Participants: Cheri Peters, Cliff and Freddie Harris
Series Code: CLR
Program Code: CLR000013
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00:10 Welcome To Celebrating Life in Recovery; today we are
00:12 going to brag on Jesus and how He uses us. 00:14 It's too cool! Come and join us. 00:45 On a show we are going to brag on Christ, that is my 00:47 favorite thing to do. 00:48 If you are Christ's follower, He sends you out as if you 00:51 were a letter back to your family, back to the village, 00:54 back to the Street where you live. 00:55 Jesus dwelling in you desires to speak to the heart of 00:59 those who are not quite acquainted with Him. 01:02 He wants to speak to them through you. Sometimes they have 01:05 never seen the Bible, they have never heard of Christ, 01:08 they do not know what it feels like to be forgiven, to 01:11 have all that junk brought up and removed from them. 01:14 So for us, we are who tells them that. 01:17 I love the fact with the demoniac, I know I've told this 01:20 story before, but when I first read the Bible or had 01:22 somebody read me the story of the demoniac. 01:25 Larry you will love this, because they said the guy was 01:29 crazy, right? Absolutely crazy and I'm thinking okay. 01:32 Foaming at the mouth, alright did I tell you he is ugly? 01:36 I said alright he is ugly, he's crazy, he's foaming at the 01:39 mouth, filled with a thousand demons. 01:42 I'm thinking I think I dated that guy. Thinking what happened 01:47 Jesus goes in and just loves on him, pulls the demons out. 01:52 Not because he asked, because when he came up to Christ, 01:56 he just cussed Him out. 01:57 I think, you did? You cursed out Christ Himself? 02:01 What happened? Did He like zap you? You just totally 02:04 disintegrated? No! He said there was a small part in 02:07 this guy's heart that wanted to be well, and Jesus 02:10 responded to that and pulled all the demons out, went to 02:13 the water and washed him up and cleaned him up and 02:15 restored him to his right mind. 02:17 I said, oh please, restore me. Restore me. 02:21 And I think what an incredible thing to do, that God wants 02:25 to come in and restore us, and this guy said to Jesus 02:28 right away, come on and take me with You. 02:31 You know your going to go out and change the world, your going 02:33 to love on people and do the same thing You did with me. 02:37 I want to go. He said no, no, no, go back home and tell 02:41 them, tell them what I did. 02:43 I'm thinking, how cool is that? How cool is that? 02:46 He goes back home, and some people go back home and be 02:49 cleaned up from all kinds of stuff that God has rescued. 02:52 They have been in prison, they've beat people and all that 02:55 stuff, and they go back home and tell somebody I had 02:58 a little bit of problem with anger once. 03:00 You are filled with a thousand demons, don't even lie to me. 03:04 No way, it wasn't a little problem with anger, you were 03:08 strung out on porn, and you beat your wife. 03:10 You put pillows over your kids and suffocated them so they 03:13 go to sleep and God says, I know all that. 03:16 I forgive you, but go tell somebody that that is what 03:19 I rescued you from, you know why? 03:21 It vindicates God, it tells the world that God is 03:24 capable of coming into all our mess, pulling it out 03:28 of us and restoring us to sanity and giving us joy. 03:31 Giving us a purpose to live for and all that stuff. 03:35 So I just have to brag on Him, I love that. 03:37 So in my first part of recovery, and we talked about this. 03:40 I talked about the recovery from heroin addiction, 03:44 homelessness, you know what? I could manipulate better 03:47 than well better than most people I ran with because if 03:50 anybody was better than me I just ran with someone else. 03:54 No, but I could manipulate, run games, strung out on 03:57 heroin and all that stuff and God was real faithful 04:00 with all that recovery stuff. 04:03 But when I started to getting cleaner and I looked as 04:06 good as the next person in church I was like Man, I 04:08 could sit next to Freddie and I would look just as good. 04:12 You know I could do that, I thought how cool was that? 04:15 God says, we are not done yet Hon, we're not done. 04:18 I want to introduce you to the people at the café first. 04:21 Then I'm going to tell you what I mean by we are not 04:24 done yet, and that I would like to introduce you to 04:26 Freddie and Cliff Harris. 04:27 So first of all I want to say, you have been on the show 04:29 before and thanks for coming back, I love you guys. 04:32 I love the work you guys do. - thank you. 04:35 Susan you are here from Nebraska, Curly you have been on 04:40 the show before and thank you for coming back. 04:42 Larry, you know it is always fun to have cowboys on the 04:45 show, because you see I'm from Idaho, so there's cowboys 04:48 all around us, so thanks for coming. 04:50 And Fa'asoa, you are going in to the pastorate which I love, 04:54 I can't wait till you to get your own church and I'm just 04:58 going to come and bug you, I just can't wait. 05:01 We are talking about bragging on God, and bragging on God 05:05 every single step of the way. 05:06 Because initially He had some tons, I thought initially He had 05:10 so much work, I didn't even know how to eat with someone. 05:13 Somebody would say you want to have potluck with us, 05:16 and I would be going, like my palm's would sweat. 05:18 I would think I do not know how to do that, and it's too 05:20 much anxiety, and I am afraid, I didn't know how to 05:22 socialize, I definitely didn't know how to talk like normal 05:25 folks talk so I was always not okay with that. 05:29 And as I got better, I'm thinking wow, how fun is that? 05:32 He worked through major issues, He even gave me new teeth 05:35 because I had gotten beaten by a motorcycle gang and knocked 05:38 some teeth out, and I had so much fear as far as to be 05:42 touched, you couldn't brush up against me. 05:44 If you brushed up against me, I would for a long time 05:47 wonder what the motive was, what's up? 05:49 What do you want from me? So just to heal from that kind 05:53 of space issues and trust issues took God forever. 05:56 You know what took Him the longest, and I love this. 05:59 Is I thought I knew what to work on. 06:01 Oh no God, not that, let's work on this over here. 06:05 God would be going like oh baby girl, it's not even that. 06:09 That is not even the issue, but I would think I knew and 06:11 He would let me run after things and work on whatever. 06:14 He would always bring me back. 06:16 What was really interesting is that He finally said, 06:19 you know what? There is a secret to recovery. 06:23 I thought wow, a secret to recovery. 06:27 There is a secret to falling in love with God, there is 06:30 a secret to witnessing and I thought I wonder what it is? 06:34 He said, it is the Holy Spirit. I thought oh, shut up. 06:37 Really! So the Holy Spirit? He said, you know what? 06:41 And Jesus laughed, He said you know what, I'm going to 06:44 send the Holy Spirit and don't do nothing until you get 06:47 this, don't do anything. 06:49 Ellen White, I love her, she's a prophet. 06:52 She said, in her writings, every single day ask for the 06:56 baptism of the Holy Spirit to fill you up so that you have 07:00 the wisdom and the know-how to walk through this stuff. 07:03 But I didn't even do that for 10 or 15 years in recovery. 07:07 So what I did is chase my tail into repentance. 07:10 I thought Okay, I'm working on it, I'm still working on this 07:13 and I'm working on this again, I'd like to work on this. 07:16 I'm like getting tired of working on this and 07:19 I went in circles for ever. 07:22 God said, let Me fill you up. Let Me Fill You up with 07:25 the Holy Spirit, let Me ask you every single day. 07:28 I want you to die to self, and Paul said that. 07:31 Die to yourself daily, get filled up the Holy Spirit and 07:34 you will be empowered to do this. 07:36 I thought, no way. And the only reason I looked at that, people 07:40 know that I got diagnosed with hepatitis A B & C. 07:42 I'm a drug addict was homeless for 10 years and the doctors 07:46 said that I was going to die, and I'm thinking, how good is 07:49 that? Most people would say that's not good, right? 07:52 I'm thinking I wanted to get out of here since I was 07:54 a little girl, I am done. 07:56 I don't even like it here, even the best church has 08:00 issues, I don't mean to offend anybody, but even 08:03 the best of us have issues. 08:05 So if I get a free ticket out to I'm okay with that. 08:08 Then everybody starts praying for me, and it is really 08:11 hard for them to say excuse me, when they say can 08:14 I pray for you, can I put my hand on your liver? 08:16 I'm thinking no, I'm okay. 08:18 But you can't tell them that because it would be weird. 08:20 So they would pray for me and pretty soon I feel well. 08:25 Oh man, this is not fair, this is totally not fair. 08:29 God I was okay with all this. 08:32 So I go back in, I go back into the Doctor and say Doctor, 08:37 I think I'm healed, he says you know what Cheri you don't 08:42 get healed from this. 08:43 I remember just saying to him, I know that but 08:46 God doesn't know that and so you need to retest me. 08:49 It took me forever to convince him to retest me. 08:52 He finally does, right? I'm totally clean, all my blood 08:56 work is clean and he says that it is odd for him. 08:59 Don't write down I'm healed, I told him write it down 09:02 because people are going to want to see that. 09:04 Well maybe it's hiding in your liver and just not on 09:06 there and you're not having a reactive test anymore. 09:09 But I am thinking okay I am healed and I start actually 09:12 looking at when people prayed they said the gifts of the 09:16 Holy Spirit are to be able to pray for somebody and to do 09:19 healing stuff and I started looking at the Holy Spirit. 09:22 I started looking what is the gifts of the Spirit, 09:24 and what does God actually provide for us? 09:26 There is something with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, 09:30 or the gift of the Holy Spirit that God gives us, there is 09:33 that sense of I truly do give everything over to God. 09:38 I give everything over to God, the Bible becomes more real 09:41 and my recovery becomes more real. 09:43 I want to say I started doing some incredible things 09:46 I think, I started looking at through God, through the 09:50 Holy Spirit, what are the finer things 09:52 You want me to work on? 09:53 You dealt with health issues, You dealt with heroin, 09:55 You dealt with manipulation, some of it with exaggeration. 10:00 You know how He works on me, I think I'm sanguine and 10:03 besides just having my addiction that is just the problem 10:06 we have. Anyhow so He works on that kind of stuff. 10:08 But one day He says, not only do I want to work on that 10:12 stuff, but I want you to start looking at who you are 10:15 as a wife, and a mother and a Christian woman, right? 10:19 So I'm thinking God I don't have any problems in that 10:22 area, I'm thinking my problem is I'm a recovering drug addict. 10:26 One day I come home I want to get a new computer. 10:29 I want to get a laptop and it is for our ministry. 10:32 I said to Brad, I'd like to get a laptop. 10:35 He says, you know we can't afford it. I said what? 10:38 He says, we can't afford it. When Brad became a Christian 10:42 just a few years ago, we've been married almost 19 years 10:45 and he's only been a Christian for a few years. 10:47 I gave him, you can make all the decisions of the House. 10:51 When we disagree on something I will listen to you. 10:55 That is fine if he agrees with me, but when he doesn't 10:58 it is just not fine. 11:00 I thinking this laptop is for business, 11:02 what are you talking about? 11:03 He's like Hon, we can't afford it. I'm like oh stop. 11:07 He says we can't afford it. You said it was my decision 11:10 at the last part. 11:11 I'm thinking, yeah, okay I said it. Then I came back 11:16 the next day, he gets home from work and I look great. 11:23 Oh baby, I had my best outfit on, I looked cute, I had his 11:28 favorite meal done, and I had been homeless for 10 years and 11:33 a heroin addict, he was a Boy Scout until he was 18. 11:35 By the end of the night I had that computer. 11:37 So I'm like yeah so I go out and buy the computer. 11:42 I get the computer and get it home and take it to my 11:47 office and put it on the desk and I open it. 11:50 It's amazing, amazing and I put my hands on it. 11:53 God says go ahead, enjoy it. Oh man, that is totally 11:58 not fair because he said yes. 12:00 The Holy Spirit said after you manipulated him. 12:03 Oh he said yes, he could have said no and if he would 12:06 have said no, I wouldn't have done it. 12:08 God said no enjoy it! And He would not let up on me. 12:11 It's as if did something wrong. I'm like God, that's so not fair 12:18 I'm trying to figure out how can I get God to shut up 12:22 about this, right? So what I do is I turn up some 12:25 worship music, poof full blast so I can hear the 12:28 Holy Spirit. Na-na-na-na, praising the Lord, I'm singing. 12:31 I've got all kinds of stuff distracting me and God is 12:35 still trying to speak to me on this issue. 12:37 I'm thinking I've just got to not pay attention. 12:39 Every single time I got near this computer I felt guilty. 12:42 One day I'm walking down the hallway and my daughter, 12:45 who is 14 years old at the time, walks in and she's 12:48 in an out of the bathroom, she's getting ready for something. 12:51 She doesn't go anywhere without letting me know because 12:54 we live in the country and I have to drive her, you know? 12:57 So I said Jackie were you going, she said, no where. 13:01 Then what are you getting all dressed up for? 13:03 Well daddy's coming home and I want tickets to this 13:06 concert, and I'm like oh no. 13:08 The Holy Spirit showed me in a flash that I just 13:12 generationally taught this child how to use men. 13:15 I thought forgive me, please forgive me. 13:18 What I want to brag on God, not only because of who He is, 13:22 and how He uses us, how much He loves us, but the fact 13:25 that He walks us through all those things. 13:27 Even the find stuff, after we've done major stuff with 13:31 figuring out who we are in our addictions, in our obvious 13:34 stuff, He says you know what? I want to actually turn 13:37 you into an incredible woman of God that can stand in 13:41 your family, love your husband, love your children, 13:44 love the people around you, were even your friends are 13:47 going to be blessed by who you are because you are done 13:50 with this junk. I'm thinking, God You are so amazing. 13:53 We are going to come back and I'm going to introduce 13:56 you to Freddie and Cliff Harris and you are going to be 13:59 so blessed, so blessed. 14:00 But again this whole show is just bragging on God, 14:03 so stay with us. 14:08 We want to introduce you to a beautiful book 14:10 called 'Steps To Christ'. 14:12 Each program in this series is based on a different 14:15 chapter showing you how to become a Christian and 14:17 gain victory over your addictions. 14:20 'Steps To Christ' is our gift to you free of charge. 14:23 Just call us at: 14:51 Welcome back, this is my favorite part of the show. 14:53 We are going to talk to some of the guests in the café. 14:55 They are going to tell us a little bit about what 14:57 they are doing and who they are. 14:59 But Cliff and Freddie you've been on the show before and 15:02 we were wowed Cliff by your testimony and so many people 15:06 were blessed, but I want you to say a little bit about 15:09 your testimony again for people who haven't seen 15:11 that show and then tell us what you are doing now. 15:13 Well I just had 20 years of drug abuse, $200 a day habit 15:19 on heroin, cocaine, been in Colorado State penitentiary 15:25 twice, in and out of jails all my life. - even as a kid? 15:30 Yeah, no I didn't go to jail until I was around about 18. 15:35 Or 19, I went to jail. 15:38 And Freddie you've married him, you know it is amazing to me 15:45 like one day into his recovery. - yeah I met him after 15:48 he came clean and sober. 15:50 We were at church one Sabbath and he met me, and on Sunday 15:54 he proposed to me and I said, yes the very next day. 15:58 Can you tell me how that happens? Because even when 16:02 you said it the first time, I was thinking 16:03 how does that happen? 16:04 Well you know I have spent a year with the Lord and 16:07 decided I wasn't going to date and look for a husband. 16:10 In that one whole year I spent just getting to know Jesus. 16:13 I was so close to Him that I really was satisfied with our 16:16 relationship and I said, well if the Lord wants me to have 16:19 a husband fine, if not I'm totally satisfied. 16:22 Then He sends somebody one day into recovery. 16:25 That just cracks me up, I love God. 16:27 I married a Boy Scout, never had done anything wrong and his 16:31 father and mother are normal and I was homeless. 16:33 I just think how funny is that? 16:35 The irony is that Cliff's son and I were best friends. 16:39 I was like his second mom for two years. 16:41 - before you guys met? - before we met. 16:43 I knew his parents were divorced, 16:44 but he never talked about them. 16:46 So I walked in church one day and Cliff was standing 16:48 there with Jeffrey and I hugged him and said, 16:50 Hey Jeff, How are you doing? 16:51 Then I saw Cliff and the rest is history. 16:54 Wait a minute, let me make it a little bit better. 16:58 My son and I, we were standing in the lobby of the Church 17:02 and we were just talking. 17:04 She zips in and kisses Jeffrey on the cheek, 17:08 and all I saw was her face, just her face. 17:13 In this face I saw all this joy, saw all this peace and 17:18 something within me said, she is the one. 17:21 Because you see females, no I wanted to stay away from 17:26 females. - because you are recovery. - yes and in 17:30 recovery you don't need to get involved with a female. 17:33 That can take you off track. 17:35 Not knowing that the Holy Spirit impressed him, she is 17:37 the one, when I met him that Saturday night and he came to 17:40 my house and brought me one red rose. 17:43 When he handed me that one red rose the Holy Spirit 17:46 impressed me, he's the one. - oh man, I love that. 17:49 I have been a Christian all my life, I never drank, 17:52 smoked, and this guy I would have probably thrown out the 17:54 front door, - without hearing his testimony? 17:56 But I was totally satisfied. And I knew - no! She didn't 17:58 hear my testimony - but I mean if she had she would have 18:01 run. - right, right. But I just knew this was the 18:03 person that God had chosen for me. 18:04 But you see I knew I had to, you know I'm coming to church 18:09 every time those church doors are opened. 18:14 I'm sitting on the pew, just go sit down. 18:18 If you go it was like you were meeting new people, you are 18:24 getting into different lifestyle, you're getting back 18:26 to your old roots because you know you are going this way. 18:31 - you're not trying to steal your wallet. 18:36 Yes Cheri. - by this time I had... 18:40 After I moved out from my sisters, 18:44 I had me a four bedroom house and nobody living in 18:47 it but me, but the Lord is blessing me. 18:49 Because I am being faithful, I'm going this way, I'm going 18:54 this way so we made a date to see each other the next day. 18:59 And she drove up at 12 o'clock, and I said, oh yeah, I have 19:03 got her now, she pulled up and she came inside and she set 19:07 one end of the couch and I sat on the other end of the 19:11 couch and commenced to tell her, I want to tell her about 19:15 my life because I didn't want to leave this to everybody 19:18 else because I knew she would hear it from the members. 19:22 - because she grew up in that church. 19:24 No I told her that I lied, I stole and I was drug addict, 19:28 and just got out of the penitentiary, 19:33 - Will you marry me? - Did you say that right after 19:38 you said all of that? - No! I looked at her and she 19:43 look at me and she said, is that all? 19:46 I said this girl has got to be crazy. 19:49 I said, is that all because the Holy Spirit had 19:51 impressed me the night before that he was the one. 19:54 So I was totally content. - when she said that I looked 19:57 at her and said, Will you marry me? - I said yes. 20:00 When she said yes I kissed her and we've been 20:02 kissing ever since. 20:04 And on May 10 we will have been married for 22 years. 20:08 Whoa! Yes Sir. - that is so incredible. - yes, yes. 20:11 You know what amazes me about your story because I know 20:14 that God pulled you into recovery, got you back in the 20:19 church, and you were out there and you got together 20:22 and he still had to do some recovery time at the first 20:26 part of your relationship, right? - yes, yes. 20:28 In fact his eyes were so glassy, I said honey you got to look 20:30 better because he was getting ready 20:31 to meet my family you know, - you got to get some things 20:36 right. - he kept going to church kept doing what 20:39 he was suppose to do. 20:40 After we got married the Lord not only brought us together 20:43 for marriage, but he brought us together for our ministry. 20:46 And we had no idea that the Lord was going to call us into 20:49 this ministry because when Cliff went back to church 20:53 he started going to Sabbath school with the little kids 20:56 because he had been out of church for 20 years so 20:58 he wanted to learn all the stories, and at that time 21:01 the Lord was training him for this ministry for the 21:04 Drug Alternative Program. 21:05 Talk about the Drug Alternative Program, because that 21:08 is what God has blessed you and led you into ministry. 21:10 I know you have blessed tons of folks looking for recovery. 21:14 Yes in fact we had a program here on 3ABN for about 21:17 eight years called Drugs Close to Home and it was a 21:20 real blessing, - wait, wait, wait because I'm an addict 21:24 in recovery and I saw your program and I'm like oh Amen. 21:27 You got some healing from it and so I want you to know 21:30 that I love you guys. 21:32 Before I even met you, because I saw what you were doing 21:36 on the media and I never dreamed that I would be sitting 21:39 here and have an opportunity not only to hear your 21:42 personal testimony, but how God blessed you with other people. 21:45 You know how the Lord has blessed you, you know why? 21:48 Because look at you, He has fixed you up and you got 21:50 your own show now. - that's right Amen. 21:59 Isn't that amazing? So when we talk about bragging on God 22:02 I want to say even as you get into talking about your, 22:05 ministry, is that Brad and I, He takes all that junk 22:08 all the stuff we hid for so long, 22:10 not only do I want to bring it out to the table 22:12 but I want you to use it to bless someone else and comfort 22:15 them with what I comfort you from. 22:17 You know we always stop and think about how we use God, 22:24 or how God can use us in a way for His benefit 22:28 and not our own. The Lord has blessed me in a way 22:33 that I used to say to myself, Lord why are You so 22:37 good to me? I'm not even worthy for You to bless me. 22:41 Not even worthy, I'm not even supposed to be here. 22:45 But He says, you know what Clifford? 22:48 I said to myself what can I do for you? 22:51 He says, Clifford, just love Me. 22:55 That is all that He wants from all of us is to just 22:59 love Him, that is it, bottom line. 23:02 He certainly delights in us, and I looked up the original 23:05 word for delight in like the Greek, or the original 23:08 language and it says to run into a room and do somersaults 23:11 all over the place. - oh, I like that. 23:13 I thought delight would just be a nice smile, 23:16 or pleasant welcome, my He says no, no, no. 23:19 I delight in you and I love you so much. - Amen. 23:22 You know one thing we all need to stop and think about, 23:26 because I used to think about it. 23:27 I was so tired out there in the streets, and you know one 23:31 thing I always wanted, I was tired of the courts, I was 23:35 tired of the dealers, I was tired of police, everything. 23:40 I remember God would say, "come unto Me and I will give 23:45 you peace" and I wanted peace, just peace of mind. 23:49 - exactly, a brain cell or two. - because you are out 23:54 there in that world, there is no peace. 23:56 I don't care what you say, you think you have some. 24:00 But Jesus says come unto me and I just lay all your 24:04 burdens and everything on My shoulder. 24:06 I'll take care of it. And I wanted peace. 24:09 Okay, I'm going to try this. - I'm going to trust Him. 24:13 - yeah, I want some peace. 24:15 So how did God turn all that around, you guys got 24:18 together, how did you get into ministry? 24:20 How did you start a rehab center? 24:22 Well we first started our own business, Harris Masonry. 24:25 We were making big bucks, but you know we came to 24:28 California on a vacation, and while we were there one of 24:32 the ministers asked Clifford if he would speak at a camp 24:36 meeting and he spoke and there were so many Adventists, 24:40 so many Christians coming up. 24:41 My son is on drugs, my husband was on drugs and so 24:44 Clifford looked at me and said honey do you think 24:46 we could move to California and start a program? 24:48 I said no, because I had just left California and 24:51 we had just refurbished a whole house, 24:53 bricked it, built a room. 24:54 I said no I don't want to go back to California. 24:57 He said, you know I have a burden for souls, 25:00 let's just pray about it and see if this is what 25:02 the Lord wants us to do. 25:03 To make a long story short, his ex-boss was in California 25:06 30 minutes from where we were vacationing with my mom. 25:09 Had called back to Denver and said Cliff the block 25:13 business is going good here, I want you to come and be 25:16 my partner, Freddie I want you as a secretary I need 25:19 you yesterday and I will pay for all of your moving. 25:21 So we looked at each other and said honey what do we do? 25:24 We got ready, and here we are. 25:26 - that's right we moved to California. 25:29 But you know what I think? - what? 25:31 I said to myself I think God tricked me into moving to 25:36 California, because I had my own home. We had bought it. 25:41 And You're going to take me into California, and 25:47 I'm going to leave this and move in with my mother-in-law? 25:50 Did you hear me? - yeah I heard you, like oh man. 25:55 I got my father with me, and Freddie, we had Lyndon and 25:58 he was like twelve or six or seven or something like that. 26:03 With all this responsibility on me, and moving in with 26:07 her, into her home and all of her brothers and sisters 26:11 coming over and eating up all the food and all of this 26:14 kind of stuff, I have to deal with. 26:16 Then I was working with Gage and we weren't making any 26:21 money. - so Gage went back to Denver. - oh no. 26:23 Now you're in California. - right. 26:27 Here I am in California, and the car we had the 26:31 transmission went out and we didn't have no money. 26:36 So Cliff wanted to go right to Denver. 26:37 I wanted to go back to Denver. 26:39 But I told him, the Lord brought us here and this 26:43 is where He wants us. 26:45 So then Cliff got a job working by the hour 26:47 as a brick mason. 26:48 There is scripture and I love, Jeremiah 29:11 where it 26:52 says, I have plans for your life, future and a hope. 26:56 I used to think that just meant my salvation and 27:00 coming in and sitting down in a church and having 27:04 that peace of mind. 27:05 God says no, no, no I have actually plans for your life. 27:09 He had incredible plans for you guys life. 27:11 right, but it sounds like right then quite like it because 27:13 the transmissions out and all that stuff, 27:16 but what happened? 27:17 We started out a support group, we had a support group in 27:19 our home and there was like 30 or 40 people came to our house. 27:22 But we say we need something more because it was more like 27:25 a social club and we weren't really helping them. 27:28 So we decided we wanted to have a recovery home. 27:30 What happened, one of the board members left one day and 27:33 she said there is a nice home up the street, why don't 27:37 you get that home? We are in Grand Terrace, California, 27:40 middle-class neighborhood - expensive. 27:42 - yeah they're not going to let us have this house. 27:44 But we got that house, we rented it for like 4 and 1/2 years. 27:49 We had six clients there, and we didn't know how to set 27:55 up a program. - and the clients just came because 27:57 of the support group? - right, right. 27:59 So Lord how-to we set up the program? So one day we said, 28:03 the Lord impressed, set it up like everyday living. 28:07 That is what we did. The guys get up at 5:30 in the 28:10 morning, they have breakfast at six o'clock. 28:12 - 5:30 in the morning I'm like, whose house did you live in? 28:15 We have worship every morning, the Sabbath school 28:19 lesson, Morning Watch, and then we have a work program. 28:23 At first we started letting the guys work outside the 28:26 program, they were going out and getting high and 28:29 we had no control, and Cliff you woke up one morning 28:31 and what did you say? 28:33 I said Freddie let's start a lawn business and we didn't 28:37 have no money, didn't know where the money was coming 28:41 from, nothing so what I did was I would tell the people 28:46 if you let me do your lawn, if you give me your lawn mower 28:51 I will do your lawn. 28:53 So they would give me the lawn mower and I would do their 28:57 yard and then I get another one, lawn mowers breaking down 29:01 and I was changing wheels off of one lawn mower, lawn mower 29:04 sitting like this and cutting grass. 29:07 We got a truck donated and we started a lawn business. 29:11 So the lawn business is for the clients that come through 29:14 your program? - right. - a lot of people don't know 29:17 as far as addicts, we need to actually start doing 29:19 something that is consistent, we can build our self worth 29:23 with, and all that stuff and so the business. 29:25 - yeah they work every day from eight to four o'clock. 29:27 That pays for half of their recovery. 29:30 They come home and eat dinner at 5:30, and in the evening 29:33 they had their therapy sessions. 29:35 Monday night they have therapy, one on one therapy. 29:37 They go to prayer meeting on Wednesday night. 29:39 Church on Sabbath, these are all mandatory meetings. 29:42 So the program is set up just like everyday living, 29:44 so when they leave the program, they have a set pattern. 29:47 - All those skills. Yeah, all those skills! 29:48 So now a lawn business now pays for half of our expenses. 29:55 We have commercial lawns now, Loma Linda University, 29:58 have Campus Hill Church, South Union California Conference 30:01 City of Grand Terrace plus we have residential too. 30:05 So it has been a real blessing and we have six new trucks. 30:09 The whole time, and this is why love to brag on God, 30:12 the whole time God is saying, I have a plan but the 30:15 transition is not easy and you have to trust Me. 30:18 You have trust me, I will use everything you came from, like 30:21 Cliff you were saying, in and out of prison, your 30:23 addiction, watching your kids watching you get high and 30:26 all that stuff, God says, you will use every single story. 30:29 Tell me about something of someone that went through your 30:32 program? - okay I can tell you about Anthony. 30:33 Anthony is from Nashville, Tennessee, his father was 30:39 a Doctor and he had a great childhood. 30:42 Then he got on cocaine and lost everything. 30:46 In fact his parents were rich and when they died 30:50 he just knew he was going to be set free. 30:52 Guess what they gave him when they died? 30:54 $10,000- that's it? - that's it. 30:56 And everything else was willed to this uncle. 30:59 So he said, you know what? I'm going to go to DAP. 31:03 He called you one night and what happened when he called you? 31:05 He called me and told me that he was going to go to 31:10 Oakwood College, and I laughed at him. 31:14 I said Anthony they will eat you alive, I said you have got to 31:18 get yourself together first before you go down there. 31:21 - wow, good for you. - he made a decision to come to 31:25 the program. - but I'm going to tell you, we have two 31:29 recovery homes and one transition home. 31:31 We just open the transition home in 2000. 31:33 So after the guys go through our program, the program 31:36 is 12 to 18 months, then they can go into 31:38 the transition home and go to school or work so 31:41 they can get back into society. 31:43 Anthony came and he graduated, went into the transition house 31:47 and while he was doing lawns every day, he went to 31:51 Loma Linda University and he wanted to be a Doctor. 31:55 But he saw all these, you know doctors and nurses and 31:58 everything, he's picking up dog poop and pulling weeds and 32:02 everything and he said you know what? 32:04 I'm going to come to Loma Linda University. 32:07 Now he worked the whole 18 months, he was working the 32:10 yards and sweating and everything and when he graduated 32:13 from the program, he graduated from the program, he said, 32:17 I'm going to apply myself to go to Loma Linda University. 32:20 He put in an application for Loma Linda University and 32:23 told them that he was a drug addict and everything. 32:25 They accepted him, he went to Loma Linda for four years. 32:29 - that is so God. - 4 years, he was top of his class. 32:34 President of his class, he graduated last year as an R.N. 32:39 and passed the State Boards and December 8 he got married. 32:44 So he went from zero to nothing. He went on a speaking 32:47 engagement to Louisville, Kentucky and he met this young 32:51 lady and they married on December 8. 32:53 That is amazing when you look at all that kind of stuff, 32:58 and you think God is not only, I want to walk you through 33:01 recovery, I want to give you something, I want to bless 33:04 you, I want to pour into your life and all those things. 33:07 I really think God is so amazing because He said that 33:10 I want you to help other people and you will be blessed 33:13 even by that, even that will keep you in your recovery. 33:15 All our employees are graduates of the program. - Amen. 33:18 A lawn supervisor, Teresa is a supervisor and she was married 33:21 in 2000. Craig is a lawn super- visor and he just got married 33:25 in June. And we have Wayne, who is not only a remodeling 33:29 contractor, but he is a counselor for the program. 33:31 We have two guys who are counseling the guys and his 33:34 wife is what we call a family liaison. 33:36 Because when the clients come in, the mothers have 33:40 problems, or other wives have problems and she has gone 33:43 through all that, so she's able to help them. 33:45 We had this guy Steve, Steve when he came into 33:48 the program I said, this guy can hardly write. 33:51 Steve went and got his AA degree, his counseling 33:54 certificate, his BS degree, and in June he got 33:57 his M.A. degree as a social worker now. 34:00 Wow, and what I have to say to encourage anybody 34:04 watching us that has addictions, that has anything that is 34:08 keeping them from fulfilling what they think God wants 34:11 them to do in their life, is that you have got to trust 34:14 God and turn it over. - that's right. 34:16 It's not even turn it over, like when I came off the 34:18 street I was illiterate, so not only turn it over in 34:21 a sense that I don't even know the next step but 34:23 I know You have a plan for my life. 34:25 That you actually want to wow me. And God does. 34:29 He wows us. - right, right. 34:31 Anything else before we opened it up for questions? 34:33 Anything else you want us to know about the program and 34:36 I know that if somebody needs the program it's called 34:39 Drug Alternative Program, they can get in touch with 34:41 us and we will get them in touch with you. 34:43 It is amazing what you guys do for the men that come. 34:47 I want to tell you we have four houses. - wow. 34:50 The Lord literally gave us those houses. 34:53 The first two houses are totally paid for, and the third 34:57 house we got it and 97, and we paid for it in 18 months. 35:01 But let me tell you what happened. - can I ask you 35:03 Freddie, I'm sorry to interrupt, why did God do that for 35:05 you? - because we are helping other people. 35:07 Well I wanted you to say that because people are watching 35:11 us and saying why did God do that for them? 35:13 He wants to do that for all of us, and He will make things 35:15 happen like giving you houses and doing all that stuff. 35:18 Here you walked away from your job and end up with nothing, 35:20 and He said let me pour all back into your life. 35:22 And I just want to say out loud, God wants to do that 35:25 for each of us. - that's right. - and all we have to 35:27 say, all right, I'm done. I'm done with my stuff. 35:31 I think the main thing we need to do is like Moses. 35:36 He had to put his foot in that water to make it move. 35:40 He had to have faith, and everything that we have done, 35:45 I have done in faith. Don't have no money, didn't have 35:50 no money to get no house, - God has a plan. 35:52 I always ask the Lord, Lord You do this in a way that 35:56 I know it's from You. 35:58 We just stepped out there not having any money. 36:03 A lot of people who you know bought this truck, paid for 36:06 the truck, the next thing you know you buy a house. 36:09 You cannot buy a house in Loma Linda or in Southern 36:13 California under $400,000, there is no way. 36:16 And all of them are paid for. - except transition house, 36:20 the board said we need to rent this house for four years 36:24 and he said we need to buy a house. 36:26 You have got to tell them shortly how we got the 36:28 transition house, we just bought it. 36:30 I think in the beginning, we did this, it's in a cul-de-sac 36:37 and house two is in that cul-de-sac. 36:41 Well the house across the street, we did their yards for 36:46 Michael and Judy, we did their yard. 36:49 - from a lawn service. - about eight or nine years. 36:54 I just got along, they knew about us, no problems. 36:59 In fact her sister lived next door across the street from 37:03 us and I've got to tell you this, please, I've got to tell 37:08 you this. - all right, I've got to hear it. 37:09 The man next door when I bought that house, I went to tell 37:13 the neighbors we are moving in here and we are going to 37:18 be your neighbors. The man next door, he went off on me. 37:22 You see that sign out there, beware of the dog, 37:26 you better beware of me. 37:28 I'm going to get a petition and get you out of here, 37:30 I don't know why they let you in here anyway. 37:34 Okay, okay. - because of the guys you had? - yes. 37:37 Because of the program, do you know what? 37:40 The man has come to church with us, got up and spoke at 37:45 Church, Freddie has the Bible, she's a prayer partner 37:50 with Freddie now, and always tells us bring the guys over. 37:53 We want to have a pool party for the fellas. 37:57 We do his lawn now - all the guys? - yes all the guys 38:02 and Clifford, he asked me one time, he said Clifford, 38:07 he came to me and said I want to talk to you. 38:10 I said yes, I said yes what can I do for you? 38:13 He said, how do you have a relationship with Jesus? 38:18 He asked me that. - right. 38:21 So he has been to church with us, but back to the story 38:23 about the house. - hold on before you even go there. 38:26 Go back to the story when you opened up the show and 38:28 we talked about that we are a letter, as if Christ wrote 38:31 Himself on us to send us out. That's what he saw in you. 38:36 Across the street, this was not this past Christmas, 38:40 but the Christmas before. 38:42 Anthony came to me and said Clifford, they all call me 38:46 Mr. Harris, he said Mr. Harris lets have a breakfast on 38:51 Christmas morning and a party for Jesus. 38:54 He said everybody gets gifts but Jesus, and this is 38:59 supposed to be His birthday. Okay, alright! 39:02 I'll fix a big breakfast, Freddie said, maybe I'll invite 39:08 Judy and Michael. Wait a minute, I knew they were selling 39:13 their house and the board had already told me let's find 39:18 a house, - and we never thought about their house. 39:20 They had me to come in, she wanted me to do this to the 39:24 yard, and this in cleaning it up because they're getting 39:28 ready to put the whole house on the market. 39:29 I never thought to say let me look at your house. 39:33 Because we are looking for house, right across the street. 39:37 Okay, never asked them, so they came, Freddie invited them 39:41 to the breakfast and we set the table and they set the 39:45 table and we had a plate for Jesus and nobody sat in the 39:48 seat, this was a breakfast for Jesus. 39:51 So they came, we had testimonies and all that. 39:56 So the next day we left on our way to Alabama, got in the 40:02 truck and went to Alabama. 40:03 They were so impressed, because they have decided they 40:06 were going to give 10 or $15,000 towards the transition 40:09 house, but they were so impressed they decided we want 40:12 you to have our house. - oh man! 40:14 They called us and said, we want to sell you a house and 40:18 we'll sell it to you for principle only, no interest. 40:23 - that is amazing. - they will carry the note. 40:26 - they will carry the note. - no way. And only God can 40:29 do that. - yes, and they are young they're not 70-80 40:33 they're like in their 50s. 40:35 So Cliff asked why are you doing this? He said you know 40:38 Cliff I am so impressed with your Drug Alternative Program 40:41 we have been watching you guys for all these years and see 40:43 how you help people, government doesn't help you, 40:46 and we want to do more so we want you to have our house. 40:49 So we moved in, in March. 40:52 We're going to open it up for questions, but I just have 40:55 to say that one thing I hope somebody hears during this 40:59 program, is the fact that Jesus wants to get us out of 41:02 recovery, I mean into recovery. He wants to heal us. 41:05 He wants to walk us into an incredible life and give 41:08 you an incredible wife that you don't deserve. 41:11 And all that stuff, then say I have to move you from the 41:15 successful life into dependence on Me, and then into 41:19 where I can bless you and you can bless other people. 41:22 I always say somebody will say Cheri, I don't even know what 41:25 my ministry is, surrender to God and He will show you and 41:29 open every door, and give you stuff. 41:31 He gave us a ranch, same kind of thing, I'm just thinking 41:34 a ranch I don't even know how to do horses and He gave us 41:37 nine horses, then taught me and then we started working 41:40 with children that their parents were in jail and 41:42 teaching them to ride and I thought God you are good. 41:45 I just want to say, again were going to open it up for 41:48 questions, but if you are watching this show, I beg you 41:51 to trust God, I beg you because He wants to bless you. 41:54 He wants to wow you with His love for you. 41:57 I'm telling you, you can't be out wowed. 42:01 God is just amazing. So I'm going to open it up. 42:04 Does anybody have any questions, anything they want to ask? 42:08 It's not so much a question as a comment. You were 42:12 talking earlier about how you said you asked God why 42:16 are you doing this for me? I don't deserve it. 42:18 Me coming out of the drug scene, I'm doing that now. 42:22 I mean it's amazing because things have happened since 42:26 I've came back to the Lord, it's like why do I deserve this? 42:29 I don't deserve this and these things are happening to me 42:32 and that's when you know that it's from God, you know it. 42:35 That is the only person that can do it. 42:37 Do you know why? Because you belong to Him. He's yours. 42:42 He wants to redeem you, He wants to save you. 42:45 But the key is, you have to make the choice to accept 42:49 His gift, you had to open up your heart and reach out 42:53 and that is all it takes, that is all it takes. 42:56 The Holy Spirit has impressed your heart to do whatever 43:00 you do. - but you know Freddie, I think Curly, 43:02 what I have learned about God, not only does He want to 43:06 redeem me, but He wants to teach me to laugh out loud. 43:09 Do you know what I mean? I used to think that 43:11 He just wants me to do the right thing and tow the line, 43:14 and do the commandments, and all that stuff is a gift but 43:17 He says I want you to laugh out loud. I want you to love, 43:20 I want you to take a breath and just feel good about being 43:23 alive. - turn somersaults, I like that. - exactly. 43:25 To delight in Me. 43:27 I want to say this. - yes! - when you go to heaven how 43:30 do you think you're going to act after that? 43:33 How are you going to act if you go to heaven? 43:36 If you get in that gate what do you think you are going to 43:40 do? -Hopefully I'll act just as silly as I do now. 43:44 That's right, you will be jumping, and shouting for joy. 43:47 I don't think you are going to be sitting there, oh thank 43:51 you Jesus, I'm so glad to be here. - no, no! 43:55 No! I'm going to be happy and what are we going to do honey? 43:59 - shout! - shout, give me one honey. 44:02 Listen to this, somebody was telling me that the angels 44:05 around the throne of God, 24/7, holy, holy, holy. 44:08 As a new addict in recovery I'm thinking 24/7, are you 44:11 kidding me? They said, oh you just have not heard the 44:14 rest of it honey, and I said what is that? 44:16 They said they yell holy, holy, holy, and every time they 44:19 tried to get up to do anything else, God does something 44:21 else and they are like, holy smokes that was good. 44:24 Oh holy, holy, holy. 44:27 So I'm thinking how fun is that? 44:29 Okay, Larry did you have a question? 44:31 Well I, I have a problem. When my mother and father, 44:35 when I was an infant rather my mother and father separated 44:38 and then when I was two years old they got divorced. 44:41 As far as I can remember I had a problem with trust. 44:44 I have not been able to trust, even now I have a problem 44:47 with trust. You talk about how quick you changed, 44:50 how did you do that? How did you know when God was 44:53 talking and somebody wasn't setting you up? To me 44:56 everybody was setting me up, how did you know that it was 45:00 God talking to you? I mean coming from I've never trusted 45:03 anybody, anything I ever heard I didn't trust it. 45:06 So how did you know that quick? It seems like it 45:08 happened like that (snapped finger) for you. 45:11 You know you ask me you know how do I trust, I think it is 45:15 something that you build on. 45:17 The first time you step out in faith, okay Lord, You do 45:22 this for me, and it happens. 45:25 The next time you have more faith, but you almost stand 45:29 back and kind of look at your self and make sure it might 45:34 happen, but if it doesn't then you know you still can 45:39 make it. But as I went along, I knew the Lord has always 45:45 taken care of me. I had to tell her one-time, how 45:47 we going to pay the bills, we don't have no money yet. 45:51 Freddie said, don't worry about it, the Lord has taken 45:55 care of us in the past and He will do it now. 46:00 He's not going to fail us now. 46:01 You know if you are being faithful to Jesus, remember 46:06 this, if you are faithful He is going to take care of you. 46:11 - Amen. - He will. You know one thing He always says? 46:16 Don't ask for little things, ask for big things. 46:20 I want to do something great for you, I am God. 46:25 You know Lord, - help me find my car keys. 46:30 Oh this is the one about car keys, this one right here. 46:35 She will lose them, Freddie are you going to search for 46:40 your car keys? Oh they'll show up, the Lord will show 46:43 them to me, and they'll come maybe the next day. 46:47 She has faith in that. 46:49 But I have faith, I know the Lord is going to bless us 46:54 in a mighty way or in some way at all. 46:56 You know another thing I know? And I believe this, 47:00 I believe God is going to save me. - Amen. 47:03 Do you know that? - yep, I believe it. 47:07 I know I can't save myself, I can't. 47:10 If He has brought me thus far, and has saved me from all 47:15 this stuff, I should be dead now more than once. 47:18 I OD'd three times, I should be dead. 47:23 But Lord if you have brought me this far, I'm still 47:28 messing up, You are going to save me. - Amen. 47:31 So you've got to learn how to trust. Do you know another 47:34 way you can do it? Get to know who Jesus is. 47:38 You know one book I would recommend that you read? 47:41 - what's that? - 'Desire of Ages'. 47:43 Did you ever open that book? Did I open the book? 47:48 You know on the last show you talked about having it by 47:51 your bed side in jail, but never opened it, 47:55 so eventually you opened it? It's my favorite book too. 47:58 I was reading Desire of Ages too and he was reading 48:00 Desire of Ages and we came together and that is a favorite 48:03 book is Desire of Ages. Read it man. 48:05 I've got to say too, the Bible says, to remember every 48:09 single thing God has done for you in the past so that 48:12 when you are struggling with anything that you will build 48:15 faith. So build your trust, build your confidence in Him. 48:18 Guess what I'm doing? I write letters to God. 48:21 I have written letters to God for 20 years. 48:24 So now I am writing a book, teaching ladies, that God can 48:28 take care of your mental, physical, spiritual, and 48:30 emotional needs and using my letters as an example. 48:33 So pray for me as I write this book. - Amen. 48:35 But you know what? even with that, being able to go back and 48:38 look on what you have written and how He answered that and 48:41 how He blessed you. Just being able to say, God I have 48:44 to remember the times You have blessed me and the things 48:47 You have done for me in my life so that when I am in doubt 48:50 of any kind, when I have difficulties trusting, when I do 48:54 crash, I can say, you know what? He was faithful yesterday. Amen. 48:59 So Fa'asoa you have a question? 49:01 Yes, sort of two prong Mr. Harris. 49:04 That is, I'm certain there are fathers out there that are 49:10 watching this program, and children watching this program. 49:15 What advice would you give them? Mr. Harris, being through 49:20 the things you have gone through and at the point where your son, 49:25 as you have said, your son looked at you and said daddy 49:30 this is where you have gone to jail because of doing this. 49:33 What would you say, what advice would you give to these 49:37 daddies and these children? If they are watching this 49:41 program. - what advice I would give them? - yes to 49:44 stay away when in the midst of that decision, should I go rob 49:48 a bank with this friend of mine, or should I not? 49:53 God has put us as parents is to be examples to set an 49:58 example for our children, and I think it is one thing 50:03 I have failed my children on in a sense, 50:07 but the Lord has rescued me from that. 50:12 Take advantage of the right that you have now, that God 50:18 has given you to be the father that they need to be. 50:22 Just like you with your daughter, you are loving her, 50:27 and I noticed this today, you are tender with her, and she 50:32 is loving you, now is the time to nurture that child. 50:36 Okay? because God is going to come up one of these days 50:40 and say, what did you do for that child? 50:44 I have guys in the program who really done their children 50:49 wrong man, so my advice is to just love your children. 50:54 Just be there for your children. 50:57 Be the father and set an example, but you have to have 51:01 Christ in your life, you know? 51:04 He will lead you to be the father you need to be. 51:07 I have to also say one thing too, is that for people that 51:10 like myself that got lost in addictions, and lost in all 51:14 that, is God has the miraculous ability to reconcile 51:18 you to children, that it shouldn't even work out ever. 51:21 Your children should never trust you again but yet God says no, 51:24 no, no, I want to heal your whole family. 51:26 I want to bring everything together so if you are out 51:30 there and you are using and you are afraid that God can't 51:33 do anything, or that there's too much separation, 51:35 that is a lie. 51:37 God is bigger than all that and can bring healing into 51:40 places and make it even better. 51:42 He says every single thing that ever has happened to you 51:45 I actually will turn all that to good, not that it was 51:48 good I'll turn all that to good and bless your children. 51:52 Second part of my question, maybe a comment rather is 51:56 that I am currently attending a university, a Christian 51:59 university and a lot of my colleagues, or classmates 52:02 I am sure struggle with the issue of faith. 52:04 Since you brought up this faith part in your amazing 52:08 story, what can you share with them in helping them 52:12 to trust in God, the God that you both have seen work 52:15 through your lives amazingly. What can you say to them? 52:19 You know I think trust comes out of a relationship with 52:23 Christ, you know in this ministry sometimes, and you do 52:27 it too I'm sure, you get so busy helping other people, going 52:30 here and there and I read something by Oswald Chambers 52:35 where he says, he says activity is the unrecognized 52:40 symptom of spiritual weakness. - wow. 52:43 Been busy is an unrecognized symptom of spiritual weakness 52:47 and we have found in this ministry that we get so busy, 52:50 busy helping all drug addicts and I get to thinking 52:53 You know, how much time have I spent with Christ? 52:56 So my answer is, spending that quality time with Christ. 53:00 Getting to know Him, that is what builds my faith. 53:04 While I'm falling in love with Him and being obedient to 53:08 Him, He's taken care of DAP, He's taking care of your TV 53:12 show, so my key is more time with Christ. 53:16 People say more prayer more power, I say more time 53:20 more power, little time little power, no time no power. 53:24 So the key I think in building up your faith is spending 53:27 that quality time with God getting to know Him. 53:29 But you know what I learned too, and I just want to throw 53:32 this in, is I thought that I loved God, I thought 53:35 everything was all right with my relationship with God 53:38 and then I found the Holy Spirit everyday and now 53:41 I know what love truly is. 53:42 So really turn it over and ask Him to fill you up and 53:45 do that, you know what? We are out of time. 53:48 We're out of time? I know, doesn't it go by too fast? 53:50 I just have to say you guys come back. 53:53 - we have to come back! - alright, alright! 53:55 And you too, come back. 53:57 I want a hug too. - okay. 54:00 You know what? Stay tuned, we will be right back! 54:07 Amazing stories of real people in real situations discussing 54:11 issues that really matter. 54:12 A complete first season of Celebrating Life In Recover is 54:16 now available on DVD and can be ordered by calling 3ABN 54:19 or online at 3ABN.org hosted by Cheri Peters. 54:23 This season follows principles of the book 54:26 'Steps to Christ'. 54:27 See for yourself how God changed the lives of the 54:29 convicted and the accused and victims of terrible crimes. 54:32 You won't want to miss a moment of these powerful interviews. 54:36 I've got to finish this story with my husband and the 54:39 computer because I think it's hilarious the way God works 54:42 with us because I really got convicted when I found out 54:46 that not only did I manipulate him with a computer and 54:49 really play him with that, and my daughter is learning 54:52 to do that with her father and more than likely with her 54:56 boyfriends and all that stuff, I thought God forgive me. 55:00 I just wanted to stop. I went to Brad, Brad we've been 55:03 married almost 19 years and he has only been a Christian 55:06 the last few years and I have prayed for him for 55:09 14 years straight to be a Christian. 55:10 I said, you know what? I'm so sorry that I wait until 55:13 you become a Christian and I am still manipulating you 55:16 and undermining you as a man of God. 55:18 So I felt bad, and I started crying, and I'm like 55:21 I'm so sorry and please forgive me. 55:24 Every single time I even touch this computer, I need to 55:27 take it back because when I touch this computer 55:30 I feel guilty and it makes me think of all that. 55:32 He said, every time you touch the computer you feel 55:35 guilty and you think of all this? I said yes. 55:37 He said, you better keep that computer. 55:39 So I thought how funny is that? That he says, 55:42 learn from that and keep it. 55:44 I think God just wows me with that. 55:46 I'm going to read a statement out of a book called, 55:49 'Steps To Christ', Ellen White's writings. 55:51 It says that many walk along the path of life, dwell 55:55 upon their mistakes and their failures, their disappointments 55:57 and their hearts are filled with grief and discouragement 56:00 While I was in Europe a sister who had been doing this 56:04 who was deep into distress and wrote me and asking for some 56:07 word of encouragement. The night after I had read her 56:10 letter I dreamed I was in the garden, the one that seems 56:13 to be the owner of the garden was walking along and 56:16 they were walking along this pathway. 56:17 They saw all these incredible flowers and all this kind of 56:20 stuff and this particular woman, instead of looking at 56:23 the flowers and enjoy the fragrance of the flowers and all 56:27 that stuff, she was like looking at, my goodness look at 56:30 all these thorns, and look at all these weeds, and look at 56:33 all the stuff and she started moaning and grieving. 56:37 She was not walking on the pathway at all, 56:38 she was like way out of the path. 56:41 She wasn't following the guide she was walking amongst 56:44 thorns and she was like oh isn't it a pity that this 56:47 beautiful garden is spoiled with thorns? 56:50 And the guide said, Jesus said, let the thorns alone for 56:53 they will only worry you, they will only get in your way. 56:57 Look at the flowers, look at those kind of things. 57:00 I think in our life He does the same thing with us. 57:03 We have all this stuff in our background, and things are 57:05 going to come up and that is just the way it is. 57:08 But God says, you know what? Look at the flowers. 57:10 Look at the good things, remember how you have been 57:12 blessed and let that strengthen you. 57:15 He promises you that He will fulfill in you everything 57:19 He says He will and He will walk you right into recovery 57:22 and then you will stand up and walk 57:25 someone else into recovery. 57:26 God says that is who I am and that is how I bless you. 57:30 The next show is going to be about the Holy Spirit in 57:33 recovery and I am so thrilled about that so until next 57:37 time I want you to remember, always remember that 57:39 God is crazy about you and me too. 57:41 See you next time! |
Revised 2014-12-17