carolyn.
11:25 I've got to tell you this, I go to this teen retreat and
11:29 there were four kids from Union College that were doing
11:32 music, and it was pretty serious because the four kids
11:35 from Union College, one person had just lost their father.
11:38 And some of the else was dealing with some heavy issues.
11:41 We had a Pastor there, Pastor Jim, and I don't even want
11:44 to tell what his problem is because he would kill me.
11:47 But he was dealing with some stuff and then we had people
11:50 I knew and Carolyn, you and I had met when
11:52 you were like seven, right?
11:54 So Caroline and some other friends that I knew were there
11:57 and I'm telling my testimony and were talking and all that
12:01 stuff and I was coming to the very end of the day.
12:03 Very end of the day and I knew that I didn't have a lot of
12:07 time and you can't, teens get a little anxious if you're late.
12:10 So I'm like trying to tell the stories and I had three
12:13 stories I wanted to tell and all made the same point.
12:16 I wanted to tell them badly, so I told them really fast
12:20 as if they all happened at the same time.
12:22 Well God has been really trying to work with me with about being
12:25 honest and not exaggerating, and I'm kind of sanguine.
12:28 You know, you relate to that. - I'm so sanguine.
12:33 Right, does he ever exaggerate?
12:35 - yeah - yeah I do occasionally. - Guilty.
12:38 What Do you mean? - When he is telling stories sometimes they
12:43 a little bigger than it was in actuality.
12:47 I know and God has really been working on me to not do
12:52 that, so God says, Cheri I want you, He doesn't even call
12:56 it exaggerating, He calls it lying.
12:58 I'm saying I don't lie, and He says, well you do.
13:02 I said no, I just exaggerate.
13:04 He says, well that's a lie actually.
13:05 So He's working on me and I'm trying to work on that.
13:08 I'm really praying, God I want to be an incredible woman
13:11 of God and all those kind of things.
13:13 So He is working on all that stuff.
13:15 So I'm at the teen retreat and say all three stories as if
13:18 they happened at one time.
13:19 I go back to my hotel and God says, that was a lie.
13:23 Oh, no way, it was not a lie I just exaggerated a little
13:28 bit, and not even exaggerated, not all three stories
13:31 happened but I just said it as if they happened at one
13:35 time because I didn't have any more time.
13:37 I'm telling God Na-na-na-na, Na-na-na-na.
13:39 And God lets me do this whole rational stuff,
13:42 rationalizing and all that and He said, it's a lie and you
13:44 need to tell the kids you lied to them and you are sorry.
13:46 Oh man, that is so inappropriate.
13:49 My God that's inappropriate.
13:51 I'm arguing with Him, and God, I love the fact that He has
13:55 so much mercy, He lets us argue with Him when He is trying
13:59 to teach us stuff. So I'm arguing.
14:01 I'm turning up the worship music louder so I don't have to hear
14:04 the Holy Spirit and the next day we go back to the meeting
14:07 and everybody is there, you guys for there.
14:09 The kids from the Union are singing and Carolyn you're
14:12 there and the first thing I say, the first thing I say,
14:15 and I'm telling God I'm not going to apologize for lying
14:17 because it is inappropriate and the first thing that comes
14:19 out of my mouth is that I'm so sorry for lying.
14:22 How do you do that, I didn't want to say that.
14:25 That's not what I wanted to say.
14:26 Then I wanted to clean it up so I said to the kids, you
14:29 know what you guys probably don't any problems with lying.
14:32 Every little head went down, it was amazing.
14:35 In the front row, I don't know if you guys remember, but
14:38 in the front row was this little homeschooled kid.
14:41 She was so sweet, it was not you but you are sweet
14:43 Caroline, but this little homeschooled kid and her head
14:45 went down and she says she lies all the time.
14:48 I'm like stop, so we talked about lying and integrity and
14:52 all that kind of stuff, it was an incredible meeting.
14:55 Then Carolyn I'm going to tell this part because
14:57 it is my favorite part.
14:58 Carolyn and I leave after the meeting and we are going to
15:01 go to the adult tent, we've walked down to the adult tent
15:04 and we get down there and the meetings are over and I was
15:07 hoping to see the singers there.
15:09 There was a quartet, a barber shop quartet kind of thing.
15:13 I wanted to see them and they were four young guys.
15:15 They had just got done and were walking out.
15:18 And I said oh man, Carolyn and I were holding hands and
15:21 she was much younger and we were holding hands and these
15:24 guys walk out and I said I heard you were fabulous.
15:27 I'm sorry I didn't get to hear you sing.
15:29 They were like, are you Cheri Peters? I'm like yeah.
15:33 They said, would you like us to sing for you?
15:36 I'm like, am I like on candid camera or something?
15:39 Does this happen, you're going to sing for me?
15:43 Of course I say I'm so grandiose okay. Alright!
15:48 So they line up side-by-side and they do the Humm thing
15:51 to get all on the same key and they sing this song.
15:55 You better mind, you're going to face it all in the
15:59 judgment, you'd better mind, mind and they are doing this
16:03 harmony and I'm like alright!
16:05 I don't know if you remember this Carolyn, what you said?
16:09 You said, does God never leave you alone about something?
16:12 That was the whole thing about telling the truth.
16:13 Do remember that? - yeah I remember like I had no clue
16:19 about your problem with lying and stuff.
16:21 But later you tell about, I helped you, wow I can't
16:26 believe it. - wasn't that fun? - yeah.
16:28 I love you, I've got to say I'm so glad you're here but
16:31 we have known each other since you were seven.
16:34 And you have dealt with some things too. - yeah.
16:36 And God has been faithful. - yes He's always been
16:39 faithful to me.
16:41 I'm going to go ahead and interview you Fa'asoa after
16:44 that, but have you ever prayed where you know that
16:48 God answer a prayer? - Yes I have, I can't think of any
16:52 experiences right now but there has been many times when
16:56 God has answered prayer for me in just a little ways like
16:59 finding shoes, couldn't find the other shoe and He would
17:02 help me find it.
17:04 You knew it was Him? - yeah, - Amen how cool is that?
17:06 Yeah and I would find it in places I would have never
17:09 thought I would have looked for anything.
17:12 You know what I love, because sometimes we don't pray
17:13 unless it is a big thing and God says ask me about
17:15 everything, talk to me about everything.
17:17 Pray without ceasing the Bible says, because I want to
17:20 answer every single thing.
17:21 So Fa'asoa what is amazing to me is meeting you at
17:26 that camp meeting is there was a point where you told me
17:29 a little bit about your testimony and I asked you if
17:33 you would tell the group. Can you talk about that?
17:36 And also about the Conference President?
17:38 Absolutely, we were driving back and forth to where the
17:44 pastors were staying down below the conference camping
17:50 site and you had asked me to share about myself.
17:54 I'm like no way, you do not want to hear my story.
17:57 You say go ahead and so I said alright.
18:00 I shared hesitantly, because somehow I figured inside that
18:04 you would ask me to share it with the world.
18:08 - I'm not telling, don't ask me.
18:12 But I did, and you asked me to share it with the young
18:18 people, and as I shared it I was praying within myself
18:22 thinking and hoping that the President of the Rocky
18:25 Mountains conference wouldn't be there.
18:27 - This was a new gig for you. - this was a new gig for
18:29 me, I had just gotten hired on at my wife and I, I moved
18:32 my family to Wyoming. I didn't want to go to Wyoming
18:35 before anyways but I didn't feel like I could relate
18:38 with all these issues.
18:39 So here we are, and I'm going to be talking and there is
18:43 a chance that the conference might hear it, the President
18:46 might hear my story and what is he going to think of me?
18:49 - he might fire me. - yes, exactly that is what I was
18:52 thinking. - so let me set this up.
18:54 As he gets ready to speak, the Conference President walks
18:59 in and sits down.
19:01 I didn't know that, I didn't see him come in and sit down
19:04 I'm like trying to get myself mentally prepared to share
19:08 my story, and so I get into my story and pass the middle
19:12 part of my story I walked toward the back of the audience
19:15 and there he is sitting there.
19:18 I'm like, (gulp) well it's out in the open now.
19:25 So I might as well share. - and for people that are
19:30 curious, he actually loves you now.
19:33 It really, he didn't make a judgment he actually,
19:36 you didn't get fired. - no!
19:39 And that was one of the biggest things that I have learned
19:43 for those of us who are in the Ministry, who have been in
19:46 Pastoring for a long time there is a lot of fear.
19:49 What are people going to think, what are our
19:51 President's going to think of us.
19:52 Who cares if we actually share our story.
19:56 What I'm trying to say is, if God is in this thing,
19:59 somebody's life is going to be blessed.
20:02 If you're willing to sacrifice a little bit of yourself
20:06 and step out of your comfort zone and take that risk.
20:09 Someone is watching you where ever they are at and they
20:12 are going to feel free and they are going to actually feel
20:15 like they're a part of this real world that we are living
20:18 in, we are all sinners saved by grace.
20:21 And that is exciting. - Amen.
20:23 What is really interesting to me, and I want to go back
20:26 Carolyn, is the first time that Carolyn and I met she
20:28 was seven years old and I'm talking about my history,
20:31 and even at seven she could relate to some of it and was
20:34 blessed by that and that is where our friendship developed
20:36 So what you are saying is that you don't even know who is
20:39 going to hear you and find courage and strength.
20:42 Absolutely, absolutely because it is a scary thing.
20:44 So now, what is your testimony, who are you?
20:47 Well right now I am currently, my wife and my family, and I
20:52 are currently at the Andrews University attending the
20:55 seminary after having ministered in Wyoming.
20:59 Hello Wyoming! For two years and we love those people.
21:04 We love these places and so we are getting more education.
21:08 That is where we are at currently. - Amen.
21:11 And you are at nursing right Latisha? - I'm a nurse, yes.
21:14 How did you meet this guy?
21:17 When I gave my heart back to God decided I wanted to
21:22 learn, growing up as a Christian, I knew everything
21:26 was in the Bible I believed, I didn't know where it was or how
21:29 to share it and so I had gone to Amazing Facts and taken
21:32 their program there and being in California after that
21:36 I went to Weimer to work in their health program.
21:38 Fa'asoa it was the summer before his senior year of college
21:45 taking the pastoral ministry degree in California and so
21:49 we were there together for that school year.
21:52 Neither one of us were really looking for a relationship.
21:55 We both kind of been burnt and were waiting for God to
21:58 lead, but God brought us together, put us together.
22:02 We can see that we had common values and interests.
22:06 You know I have only a couple brain cells, but I want to
22:09 ask you if this is true or if I'm imagining.
22:12 Didn't you walk around pretty much naked at Weimer?
22:15 With your little Samoa outfit on? - I did and it freaked
22:20 my friends out at Weimer.
22:22 I'm sure it would. - and Weimer is incredible but they
22:24 are a little conservative. - yes.
22:26 So imagine him in a little Samoa thing and walking around
22:29 campus at Weimer, is that what attracted you?
22:32 Come on be honest? Come on. - okay my friends were out
22:38 in the college lawn area and they were just hanging out,
22:42 chilling and singing or whatever and I wanted to go talk
22:46 to one of the ladies in the girls dorm.
22:48 So I had my little sarong, or lava, lava and just white shirt
22:52 and I had my sarong on with nothing so to everybody it is
22:56 like a skirt.
22:57 I'm walking across campus and they are looking at me,
22:59 and their mouths dropped, and one of them said,
23:02 what are you doing? I said what does it look like
23:05 I'm doing? I'm going to the girls dorm thank you.
23:08 In my little skirt thing. - I love that.
23:12 It freaked them out. - I know I love that.
23:15 As soon as you told me that story I thought I love this
23:18 guy, I was wondering because you are pretty conservative,
23:21 right? - yes. - So you are not? - no. Barely dressed.
23:28 Opposites attract. So how did you get attracted to him?
23:33 Or was that just something that happened with the
23:35 friendship? - just seeing how he interacted with people,
23:38 how he loved people, how considerate and compassionate
23:42 he was, attracted me to him.
23:46 But until I knew God was leading, and when he asked me to
23:51 date him I said we have to pray about it, and if it's
23:54 going to be towards marriage, and I know that God is
23:57 leading toward marriage, then I will date you.
23:59 You know what's really funny about Christians or Adventists
24:01 every time I hear this, because my background is different?
24:04 It's like somebody says would like to date me,
24:06 they say well if God's going to bring marriage into this,
24:08 we need to pray.
24:09 Doesn't that scare a guy on the first date? I mean it
24:12 sounds like, because you said that right away right?
24:15 Well I already felt like God was leading in the
24:19 relationship, He put us together a couple of times where
24:22 we had a chance, in a work setting to relate with each
24:25 other, talk together, get to know each other on a casual
24:29 setting and so I felt that God was potentially leading
24:32 in that area, but I wanted to be sure.
24:36 I didn't want my heartbroken I didn't want his heart broke.
24:38 I didn't want to play that game. - Amen.
24:41 So you guys fell in love? - yes.
24:43 Okay, so now before we get into that, I want to hear your
24:46 testimony because I think you have the coolest testimony.
24:48 The reason I said as soon as you told me one time,
24:51 when we were in the car, you told me you know my dad is
24:53 growing pot, he's growing weed in the house and
24:56 I am like what? And he's a Pastor. So tell them.
24:59 I have to say right at this point that I have been
25:03 praying to know just exactly what to share because there
25:07 is some sensitive areas, and I am like okay God, what do
25:10 You want me to share that our audience and everyone can
25:14 hopefully relate to and find a blessing in it?
25:17 I was thinking, you know I'll just share what He's done,
25:22 what Jesus has done in my life.
25:24 At two years old, my memory of two years old was waking up
25:28 in the middle of the night some time, with a bright light
25:33 on, and my dad is arguing with my mother and he comes over
25:36 and grabs one of these rocks, you have to understand the
25:40 setting real quick.
25:41 In the islands in our home it is open and there is no
25:45 windows, so we slept in those mosquito nets that are
25:49 triangular and so you have to have something to hold them
25:52 from flying all over the place.
25:54 So I see my dad coming over and grabbing one of these
25:57 things as he is screaming at my mother and she is sleeping
26:00 because she is tired, it is way late in the night.
26:02 And he is smashing her face with this rock.
26:04 That is my two year old memory, it was so traumatic that
26:09 I still remember it as if it was yesterday.
26:11 Then growing up, a lot of times, the majority of the time,
26:15 when I would see my mother would be at the hospital
26:17 because my father had just gotten drunk the night before
26:19 or was high on dope and would beat her.
26:23 So I see my mother with scars and bruises and broken
26:27 things, and what have you.
26:28 So that is the life I grew up in and that is the
26:31 environment I grew up in.
26:33 My dad was heavy into drugs, cocaine, like I said to you
26:38 one time, we grew marijuana in our house.
26:40 In the corner of a house we had these 5 gallon buckets,
26:45 white buckets with these marijuana plants.
26:48 My mom would tell us children, don't touch daddies plants.
26:51 And in our heads were thinking, those must be sacred plants.
26:55 And my mother would tell us some times, you can take the weeds
26:58 out of them, you know weeds but we got the pun.
27:04 But here are these plants, and then my dad and my uncles
27:08 had this huge marijuana plantation, and next to them
27:12 were tomatoes, cucumbers and I cleaned up the tomatoes and
27:16 cucumbers and couldn't touch these weeds.
27:18 Anyways, this was the life and and the family that I grew up in
27:22 Very dysfunctional, but nevertheless I want to tell you
27:26 the miracle that Jesus did for me even as a child.
27:29 It was that I chose, I saw the affects of what drugs and
27:34 alcohol did to my Father, I chose never, ever to do that.
27:38 You know I have never touched drugs. - that's amazing.
27:41 You know I forgot that about you. - at two years old.
27:44 Wow, you said I am not doing this.
27:45 I'm not doing it, and I told her, and my wife can vouch
27:49 for this, I told myself never will I lay
27:52 a hand on my wife.
27:53 We have been married for years, not once have I laid my
27:55 hands on my wife, four years, to me that's huge.
27:59 For those who have been married for 50 some odd years.
28:01 - I'm going on 19, that's amazing.
28:04 It is, but to me that is huge considering my back ground.
28:08 - right because I don't want to be like my dad.
28:10 - no, I don't. And there are other times where I see
28:14 my self disciplining my child, and I love her to pieces,
28:17 for those of you know me know she's my girl, but I see
28:20 myself almost coming close to being abusive and it freaks
28:24 me out and I have to, - because you were abused as a child.
28:27 - physically, sexually, emotionally, 3 and 1/2 to 4
28:33 years old was the first time that my uncle had raped me.
28:37 And from then on to about 18 years old at those different
28:41 times, three different uncles or relatives raped me
28:45 consistently, on a consistent basis.
28:47 My whole concept of sexual purity was not even there.
28:51 It was totally messed up. - even when you told me that,
28:56 you were so angry sometimes that when I get bigger?
28:59 I made a vow, I don't remember exactly when, so for those
29:05 of you who make these vowels, don't, please don't because
29:11 Satan will use that and one day it will come true.
29:16 For me it did, it almost did.
29:17 I made a vow that when I grew up I would join the
29:20 military go in there and get training on how to kill
29:23 and how to murder, fly back to the islands and kill
29:26 three of my uncles.
29:27 March 22 of 1997, I took that step, I actually had sworn
29:32 in once, thank God I was in the delay entry program,
29:37 but I had sworn in once in the Army.
29:40 I'm seeing myself fulfilling this vow that I took.
29:44 I was serious, I was going to take their life,
29:48 it didn't matter what.
29:50 My whole concept of men and women relationship was totally
29:56 messed up, totally messed up.
29:58 - you stolen things from me, you changed my life,
30:01 you injured me, I am going to kill you.
30:03 And that in turn I hated God, I hated God and some of
30:09 you who are watching now can relate to this.
30:12 I asked myself, I asked God why did you allow this to
30:16 happen to a 4 and 1/2, 3 and 1/2 four and 1/2 year old
30:20 who couldn't protect himself? Why God?
30:23 So you see some of these questions I really believe I had
30:25 come to the point in my relationship with God where I
30:28 can honestly say, without exaggeration, I can honestly say
30:33 - because we're going to check with Latisha.
30:36 You can check with her, but I can honestly say, God you
30:40 know what, I may not understand everything, and no
30:43 psychologist may be able to explain every little detail
30:46 to me, but I'm learning to trust in You.
30:49 One day, You will answer my questions, He will answer
30:55 those questions. - Amen.
30:58 So coming with that background, and then coming into
31:01 Adventism, Christian Adventism.
31:04 - that didn't happen when you were in the military?
31:06 - no, on that day, thank you for bringing it back to me - okay.
31:09 On that day, actually it was two weeks prior to that
31:13 experience, I was hanging out with some gang members,
31:17 friends of mine, and relatives.
31:19 I had left the gang. - I could see you in a gang.
31:25 - I had left that and what I was looking for,
31:29 even in the gangs, was somewhere that I could
31:34 relate, somewhere where I was accepted, where I was loved.
31:38 - plus you could deal with all this anger. - you bet.
31:40 - I could honestly just be angry and it was okay.
31:44 - yeah, and so I ended up in the wrong crowd.
31:47 But in the midst of that, something happened where I was
31:52 playing video games, scoring in video games with this gang
31:56 member friend of mine, little did I know that their whole
32:00 family were Adventists, and they had backslidden and left
32:04 the church except the mother.
32:06 She was still faithful, still going to church,
32:09 still praying, a powerful praying mother, Amen.
32:12 Whoever you are mothers.
32:14 So I was hanging out with this guy and he said to me,
32:18 do you know about the Sabbath? About the what?
32:23 I had never heard the term in my life.
32:24 About the Sabbath, I said the what? He said,
32:26 the seventh day of the week, let me see Monday, Tuesday,
32:30 Wednesday, you mean Sunday?
32:33 He was like no, Saturday the seventh day of the week.
32:35 Anyway it went from that to his Father coming home drunk
32:39 and saying, and he will say this to you today, that the
32:42 Holy Spirit even in his drunken stupor said to him,
32:45 this young man you need to share the Gospel with.
32:48 - as he's drunk. - he's drunk Cheri. - I love that.
32:51 Drunk, okay? So don't tell me that God can't do anything
32:55 because He surely can.
32:56 This gentleman came inside of the room and brought me
33:00 a little pamphlet, and that was the beginning of my
33:03 studying into scripture and becoming an Adventist,
33:06 choosing to become an Adventist Christian.
33:07 I want to know because I want to know did the drunk
33:10 come back around? - did the drugs come back around?
33:12 No the drunk, the guy that gave you the pamphlet?
33:16 I want to say to you that the year 2000, Kenneth Cox,
33:19 he and his team and my home church, my mother's church where
33:23 I was baptized, were preparing these meetings.
33:25 And during part of that whole time, the whole family,
33:32 the family of the man that shared with me.
33:35 - the mother that was praying? - the mother that was
33:38 praying, plus my then girlfriend and her parents they
33:41 were all baptized and became Adventist.
33:43 Oh I love that. - God, like you said before, God doesn't
33:47 do something just to affect one person, when He does
33:51 something, it is huge. Our God is huge.
33:55 So He brought these families back to Himself
33:57 and it's exciting.
33:58 So your studies ended up getting baptized
34:01 and coming back into the church, seriously coming
34:04 into the church. - seriously coming into the church.
34:07 What was amazing to me Cheri is during the part of that
34:10 transition for me, coming into the church and being
34:13 excited about the Three Angels Messages and so forth,
34:16 I had experiences with the Lord wherefore example one time
34:20 I was late to school, and was parked up on this hill.
34:23 I didn't have the keys, I had two keys
34:26 three keys on this keychain.
34:28 A key to the passenger seat broke the past winter,
34:33 so I only had the key to the ignition, and a key to the
34:36 mailbox, and a key to our home.
34:37 So I stepped out, I was late and running to school and
34:40 slammed the door and everything was locked inside this
34:43 station wagon, so I'm looking up to the heavens.
34:46 It was a beautiful starry night, I'm like ah,
34:49 I'm freaking out. I'm really freaking out! - I'm locked out.
34:53 I'm going oh God what my going to do?
34:55 My books are in the car, it's locked and I can't get it in.
34:58 I know, I will bust a window thinking my will dad bust me.
35:01 No, he's not going to do that.
35:02 So I decided to run around and hopefully try to find
35:07 some corner of some area where a door was
35:09 hopefully open. Nothing it was all locked.
35:12 I walked behind the tailgate and to this deep breath and
35:15 a huge sigh and looked up and shot up a short prayer,
35:19 God help me! I turned around, and I'm not kidding you.
35:22 I don't know how God does it, but He does.
35:26 I stuck the key to our house into the lock.
35:29 - let's just try this key. - popped it and it opened.
35:35 The tailgate, I'm not kidding.
35:38 I open that thing and my eyeballs got bigger and bigger,
35:41 I'm like no way, oh well so I crawled right in and got
35:45 my books and made sure one the doors open.
35:47 Got back out and slammed it and turned my back and was
35:49 on my way back to school and stopped in my tracks.
35:52 I was like, that did not really happen did it?
35:54 So I turned around and went back to the tailgate of the car
35:57 and stuck the key back in and guess what?
36:00 It won't work, I'm like I'm going to class.
36:05 It freaked me out, and that is how the Lord worked with me
36:09 as I was transitioning into the church. - Amen.
36:12 So it is so exciting. - how did you get from that place
36:16 to actually deciding you were going to be a Pastor?
36:19 Are you going to trust God enough that I want to give
36:22 You my whole life?
36:23 You know Cheri, - and did you ever kill your uncle?
36:26 No! Thank the Lord. March 22 of 97 like I said, it was that day
36:33 I was scheduled to swear in one more time and then
36:36 they were going to send me to boot camp.
36:39 But that was the day I was baptized as an Adventist.
36:42 I was baptized March 22 of 1997.
36:45 So I called up my recruiter and said, you know what
36:49 I'm changing my mind, I am so sorry I can't join the
36:52 military because I'm joining a different army.
36:54 He was like, what are you talking about?
36:56 I said I'm sorry I'm getting baptized on this day.
36:59 - I'm in the Lord's army. - that's right!
37:02 It happens to be on Sabbath so I cannot go.
37:04 He tried to convince me, you could be a chaplain,
37:06 and you can do this and that and the other thing.
37:07 I'm like, I think God has different plans for me. Click.
37:11 That was the end of that. That was the end of that!
37:15 No I did not end up killing my uncles and as I am going
37:19 into this transition, into this recovery I am looking back at
37:22 what God was doing in my life then, and what God is doing in
37:25 my life now and it is exciting. I have come a long ways.
37:29 I really have. - you have an incredible family.
37:33 I mean your little girl, Latisha and all that, when I'm around
37:37 you guys I can feel the love in your family.
37:39 And speaking of that Cheri, I want to say for those of you
37:43 who may not belong to a family such as I have, and I know
37:46 that some of you are probably jealous and that is okay.
37:49 You know because - I'm jealous of it myself.
37:53 I look at my wife, and every time I have made a mistake,
37:57 every time I have done, I've gone on pornography,
37:59 or struggles with those issues, because of all this junk.
38:02 I have so much junk.
38:04 I came home one day, I'm in the Ministry, in the Ministry.
38:07 I come home and I just had given a Bible study or some
38:10 thing but the night before I was on porn and it was
38:12 on the computer still.
38:14 My wife, she checks things out.
38:15 So she is checking this site out and she is crying, right?
38:19 It totally hurts her. So I come home and instead of her
38:23 pointing her finger at me and saying, all the mean things
38:27 she could rightly say, really from a human standpoint
38:30 absolutely she had every right to condemn me and what
38:34 have you, and I deserved it.
38:35 But when I walked in my office, on my computer was this
38:39 note, and said these words Cheri. I love you.
38:43 - oh, Amen. - and it's been a transition, and it has
38:48 been awesome to have someone love you in spite of all
38:52 the junk you struggle with.
38:55 It is an amazing, amazing experience.
38:59 I know Pastors who are my friends are struggling with
39:02 these issues, but let me tell you if you have a wife who
39:05 is supportive, and is a godly woman who loves Jesus.
39:09 There is nothing like it, there is nothing, that is why
39:12 I can sit here and tell you that Jesus loves you because
39:15 my wife is able to love me in spite of me.
39:19 That is exciting, so thrilling for me.
39:23 How hard was that Latisha? It has been extremely hard at
39:28 times, growing up I never had to deal with it personally,
39:34 really abuse issues, and so when I knew that God was
39:38 leading me into a relationship with Fa'asoa, um,
39:42 I read as many books as I could.
39:45 I read 'Belonging' by the Rockies and we read together
39:51 relationships, books about relationships,
39:54 books about abuse. 'Every man's Battle.'
39:57 Books so we could understand, so understanding mentally why,
40:03 how the abuse affects his mind, why he goes looking for
40:09 perpetrators, looking for that abuse relationship, sometimes
40:15 helps because I know there is a reason, but yet it is very
40:21 painful and has been very painful at times.
40:24 But I have seen God give him victory. - Amen.
40:27 Even as your talking it's amazing that you love him enough
40:35 to educate myself to look at these issues.
40:37 Even with both of you talking, I don't think a lot of
40:41 people understand, when you are tweaked at an early age,
40:44 all that stuff comes into your life and even though
40:47 you hate it, you hate yourself for being led in that way
40:50 is that you get trapped into some stuff and God says,
40:54 I want you, and we were talking today about the privilege
40:57 of prayer, I want you to pray for Me to intervene.
41:00 I want you to know that I am right there.
41:02 I want you to beg the Holy Spirit to step with you right
41:04 here, so you are talking about how incredible it is to
41:07 have a wife, but we have a God that the Bible says prays
41:10 every day in the Holy of Holies, in the presence of
41:13 His Father about what you watch on the Internet.
41:15 Because He loves you.
41:16 That little boy that was injured, He loves you
41:21 and is just praying for us to be brave enough to come
41:24 into our relationship enough that I can surrender
41:27 these issues to You.
41:28 It's been so hard for me, and it has been a huge struggle
41:32 to even accept the fact that God loves me.
41:34 For God to love me! And that I got from my childhood.
41:39 You know both sides of my family are very musical, very
41:45 musical and like I shared with you earlier.
41:47 The training that we get, that I had gotten if I had
41:51 sounded a note in the wrong way my uncles would have that
41:54 belt, a leather belt 2 inches wide wrap around my back.
41:57 For a long time I hated singing because it was painful.
42:01 It was a very painful experience so to sing meant pain.
42:06 Singing equaled pain until I met Jesus and that changed
42:09 everything, so now for those of you who have seen me sing
42:14 I sing from the depths of my soul because I know you don't
42:18 know, but I know what Jesus has done.
42:21 I know what He is doing now and it is real.
42:24 It is so real. - you know what I think, even about what
42:28 you guys just said, Latisha what you said, is that
42:30 I really do I believe that God does that for me with my
42:32 junk, the darker junk, it is almost like He puts that
42:35 little love how stickum, I love you.
42:37 It's like He doesn't say, you know what I can't believe
42:40 you're doing this again, I can't believe you went there,
42:42 but He just says I love you.
42:44 And being able to say, that as we celebrate recovery,
42:49 as we walk into a relationship that has been blessed and
42:53 God is changing us, is that we have to know there is no
42:56 condemnation, He is just saying, I want you to get beyond
43:00 the injury that you have been a part of.
43:02 He wants us to have this joy, He wants us to have freedom
43:07 and not to be afraid.
43:09 Because if God is with us, who, what President,
43:13 Vice President, is going to be against us? - Amen!
43:17 Yes somebody told me earlier God is forgiving but
43:21 people are not, and that may be true but let me tell you.
43:24 Let me encourage you, but if you will step out and let
43:28 people know that you too are struggling, that God has a
43:32 bigger, God is bigger than you or I.
43:34 He wants to change you and He wants to free you from
43:39 this fear, you will have an experience that
43:42 is beyond your imagination.
43:43 We are going to open it up, I want to see if
43:45 anybody has any questions.
43:46 I know that Janette you were wanting to ask a question.
43:50 Actually I wanted to point out, or make a comment that
43:54 I think it is just wonderful that Latisha actually
43:58 decided to read about your situation.
44:01 I think that is very important in today's couples,
44:03 especially the young couples when they get into
44:06 situations that they don't understand, they should be
44:09 able to really know a little more about it before
44:12 they make an impulsive decision.
44:14 You know divorce running a very prevalent in our society
44:17 and it is always the first immediate way out.
44:21 Latisha I commend you for taking the time to actually
44:24 read about some things that you did not know because it
44:28 wasn't part like you said, you recognize it is not part of
44:31 what I am used to, but at the same time I love my
44:34 husband so much that I want to know more about what
44:37 is happening in his head.
44:39 I wish that more Christian women would do that.
44:41 I think we have a natural tendency of saying that if it's
44:44 not what we are accustomed to it is wrong, it is bad, and
44:48 we push it away, we push the whole person away.
44:50 I think what he is sharing here is not being pushed away
44:55 by you, not feeling rejected has definitely made a big
44:58 difference in his life because he has been rejected so
45:02 many times before, so this has really been a blessing for
45:05 anyone who is listening to understand that we don't know
45:08 everything and it is really okay for us to go out there
45:11 and read a little bit more about.
45:12 If your child has an illness what do you do?
45:15 You read every piece of literature on it, well if your
45:19 husband has a porn addiction, or sexual abuse or what
45:22 ever read about it, find out everything you can so that
45:26 you will know how to deal with that pain.
45:28 So you don't push away, don't throw away the baby with
45:30 the bathwater, it is really important to know that.
45:32 I'm telling you from what counseling perspective,
45:35 I just wish more people would do that and that
45:37 you would have the natural instinct and it is
45:40 commendable and a blessing from God too.
45:42 I think becoming more educated helps because then
45:47 you understand that it is going to be painful to go
45:52 through recovery with the person and to go through the
45:57 experiences but to understand how it affects the mind,
46:01 why they are doing what they are doing, helps me to be
46:07 able to understand him, even though I don't know exactly
46:12 how he feels, I wasn't abused like he was.
46:15 You said you liked the book 'Every Man's Battle', we had
46:18 Fred Stoecker, Brenda Stoecker on the show and
46:21 Brenda wrote a book 'Every Heart Restored'.
46:23 What she said was as she got to know what he was going
46:27 through, she learned one thing that it was not me, it is
46:30 not that I was so lacking that pushed him into that.
46:33 She said I really needed to know that because my first
46:36 reaction, was am I not good enough?
46:38 She said she had to learn that.
46:40 Yeah that, I mean I had those thoughts as well and had to
46:46 work through that and also just to, I guess to remember the
46:51 process, the struggle, or the journey that Fa'asoa is
46:58 going through and I'm his wife, there may be times that
47:04 he is frustrated at me, but the other times when
47:09 he has been on pornography, it's not because
47:13 I'm insufficient as a wife.
47:16 - you have to learn that. - that is a very hard thing
47:19 to try to understand and to remember when you are in that
47:24 situation, but being educated helps you to be able to
47:28 separate out of that.
47:29 I can assure you that even as a counselor for 16 years,
47:33 I still read books on so many different topics because it
47:36 helps me understand people around me.
47:38 I think it makes life just a little easier to manage when
47:42 you know why people are the way they are.
47:45 Your understanding, like I said even if your child had
47:48 a problem, at least you would know what to do. - right.
47:51 That just knowing what to do takes away some of the
47:54 uncertainty and that helps you to cope and that is the most
47:57 important thing every person in recovery needs support.
48:01 You can't be supportive if you don't understand.
48:03 So in order for you to under- stand you have to know as much
48:07 as you can, it doesn't matter who it is in your family.
48:09 It could be your child tomorrow, it doesn't matter,
48:12 the point is if you're not sure of something than the
48:15 most important thing is to get as much information as
48:17 you can to help you cope.
48:19 Um, Larry I know you had a question.
48:22 Well I don't know so much as a question, I want to relate
48:25 something here that I had never related in public before.
48:29 That is that I went through molestation when I was a child.
48:33 I never thought about it as affecting my life to the
48:40 extent that some people says it has.
48:43 I have talked to Cheri and with a few people and I got through
48:48 drugs, I've got through alcohol, I've got through these
48:50 other things and didn't mind talking about those things.
48:53 But hearing what you said about helping somebody, if this
48:56 can help somebody, I went through it and I didn't want to
48:59 face it, I don't know if I still don't want to look at it.
49:01 I wanna let it go.
49:03 I just don't want to deal with it at all, but it is there.
49:07 It made me feel, I got into a lot of sexual relationships
49:11 that had no meaning to them because I guess I wanted to
49:15 prove that I am a man and not in a problem situation
49:19 because of these things.
49:20 It made me doubt that I was a man.
49:23 So when you got through it, I feel like I trust
49:30 God with a lot of things, and this is
49:32 my biggest problem is trusting.
49:34 I just get to a point where you can just turn it over
49:38 and even speak about it, but for me it's like this is
49:41 probably the hardest thing I've ever said in my life.
49:45 I mean my family, and nobody knows about this, you know.
49:49 It's really, I feel like people are going to look at me
49:53 differently, and there is a lot of guilt and stuff
49:57 that goes with it.
49:58 You know Fa'asoa I want you to answer him but I think a lot of
50:01 men are asking the same thing, is how do I let this go?
50:04 For me, I can only speak from my own experience.
50:08 It is very difficult for me to even consider coming
50:12 to the program to share my baggage, to share this junk
50:17 that I have gone through.
50:18 But I have made a conscious decision that if I would just
50:24 for once step away from myself, and from the fear that
50:29 I experienced from wanting to share this publicly,
50:34 and think about a child, a 12-year-old boy,
50:38 or a 10-year-old boy that may have, or may be
50:41 being molested right now.
50:43 It is a big problem in our church, and it is not even
50:46 being addressed as it should be.
50:48 If I could share my story, and if that young man or
50:53 young woman would see what Jesus can do with me
50:57 - as far as healing - as far as healing - and loving you.
51:01 - that's right and loving me in spite of every
51:04 thing else, then it is worth it.
51:06 It is worth my taking a risk.
51:08 My wife and I are involved in this holistic small group
51:12 thing at Andrews University, The Church Called a Passage.
51:16 And in there we have a lot of young people.
51:18 Part of our group one time I was driving with this young man.
51:21 He has struggled similar issues and he asked me, in the
51:25 midst of our group I shared my testimony, just little bit.
51:29 He asked me, he said, how are you able to do it?
51:32 The same question you're asking me now Larry.
51:34 How is it that you are able to freely share without fear?
51:38 And this is what I said to him, every time that I share
51:42 I take a risk, I take a risk of people judging me.
51:46 I take the risk of people looking down on me.
51:49 I take a risk of people mistreating me, but for me,
51:55 it's a worthwhile risk because I want them to see Jesus.
52:00 I want them to know that my Savior lives.
52:03 I want them to know that He is bigger than my issues.
52:06 That He can bring freedom and joy, not only in
52:10 my marriage, but in my life and that is worth it.
52:14 That is worth the risk, so I by faith depending on,
52:18 I don't care how you explain faith, but for me it's fear
52:23 but stepping out anyways, anyways, in spite of the fear
52:27 and saying, look what Jesus can do.
52:30 It's only, we have such a short time, but it's really
52:35 vindicating God, saying God is bigger than all my stuff
52:39 and wants me well.
52:41 He sees all this junk and wants me well and wants healing
52:43 in my life and that is for all of us.
52:45 He wants to even use me and stand me in the midst of all
52:49 this stuff, how cool is that?
52:51 The privilege of us to be able to pray to a God like that,
52:54 that sees all our stuff and says I want to heal you anyway.
52:57 Isaiah 57:18.
52:59 I just want to say, we are running out of time and
53:02 you have always blessed me, your testimony has blessed me.
53:05 The fact that I am watching you stand up, and watching
53:08 you hold on to God, and I know that He is going to
53:11 bless you as a mighty man of God standing up in
53:14 integrity and I think that is amazing.
53:17 Wow, is he lucky to have you.
53:19 I feel pretty blessed. - yeah exactly, exactly.
53:24 I would say thank you so much for joining us and will
53:28 you guys come back? - yes, absolutely we will be back.
53:31 That is incredible and I am hoping that everybody heard
53:35 what was said here, prayer is amazing, testimonies are
53:39 amazing, and for us to be real with each other is
53:42 absolutely healing and God is saying you know what?
53:44 Be real with Me too, speak to Me, listen to Me and be real
53:48 with each other, speak to each other, talk to each other
53:51 about who you are and what you testimonies are
53:54 because it vindicates God and allows us to heal,
53:57 it's absolutely amazing.
53:59 Stay tuned, we will be right back.
54:04 Amazing stories, real people in real situations discussing
54:08 issues that really matter.
54:10 A complete first season of Celebrating Life In Recover is
54:13 now available on DVD and can be ordered by calling 3ABN
54:17 or online at 3ABN.org hosted by Cheri Peters.
54:20 This season follows principles of the book
54:23 'Steps to Christ'.
54:25 See for yourself how God changed the lives of the
54:26 convicted and the accused and victims of terrible crimes.
54:30 You won't want to miss a moment of these powerful interviews.
54:36 Don't you love God? I think He is so amazing because we are
54:39 such a mess we have all kinds of stuff.
54:41 Not only abuses done by someone else towards us, but stuff then
54:45 we go out and do and just pile stuff on each other.
54:48 You know one thing on another. God is faithful.
54:50 He says, you know what? I want to heal you, I want to bless you
54:53 I want to take this junk and help you to enjoy life.
54:56 We heard that, we heard that Fa'asosa in your story.
54:59 I want to say that people haven't, we just brought your
55:02 daughter in, can you introduce your daughter to us?
55:05 This is Chrisa Jean and we have been blessed to have her in our
55:09 lives and she will be two in two days.
55:11 Chrisa Jean, how are you doing? Mommy,- you get to be with your
55:16 mommy, you've been away from mom for this whole show.
55:20 Is this mommy,- Daddy, -Oh I know and I love that.
55:24 And you look a lot like your daddy. How cool is that?
55:29 How is that she's cuter, I love that. - What's that?
55:34 That's a TV set. So you know what?
55:39 I have to say we have one more child that joined us.
55:42 So what is your name? Christiana.- Christiana.
55:46 I want to say thank you for joining us, but I want to talk
55:49 to you about, don't forget to ask God, pray with Him.
55:52 Ask Him, sometimes people say how do I start a prayer life?
55:56 Write Him a letter. Sit down with Him and just say God,
56:00 I just want to know who You are, walk outside and ask Him
56:03 to show you something in nature. God says I promise you I want
56:08 to speak to you. I want to give you a life.
56:10 I want to communicate with you. I'm crazy about you.
56:13 We talk about all this stuff we talked about today about
56:17 different things we struggle with, and different things that
56:20 mostly, most of the time pushes us away from God.
56:23 God says don't step away from Me steps towards Me.
56:27 Steps towards Me and we have the privilege of stepping into the
56:30 Holy of Holies on a spiritual sense and the presence of God
56:33 with Christ, and we have the privilege of saying,
56:36 Heh Dad I need some help. What I thought was amazing too
56:40 is the Bible says that Christ Himself prays for us.
56:46 He sits there in the Holy of Holies in the presence of His
56:49 Father surrounded by all the angels and intercedes for us
56:53 every single day. I absolutely think that is cool.
56:58 Christ Himself is praying for me.
57:00 The privilege of prayer is the most amazing thing and we try
57:03 to get through life, we try to get through our recovery
57:05 without it, don't do it. Pray for everything.
57:08 And remember that God prays for every single thing you do
57:12 because His goal is for you to get well.
57:14 Our theme text for this whole series has been Isaiah 57:18
57:17 where it says, God knows our mess, He knows everything
57:20 about us, He knows when we are stuck in anger.
57:23 When we are stuck in workaholism when we are stuck in porn,
57:26 When we are stuck in all that kind of stuff.
57:28 He says, I intercede for you everyday, I pray for you every
57:31 day because I want you to feel what it feels like to be
57:34 released from all that because I'm God and crazy about you.
57:37 Absolutely crazy about you so always remember that God is
57:40 crazy about you, and always remember that I am too.
57:43 See ya next time!


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Revised 2014-12-17