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Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201921S
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00:00 >> This morning, in my quiet time with the Lord, I was reading these words in my
00:05 Bible -- "Then the Word of the Lord came to me, saying: 'Before I formed you in the womb, 00:11 I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you.'" 00:16 Do you realize what that's saying to you personally? Did you know that God knew you 00:21 before you were born? He had a plan for your life, a divine purpose for your 00:27 existence. >> In Jeremiah 29:11-14, the Lord plainly tells you these 00:34 words. Now I want you to hear these words as God's words to you 00:38 personally. Yeah, they are. "'For I know the plans I have 00:42 for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope 00:50 and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will 00:55 listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek with all your 01:01 heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord." 01:05 >> So, today we are going to be talking to Dr. Nadine Plummer, N.D., and she's gonna be talking 01:12 about how she discovered the purpose of her life. >> Dr. Plummer has had a 01:18 fascinating journey to get to where she is right now in her life. 01:22 She was once a Buddhist living in China for many years. >> A Buddhist? 01:26 You might be wondering, "Why is she on a Christian TV program?" Well, we asked her to come in 01:32 and tell you that story herself here on "It Is Written Canada." And as she shares that story, 01:39 you're gonna see how she clearly came to an understanding of the meaning and purpose of her life. 01:44 So, after this, we're gonna be talking to Dr. Nadine Plummer, N.D. 01:50 ♪♪ ♪♪ 02:03 ♪♪ Welcome back, and thank you for 02:12 joining us on "It Is Written Canada." 02:14 As we promised, we are here with Dr. Nadine Plummer. 02:17 And we're gonna be talking about the meaning of life. 02:20 And we've been looking at Jeremiah. 02:22 And Jeremiah 33:3 tells us that we can call upon the Lord and He 02:27 will answer us and He's gonna show us things that we do not 02:30 know. 02:31 So, welcome, and thank you for joining us. >> Thank you. 02:35 >> So, Dr. Plummer, let's start with where you are today. You're a naturopathic doctor. 02:40 >> Correct. >> What made you interested in naturopathic medicine? 02:44 >> I actually got interested in naturopathic medicine when I myself got sick. 02:50 So, I was living in China. This is several years ago. I lived there for many years. 02:55 And after being in mainland China and -- between Taiwan and mainland China at least four 03:03 years, I got quite sick. And I knew that I had the option of coming home. 03:07 I thought, "If I go home, I might be put on medication," which I wasn't anti-medication, 03:14 but I was so sick that I just thought -- I was wondering if there was a more natural way of 03:21 addressing it, if I could go somewhere closer rather than flying all the way back to 03:26 Toronto. So, I had heard of a detox center in Thailand and I was 03:33 told that it was run by Buddhists and I was Buddhist at the time -- so, a Buddhist 03:38 detox center. So I went there instead. And when I got there, I started 03:42 seeing a nutritionist. I was open to trying everything. I went for acupuncture. 03:47 I saw a nutritionist. I went -- I stopped eating all meat. 03:52 At that time, I ate everything. Like, I ate pork, bullfrog. You name it. Duck fat. 04:01 'Cause I was living in China in a certain city in Guangdong, where that's the type of cuisine 04:09 there. And so it was advised that I cut everything out. 04:13 I became an all-raw vegan. I started exercising. I started meditating. 04:19 The acupuncture was weekly, et cetera. And at the end of three months, 04:23 I started taking supplements. I started reading a book by Linda Lazarides called 04:28 "Nutritional Therapy." And I was so inspired by this book. 04:31 I was doing fasting. And I put myself on a series of supplements. 04:37 So, at the end of three months, everything was better and I was kind of healed. 04:42 And I thought, "Oh, that's what I want to do when I get back to Canada." 04:47 And shortly after that, I got the opportunity to work at a Chinese-medicine retreat center. 04:54 So, I worked there, and I also studied there. I studied -- I did a 108-day 05:00 program called a medical martial-arts certification. So, we took botanical herbs. 05:07 We studied hydrotherapy, acupuncture again, and kung fu. And at the end of all of that, 05:15 I thought, "Okay, I am equipped and ready to do this, like, as a career when I come back to 05:22 Canada." >> So, how long was your stay altogether in China, from when 05:26 you got there until you decided to come back to -- >> It was about six years. 05:31 >> Oh. >> Yeah. >> So, you decided to become a 05:34 naturopathic doctor. >> Mm-hmm. >> I'm sure it didn't happen 05:37 overnight. >> No. >> Yeah. Long process? 05:39 >> Very long process. I decide to become -- I didn't actually know the term 05:44 "naturopathic doctor" at that time. So, that was maybe in the year 05:48 2001, 2002. I came home in 2003. And I wanted to become a 05:54 nutritional therapist, but I also wanted to do acupuncture and incorporate these two 05:59 things. So, I had a very good friend who is a little bit older. 06:03 He had acted as a mentor for many years. And I approached him and said, 06:08 "Okay, so, what do you suggest? What should I study? What incorporates all of these 06:13 things -- the nutrition, the acupuncture, the supplements?" And he said that there was a 06:21 college in Toronto called the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. 06:24 I should go there and become a naturopathic doctor. So, that's the first time I 06:29 heard that term. >> Mm-hmm. >> And I was like, 06:32 "Okay, amazing." >> Mm-hmm. >> I thought it would be easy. 06:34 >> Mm-hmm. >> And I looked into it, and I didn't have any of the -- 06:40 I mean, not that I didn't have any -- I didn't have the required science prerequisites. 06:46 >> Yes. >> And when I found out the tuition, which seemed like an 06:52 incredible amount at that time, I thought, "I will never be able to go to this school," because I 07:00 just -- I couldn't foresee that I'd ever be able to afford it. >> So, it was pretty expensive? 07:05 >> Very, very expensive. Yeah. >> So, you were born and raised in Canada. 07:10 How did you become a Buddhist? >> I was born and raised in the GTA, born in Toronto, raised in 07:17 the Greater Toronto Area. I actually grew up Christian. We grew up going to the 07:23 Anglican Church. >> Mm-hmm. >> And I went to the 07:27 Anglican Church till I was about maybe 13 or so. We went through first communion 07:31 in the Anglican Church. I mean, we went every Sunday, from what I remember. 07:36 I didn't really understand Christianity at that time, but I understood that I was a 07:42 "Christian." >> Mm-hmm. >> I think I got really freaked 07:46 out because a lot of the sermons were about gnashing of teeth and hell and -- 07:52 >> It was frightening. Yeah. >> Very frightening. And I thought, "Oh, no. 07:55 You know, like, a big stroke of lightning's gonna come out of nowhere and just blow me away." 08:00 So, I kind of veered away. There was a long process, but veered right away from 08:06 Christianity to the point of being completely agnostic and not even wanting to talk to 08:11 Christians 'cause I thought, "Oh, they're just gonna try to get you..." 08:14 >> Mm-hmm. >> "...bring you into the church." 08:15 And so I was agnostic for quite a while, but I just -- I guess it was -- I had experienced a 08:25 lot of trauma and upset. My dad had passed away suddenly when I was quite young. 08:31 And those made me start questioning at a young age, like at about 11, 08:36 "What is life all about if something like that can happen like that?" 08:41 You think your life is like this, and tomorrow it's like that. 08:44 So, those questions had started very early. >> Mm-hmm. 08:48 >> By time I went to Asia, I was a complete agnostic, but I was looking, searching for, "Okay, 08:55 there must be more to life. And why do people die? What is -- What is life? 09:02 What is death? What happens after we die? If we're only here for a limited 09:06 period of time..." >> Mm-hmm. >> "...what is the meaning of 09:10 that period of time we're here for? Like, there has to be more than, 09:13 we just live and then we die and we become part of the ground." So, as I started that searching, 09:20 and I was really into reading at the time, I started doing some reading. 09:24 I read a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, several of his books. 09:27 He's a Zen Buddhist monk. >> Mm-hmm. >> And I read "The Prophet" by 09:33 Kahlil Gibran, who was a Lebanese philosopher. So, all of these books were a 09:39 little more spiritual. >> Mm-hmm. >> I read "The Tao Of Peace." 09:43 And as I got more into the Eastern philosophies in reading... 09:49 >> Mm-hmm. >> ...I became more open to Buddhism. 09:52 I had a very good friend in Taipei who was a Buddhist, and she started taking me to her 09:57 temple. >> Mm-hmm. >> And so it was between going 10:00 with my really good friend and reading these books and then the books led to Buddhist 10:06 meditations and doing the meditations led to actually going to monastery stays. 10:12 So, I really just embraced it because -- >> You got pretty deep into it. 10:16 >> Oh, yeah. >> And how many years were you in China? 10:18 >> Six years. >> And while you were there, you learned Chinese? 10:21 >> I did, yeah. >> Or Mandarin? >> Mandarin. 10:23 >> And you spoke Mandarin. >> Yeah. >> So, how'd you become a 10:25 Christian? >> Oh, that's a long story. >> Yeah, that's a long story. 10:29 But, I mean, you became a Buddhist while you were in China... 10:32 >> Yeah. >> ...then becoming a Christian was -- that's a big part of it. 10:35 >> So, I became a Christian. The interesting thing is, in becoming a Buddhist, as I said, 10:40 that was more reading. But I had that gnawing search, right, in my heart. 10:45 >> Mm. >> I wanted to know what is this life all about? 10:49 And I remember leaving Canada. >> Yeah. >> And I said, "I'm not coming 10:54 back until I know the purpose of life." That was actually what I said to 10:57 myself. And I remember coming home and meeting my best friend's cousin. 11:01 >> Mm-hmm. >> And I told her -- It was just on a trip shortly before I moved 11:05 back, and I said, "I feel like I can come home now..." >> Mm-hmm. 11:08 >> "...because I understand the purpose of life." >> Mm-hmm. 11:10 >> So, the truth is, I actually didn't know. I thought I knew, but now I know 11:15 that it was just a step in the right direction. >> Mm-hmm. 11:19 >> But I became a Buddhist through reading, meditation, et cetera, a good friend, 11:23 and then I embraced it. But that kind of little gnawing thing never 100% went away. 11:30 I would say maybe 75%. I became a Christian because I had a very strong spiritual 11:38 experience. So, my Buddhism had been much more intellectual. 11:43 >> Okay. >> I embraced it. >> Mm-hmm. 11:46 >> And I did have a few spiritual experiences. But when I was living in 11:50 Thailand, in the house where I was staying, I got very spooked. Something happened in that 11:56 house. I felt like there was something in the house that was -- I don't 12:01 know -- not human, you could say. And, funny, even though I was 12:06 Buddhist, I didn't really believe that much in spirits or in the supernatural. 12:11 I believed in reincarnation, and all of the supernatural stuff kind of happened during that 12:16 process of reincarnation, if you want to call it that. So, when this happened, I was 12:22 completely freaked out... >> Mm-hmm. >> ...like, "Oh, maybe there are 12:25 things around that we don't see." >> Mm-hmm. 12:28 >> I didn't believe in God because I felt you could be a Buddhist without believing in 12:33 God, the God that I now believe in. Funny enough, at that time, my 12:38 mom flew in from Thailand. So, I would -- From Toronto. I would say I was kind of in the 12:43 midst of a spiritual crisis maybe. And nobody had visited me for 12:50 five years. So, out of that entire period, she arrived then. 12:54 I picked her up at the airport. I said, "Mom, I think my house is haunted." 12:58 I thought she would freak out. Like -- And she had told me. I really didn't take a lot of my 13:03 mom's advice because my mom was a Christian and I had already kind of "denounced" 13:07 Christianity. >> So you cut her off. >> Yeah. 13:09 Anything she has to say, well, it can't be that much -- you know, that much truth in it. 13:14 Take it with a huge grain of, salt, many grains of salt. So, she had told me prior to 13:18 that, "Just to be careful. Don't look too much into things that were of a spiritual nature 13:24 because you're inviting things in, basically." And I didn't understand that 13:29 at all at the time. So, I had been reading all of these books and practicing 13:33 different things which I thought were of no consequence except to help me understand myself. 13:40 So, when she arrived, I said, "I think the house is haunted. Just want to let you know." 13:45 We were driving from the airport to the house. So, on that short time, I 13:50 warned her, you know, "Before you step in the house, I think there's something in there." 13:53 And she was so calm about it. And we got in the house, and she said, "No problem. 13:59 I'm just gonna say a prayer." I thought she would freak out. So, really, that was one of the 14:05 first things. She said that prayer, and it was like there was this palpable 14:09 peace that kind of descended on the house. I could feel it. 14:13 >> Mm. >> And once she stepped in, whatever I had felt before 14:18 was gone. >> Mm-hmm. >> And I remember thinking, 14:20 "Okay, my mom has to stay here 'cause it came with her. So when she leaves, whatever it 14:25 was is still there." >> You're gonna lose that peace. >> That's right. 14:28 >> Yeah. >> So I asked her, "When you leave, can you please send me 14:33 Bible passages?" Because when my mom was there, I saw her in a different light. 14:37 "Okay, she said this prayer. Maybe she knows things." I asked her some things -- 14:42 "Mom, do you believe in aliens?" And I thought all Christians were so conservative. 14:47 Christians can never believe in aliens. And she said, "I do." 14:50 And I was like, "Oh, wow. Really? Why do you believe in aliens?" 14:55 And so she said, "Well, I think the Bible alludes to the idea of life greater than us being here 15:01 on this Earth." >> Mm-hmm. >> And I was like, "Oh, my gosh. 15:05 Wow." And I don't remember the questions, but I asked two or 15:08 three questions that seemed like really deep questions to me. She had all the answers, and she 15:14 said that the answers came from the Bible. So I asked her to send me a 15:18 Bible passage every day, e-mail me a Bible passage every day, which I have to say -- and thank 15:23 you, Mom -- she e-mailed me a Bible passage every day. And that was partly for 15:29 protection. I thought, "If I read this every day, like, the house will be 15:32 okay." >> Mm-hmm. >> But a few months prior to 15:36 that, my mom sent me a magazine while I was in China, and it was a Christian magazine called 15:42 Sign of the Times. And I actually read it. And I found it just gave me a 15:47 different perspective on Christianity. >> So, Dr. Plummer, that 15:52 magazine really made a huge impact in your life >> It did. 15:55 It kind of stayed in the back of my mind, you know? Yeah. 15:59 >> So, we're gonna take a break, and before we continue, we're gonna listen to a song. 16:12 [ "Mighty Fortress Is Our God" plays ] ♪♪ 16:27 ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ 16:57 ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Choir vocalizing ] 17:20 ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ 17:43 ♪♪ >> ♪ A mighty fortress is our God ♪ 17:56 ♪ A bulwark never failing ♪ Our helper, He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing ♪ 18:12 >> ♪ For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe ♪ ♪ His craft and pow'r are great 18:24 great ♪ ♪ And armed with cruel hate >> ♪ On earth is not his equal 18:38 >> ♪ Did we in our own strength confide ♪ ♪ Our striving would be losing 18:49 ♪ Were not the right Man on our side ♪ ♪ The Man of God's own 18:57 choosing ♪ >> ♪ Dost ask who that may be? ♪ Christ Jesus, it is He 19:08 ♪ Lord Sabaoth His name ♪ From age to age the same ♪ And He must win the battle 19:27 >> "A mighty fortress is our God" -- those words are so true. And we are back with our guest, 19:34 Dr. Nadine Plummer, N.D. And she's been talking to us about the meaning and finding 19:41 the purpose of life. >> Mm-hmm. >> Yeah. 19:43 >> I just want to say that "A Mighty Fortress is our God" is my favorite hymn and also my 19:47 grandmother's favorite hymn, so it was really nice to hear that you were playing it. 19:51 >> Yeah, that's amazing. Yeah, that we chose that actual song. 19:54 So, you were telling about how you were a Buddhist and you became a Christian. 19:59 >> Right. And I had mentioned that my mom had sent me a magazine called 20:03 Signs of the Times. And prior to that, when she sent me anything, I just kind of 20:07 discarded it because it was "Christian." But I read that. 20:10 That was prior to her arrival. And what it was about that magazine is there were stories 20:16 in it about people who were trying to transform their lives, and that's what I was trying to 20:21 do through Buddhism. And, really, that's what happened through Christianity. 20:26 I had a great life transformation. So, when I read that magazine, 20:30 it kind of primed me that there's more in Christianity than just being a "good person" 20:36 or -- There's more to Christianity. It really is about life and life 20:40 transformation and it's about Jesus Christ, but I didn't quite know that piece yet. 20:46 But when I moved to Ottawa -- I moved there to be a little closer to my brother's family -- 20:50 I had a very good friend at work who was a Christian, only one Christian friend. 20:55 And she seemed kind of cool. I avoided most Christians, but I really liked her. 20:59 And we worked together. And in my job, I was kind of moving up, and suddenly I lost 21:05 my contract. And I had had -- I was the kind of person who had, like, a 21:09 five-year plan. I knew exactly what was gonna happen, what I thought would 21:13 happen, and it was gone like that... >> Mm. 21:15 >> ...something like when I was a child and I lost my dad and it made me wonder about the meaning 21:19 of life. So, again, there I was thinking, "What's the meaning of life if 21:22 everything you think's gonna happen could be gone like that?" And that friend mentioned to me 21:28 that her church was running a 13-week course on the meaning of life. 21:33 That's exactly what I was looking for. >> That's what you were looking 21:35 for, yeah. >> So, I attended. She didn't mentioned that it was 21:38 Christian. And if I had known, I probably wouldn't have gone. 21:41 I was very -- I was more New Agey at that time. So, I attended. 21:46 I ended up attending for 13 weeks. Every week, I thought, 21:50 "I'm not going back." And it was like the Holy Spirit every Tuesday would be like, 21:54 "Weren't those people nice? Just go again." So, by the end, I was completely 22:01 converted. When I prayed, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. 22:04 And at the end of that, I dedicated my life to Jesus Christ. 22:08 >> That is a huge transformation. >> Yeah, it was a big shift. 22:12 >> And the people around you -- did they notice there was something different? 22:15 >> Well, I was on fire. I mean, everyone I met, I was like, "Guess what! 22:20 I'm a born-again Christian! And God is supernatural! Jesus Christ -- I accepted Him 22:25 as my Lord and Savior." I mean, people were like, "What has happened to you?" 22:30 >> So, you were a person who was, "Get me away from Christianity." 22:33 >> Yes. >> "I want to be, you know, finding my own meaning in 22:37 Buddhism and, you know, going to the Middle East and everything." Or -- sorry -- to -- 22:41 >> Asia. >> Asia. And experiencing -- >> I did go the Middle East 22:44 eventually, but... >> And you did a lot of traveling... 22:47 >> I did, yeah. >> ...and a lot of searching. And then you finally came home, 22:51 and then it's like, "Whoa, what is this? Christianity? 22:53 It means something?" And it meant so much to you. >> And -- It did. 22:56 And I feel like that, even in Buddhism, what was missing was Jesus. 23:01 For me, Jesus Christ was missing, so when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, 23:06 that gnawing, searching feeling -- it was -- it was gone. 23:11 And I realized that Jesus Christ is the meaning of life. >> Wow. 23:15 >> Yeah. >> So, Dr. Plummer, what do you feel that your mission is 23:21 right now? >> My mission combines a spiritual mission as well as a 23:26 medical mission. So, really, with my patients and with anyone I have the 23:31 opportunity to be with or talk to, it's to help kind of veer people towards holistic health, 23:38 towards spiritual health, mental health, emotional health, physical health. 23:43 >> Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So it's holistic health. >> Yeah. 23:47 >> So, could you give advice? What kind of advice would you give to someone who is 23:50 struggling, say, with an illness? You know, you're a naturopathic 23:54 doctor. Let's say a physical, emotional, spiritual illness -- what kind 23:57 of advice would you give them? >> As a Christian, I mean, if that person were also Christian, 24:03 I'd say, you know, "Cast all of your cares on Christ." Often when you get a diagnosis, 24:09 what I've noticed is people get very anxious. They get very stressed out, you 24:14 know, which just then makes it worse. So, dealing with that stress and 24:18 dealing with that anxiety -- that would be the first step. So I'd start with prayer or 24:23 address the stress and anxiety, and then after that, start seeking, you know, excellent 24:29 medical care. But keep in mind that we're spiritual, mental, emotional 24:34 beings, so the spiritual aspect for me is quite important to incorporate. 24:38 >> Very important. There's such a strategy to that, isn't there? 24:41 I mean, this is different than just going out and giving a pill. 24:44 >> Yes. Yeah. >> This is sitting down and understanding the person and 24:47 praying with them. >> It's looking at the entire person. 24:50 >> Do you pray with people? >> I do. I do. If people are open to it, I pray 24:54 with them. If they tell me that they're Christian, then I pray with 24:57 them. If they are not Christian and don't mention anything about it, 25:01 then I don't. >> What about the Bible? Does that ever come in? 25:05 Do you ever talk about the Bible, or do you ever give a Bible promise or -- if you know 25:08 they're Christian? >> Yeah, if I know they're Christian and it ties in. 25:13 Like, if that person has a lot of anxiety, I might say, you know, "There's a Bible verse 25:18 that says, 'Be anxious for nothing.'" >> Mm-hmm. 25:20 >> And so with certain Christian patients, I do bring in Bible verses. 25:26 >> Tell me your favorite Bible verse. >> It is, I think, Luke 1:37. 25:34 I have several. The one from Jeremiah, Jeremiah 29:11. 25:38 I love Jeremiah 33:3. Amazing. 25:41 And I think it's Luke 1:37... >> Yes, I'll find it for you. 25:46 >> ...which is, "With the Lord, nothing is impossible. 25:50 >> That's absolutely it, yeah. "With the Lord, nothing shall be 25:52 impossible." 25:53 >> Yeah. >> So, one more question. For those that are listening to 25:58 our program today, what would you say to someone who is searching for the meaning of 26:04 life just as you did? Right. I would say it's important for 26:09 them to understand that there is a reason why they're here, that there's a purpose for their 26:15 life, and that purpose goes beyond themselves. Like, the greater purpose for 26:20 their life comes from God. It comes from Christ. But knowing that you're 26:25 important and the fact that you live here on Earth is also significant and that there's a 26:32 specific purpose. I actually read a book about having a life purpose when I 26:39 first became Christian, and that really helped me. So, really seeking out that 26:46 purpose and finding it in Jesus -- that would be my advice to them. 26:53 >> It's wonderful. >> It's wonderful advice. >> Thank you so much. 26:55 >> You're welcome. >> Thank you for sharing that. Friends, we have an offer for 26:59 you, and it is, actually, the Signs of the Times. And that was before Nadine told 27:04 us that she had found that meaning in her life from reading that magazine. 27:09 This magazine is called "The Benefits of Belief." >> Mm. So important. 27:14 >> So, the benefits of belief -- you find the benefits of prayer, the benefits of reading the 27:18 Scriptures, the benefits of belonging to a church, a community of faith, and the 27:24 benefits of forgiveness, and so many more benefits that we find in belief. 27:29 So, thank you very much, Dr. Nadine Plummer, for coming in. 27:34 So, friends, if you would like this magazine, you can contact 27:38 us through the information that's on the screen right now. 27:42 So, we're just going to have a word of prayer to close off. 27:46 Rene, would you like to pray for us? 27:48 >> Dear God and Heavenly Father, thank you so much for the opportunity of us meeting today 27:54 with Dr. Nadine Plummer. Lord, we want to thank you that you care about each of us 28:00 and that we have a purpose. You have given us a purpose to live. 28:05 And, Lord, I pray that we will be filled with your spirit, get to know you better, 28:11 and live for you because you are the life-giver. I pray this in your precious 28:17 name. Amen. >> Amen. Amen. 28:18 >> Amen. >> So, friends, thank you for joining us, and remember the 28:24 words of Jesus, wherein He said, "It is written: 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by 28:30 every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" 28:35 ♪♪ ♪♪ 28:51 ♪♪ |
Revised 2020-03-10