Participants:
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC202030S
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00:41 >> Hello and thank you 00:42 for joining us on 00:43 It Is Written Canada. 00:45 Our guests today are Norwill 00:47 and Hollace Simmonds who are 00:50 about to share from their 00:51 hearts the joy of their 00:53 inspirational relationship 00:55 with Jesus, their music, 00:57 their story, and their 01:00 magnetic personalities. 01:02 Prepare to be inspired. 01:07 >> Norwill and Hollace, thank 01:08 you so much for inviting us 01:10 into your beautiful home. 01:12 >> We're humbled. 01:14 >> So, Hollace, I'm gonna 01:15 start with you. 01:16 Take us back to your 01:18 beginnings and how you ended 01:20 up in Canada and how you met 01:22 Norwill. 01:23 >> Well, I was born in 01:25 Barbados, I'm the fourth child 01:28 of seven. 01:29 My dad who was a carpenter was 01:32 also an artist and my mom was 01:34 a homemaker. 01:36 [Mike] And being an artist, 01:37 this is one of his paintings 01:38 sitting on the mantelpiece. 01:40 >> It is. 01:41 >> And this is a scene in the 01:42 Barbados... 01:42 >> Yes. 01:43 >> ...beautiful. 01:45 Getting ready to 01:46 get on a ship. 01:47 >> Yes, it's a historical 01:48 piece actually. 01:49 >> Awesome. 01:51 >> And my mom was one of a 01:54 twin and her sister who had 01:57 no children of her own, 01:59 brought me to Canada to be 02:02 with her for a few years. 02:04 I went back to Barbados after 02:06 that and I completed high 02:07 school, visiting in the 02:09 summers, but I completed high 02:10 school there and then I 02:12 decided I wanted to come back 02:13 to Canada. 02:15 And that's when I met Norwill. 02:17 >> And both of you are very 02:20 musical so part of that 02:21 journey was your journey to 02:23 get to Canada. 02:25 Tell us about your musical 02:26 journey, Norwill. 02:27 >> Mmm, I started singing at 02:29 the age of, I think it was 02:31 nine years old, and it was 02:34 just a little class party that 02:36 we were having, I don't 02:38 remember the occasion, but... 02:41 we-- everybody, all the kids 02:44 did their little thing and I 02:46 thought, "Oh, I could sing" 02:47 "this song." 02:48 And I got up and sang this-- 02:50 It was a very popular song 02:51 at the time. 02:52 They thought it was good, 02:54 I thought it was, yeah, OK. 02:57 By the time I got home, my mom 02:59 heard that I did the song. 03:01 Now, we're all Adventist and, 03:04 you know, in those times 03:06 Adventists, we don't go just 03:08 singing reggae songs all over 03:09 and she pulled me up that 03:11 evening, she says, 03:13 "How are you going to school" 03:14 "singing reggae songs?" 03:16 "How come you never sing" 03:17 "at church?" 03:18 And I thought about it and I 03:20 said to her, "They never" 03:21 "asked me to sing at church." 03:23 And she said, "Well, you're" 03:24 "singing on Saturday." 03:25 I said, "OK." 03:27 Now I know lots of songs 03:30 because every Sunday it's 03:31 traditional, people just play 03:33 gospel music all over and so 03:35 there were songs that I know 03:37 so the Sabbath I sang a song. 03:41 And they thought, "Wow!" 03:45 They were blown away by it. 03:46 >> He can sing! 03:47 >> Yeah. (laughs) 03:48 I have no idea 03:49 what that is, but! 03:50 But anyhow, so who were not 03:54 there in the morning, by 03:56 evening everybody was pulling 03:57 me aside, 03:59 "Hey, sing the song for me." 04:01 And then that's when, 04:04 you know, everybody realized 04:06 that there was Spurgie, Norwill. 04:10 [Everol] I will tell you 04:11 about Spurgie. 04:16 You will know him as Norwill, 04:18 a lot of people know him as 04:19 Norwill Simmonds, but I'll 04:20 tell you about Spurgie because 04:21 that's who I know. 04:23 Spurgie brought out something 04:26 in me at that time in my life 04:27 to where I started-- I saw 04:31 Jesus in a different light. 04:32 I start studying Jesus, 04:34 I start seeing how Jesus moved 04:38 and I became so taken up with 04:43 Jesus and that was all because 04:45 of Spurgie, 04:46 the way our Spurgie start 04:48 living his life. 04:50 His contribution 04:53 must be to God. 04:54 That's him today and that's 04:56 where he has always been. 04:58 His voice must be for God 05:01 and that's the Spurgie 05:02 that I know. 05:06 >> There was one season when 05:07 we were doing Harvest 05:08 Ingathering, which we call 05:09 "ADRA" now, 05:11 and one of the ways in which 05:14 we do ADRA, we go out downtown 05:18 in the community or stuff like 05:19 that, but we as a group, we 05:21 decided that we were going to 05:22 go into an area called 05:24 Ironshore, just where just 05:25 guest houses are. 05:27 And so we went in there. 05:29 I went to this one house, 05:31 last house we went to one 05:32 evening and it was an older 05:34 couple and we sang for them 05:39 and they were just so thrilled 05:42 and by the end of the evening 05:44 she says, "Would you" 05:45 "like to go to Canada?" 05:47 And I thought, "Yes!" 05:49 And it happened so fast. 05:52 By then I went home, I told my 05:54 parents and they came and they 05:57 met with them and, to cut a 05:59 long story short, I made it to 06:02 Canada in 1976, June of 1976. 06:05 >> Wow, how old were you at 06:06 that time? 06:07 >> I was twelve, 06:08 going on thirteen. 06:10 >> Wow, so that was a big time 06:11 for you? 06:13 [Norwill] Oh, it was amazing. 06:14 >> Very exciting. 06:15 >> Yeah, first time my eyes 06:16 were open to flying in a 06:18 plane and seeing a 06:19 different country. 06:21 I got involved with choirs and 06:23 stuff like that and I ended up 06:26 singing with an amazing choir 06:28 called Sound Idea and we went 06:30 one weekend to a place called 06:32 Guelph to sing and that's 06:34 where I met Hollace. 06:36 Yeah, she was-- she came as a 06:37 visitor to one of our 06:40 directors and she sat her down 06:42 beside me and she whispered, 06:43 she said, "Take care of her" 06:44 "for me." 06:46 I said, "OK." Yeah. 06:49 Not with any intention, but 06:51 here it is, I'm still taking 06:52 care of her. 06:53 (laughter) 06:54 [René] I was gonna say, and 06:55 the rest is history. 06:56 (laughter) 06:57 [René] So if someone came to 07:00 you and you had to tell them 07:02 about Hollace, like... 07:05 what would make-- what makes 07:07 Hollace Hollace? 07:09 [Norwill] Oh, her smile... 07:12 it was so electric, 07:16 it was so pulling. 07:17 I love her smile. 07:19 You know, every time we sit 07:20 and we talk about it, we say, 07:22 "That was just God's doing." 07:25 [Mike] Yeah, putting you 07:27 together, yeah. 07:28 So then let me throw the same 07:30 question to you then, Hollace. 07:31 What makes Norwill Norwill? 07:35 >> He's a people person. 07:38 He has a very real way 07:40 about him. 07:42 He treats everybody the same 07:45 and I think that's one of the 07:46 things that really touched my 07:48 heart because he didn't treat 07:52 me any different to my 07:54 girlfriends when we were all 07:56 together so that kinda told me 07:58 that he wasn't just flattering 08:00 me so that really had an 08:04 effect on me. 08:06 So I was interested in getting 08:07 to know him better. 08:09 [Norwill] Can I add one more 08:10 thing, Mike? 08:11 Hollace could adapt to my 08:12 friends also. 08:14 That was the greatest thing. 08:15 You know? 08:16 She was so comfortable with my 08:17 friends and that was awesome. 08:20 And I realized that behind the 08:23 smile there was somebody there 08:24 that I really liked. 08:25 >> Yeah, yeah. 08:27 And you both sing as well. 08:29 That's beautiful. 08:31 [René] So, Norwill and Hollace, 08:32 you are both very musical, 08:34 so please can you sing a song 08:36 for us right now? 08:37 >> Definitely. 08:39 This Song of Worship is a very 08:40 beautiful song, it was written 08:41 by Dana Marie Smith. 08:43 We would definitely love to do 08:44 this for you. 08:49 ♪♪ 09:02 ♪I'm not one of many words 09:06 ♪Average speech at best 09:12 ♪All I know 09:14 ♪if I don't praise 09:17 ♪my soul will have no rest 09:23 ♪I don't want to wait until 09:28 ♪the day for You to come 09:33 ♪To sing of Your goodness 09:36 ♪Your mercy and grace 09:38 ♪and all that You have done 09:43 ♪This song of worship 09:46 ♪is coming from my heart 09:48 ♪This song of worship 09:51 ♪is coming from my soul 09:54 ♪This song of worship 09:57 ♪is coming from my mouth 09:59 ♪This song of worship 10:02 ♪is for You 10:05 ♪The greatness of 10:07 ♪Your majesty 10:10 ♪exceeds the universal bounds 10:16 ♪Yet in the smallest 10:18 ♪and simplest things 10:20 ♪Your handiwork is found 10:27 ♪The folly of the wisest men 10:31 ♪ry to prove that 10:33 ♪You're not real 10:37 ♪But they can't take away 10:39 ♪that You live in me 10:42 ♪or the peace or joy I feel 10:47 ♪This song of worship 10:50 ♪is coming from my heart 10:52 ♪This song of worship 10:55 ♪is coming from my soul 10:58 ♪This song of worship 11:01 ♪is coming from my mouth 11:03 ♪This song of worship 11:06 ♪is for You 11:09 ♪Awesome Father, my Creator 11:20 ♪Living waters 11:25 ♪flow through me 11:30 ♪Precious Jesus, my Redeemer 11:41 ♪You are worthy of all praise 11:51 ♪This song of worship 11:54 ♪is coming from my heart 11:56 ♪This song of worship 11:59 ♪is coming from my soul 12:01 ♪This song of worship 12:05 ♪is coming from my mouth 12:07 ♪This song of worship 12:10 ♪is for You 12:14 ♪My heart's desire 12:16 ♪is to worship You 12:19 ♪My sinful soul cries out 12:32 >> Thank you so much for that 12:34 song and, you know, worship, 12:36 that's what it was about, 12:38 but worship for your lives is 12:39 what it's all about. 12:40 I know from talking to your 12:41 friends, talking to your 12:43 children that Jesus, 12:45 your relationship with Jesus, 12:47 your relationship with God 12:48 is so central. 12:49 So what does your worship 12:50 experience look like? 12:51 Your daily experience. 12:55 >> We rise very early in the 12:56 mornings for worship and we 12:59 separate our worship and it's 13:01 very intense, our study time. 13:04 So we have maybe an hour and a 13:05 half, two hours of study time 13:07 by ourselves and then we will 13:09 come together and will do 13:11 another study. 13:13 And, again, I love to use my 13:17 guitar, so I use my guitar, 13:19 we will sing a song. 13:20 What's our favourite song 13:21 again that we do for morning? 13:23 ♪Lord, in the morning 13:25 ♪Thou shalt hear my voice 13:28 ♪ascending high... 13:30 We love doing that and so 13:32 we do that and we have our 13:34 really intense time of 13:36 studying and, you know, really 13:39 getting to understand what the 13:42 whole message is all about. 13:44 And we were able to figure it 13:45 out, it was about character, 13:47 the gospel is about character. 13:49 God simply just wants to 13:50 change our character. 13:52 So that's what we dwell on 13:54 every day, how do we change 13:55 this character to look like 13:56 the character of Christ. 13:58 [Mike] Mmm, beautiful. 14:02 >> When I think of Hollace and 14:04 Norwill as a couple and what 14:07 they've actually journeyed on 14:09 together, I think of them 14:11 even-- I'm not quite sure 14:14 which one of them first 14:16 started on the vegan 14:18 lifestyle, but, again, it's a 14:19 journey that they took 14:20 together. 14:22 They explore things together 14:25 and I think that's what just 14:28 makes their union so strong. 14:30 When it comes to having 14:32 worship and family, morning 14:35 and evening, that's something 14:36 that they have done with their 14:38 boys all along and I just 14:40 appreciate the fact that 14:42 they-- it's not a solo unit, 14:46 even though they're very 14:48 strong individually, together 14:50 the seem to solidify an even 14:54 better bond because of the 14:56 unity in what they do. 14:58 So it's-- they don't leave 15:01 each other behind in terms of 15:04 growing in their faith, in 15:06 terms of trying to deepen 15:07 their relationship with God. 15:10 They share with each other in 15:12 a way that just makes you want 15:15 to even be around them even 15:18 more and I truly appreciate 15:20 that about them. 15:24 >> So, Norwill and Hollace, 15:25 you were blessed with 15:27 four sons. 15:29 So, Hollace, can you tell us 15:31 what it was like raising boys, 15:33 about homeschooling, and your 15:35 relationship with it like it 15:37 is with them today? 15:40 >> Raising sons... 15:42 Boys are energetic, 15:44 they're very challenging, 15:46 but they have a very 15:49 special bond with Mom. 15:52 For homeschooling, it was 15:55 challenging, but like anything 15:57 else in life, you know, you 15:58 have to pick the most 16:00 practical and adaptable way of 16:02 dealing with life's challenges 16:03 and to home school at that 16:05 point was what was necessary 16:08 I think. 16:10 Out of homeschooling came 16:14 three young men who decided 16:16 that they all want to be 16:17 entrepreneurs. 16:18 They wanna use their talents 16:20 and their abilities to, 16:23 you know, to run their lives 16:25 and not have somebody else run 16:27 their lives for them and 16:29 decide how and when and why 16:31 and where. 16:33 >> We wanted them to have a 16:35 good education, but we also 16:37 wanted them to have something 16:38 they can always lean on because 16:41 if something fails you need 16:42 something in your back pocket 16:44 to pull out and I thought, 16:46 with all these different 16:47 skills that they have, 16:48 that they more than one 16:49 trump card to use. 16:53 >> Yeah, no life experience is 16:55 definitely what brought them 16:59 to the way they are. 17:00 It influenced everything 17:05 based on how they grew up, 17:07 the way they travelled around, 17:09 'cause my dad came to Canada-- 17:11 Both my parents came to Canada 17:12 young age, going back and 17:15 forth between the islands and 17:17 here and eventually settling 17:21 here and creating a life for 17:23 themselves away from their 17:25 families and I think having to 17:27 figure out a lot on your own 17:31 will just... 17:34 Like when you figure it out, 17:36 it's kinda settled in your 17:37 mind for sure that this is 17:38 how I came to this 17:40 understanding and it was based 17:42 on my own experiences and not 17:44 the experience of others and 17:45 people telling me 17:47 this is how it is. 17:48 >> I think our parents are 17:50 also pretty, like, they're 17:51 independent thinkers and I 17:53 think that's one thing that 17:54 they always taught us to be, 17:57 like, just reason things out 18:00 for yourself. 18:02 Like when you get information, 18:04 think about the information, 18:05 don't just take the 18:06 information, you know? 18:08 So I think the way they are 18:12 now is also just like, partly 18:15 just naturally where life 18:16 brought them to be because of 18:18 the way that they taught 18:19 themselves to think. 18:22 >> I think that's why we're 18:23 also so flexible in, like, 18:25 where we go and what we do. 18:26 >> Yeah. 18:28 >> ...'cause we've seen them 18:29 move around and do a bunch of 18:31 different things and just try 18:33 and figure out the kinks 18:35 and just enjoy the learning 18:37 process as well which has 18:40 definitely, I think has 18:41 definitely influenced us to 18:44 try any and everything even if 18:49 it's, like, the trajectory is 18:52 good and we're going down this 18:54 path strongly, we still wanna 18:56 look around and see what else 18:58 there is to do learn. 19:00 So yeah. 19:02 >> My parents are very 19:03 strong-willed. 19:05 That's what I think my 19:08 parents have shown me a lot of 19:10 will over the years to pretty 19:12 much get through anything, 19:14 do anything and it's always 19:16 just the both of them 19:17 together, so... 19:19 I think that, I don't know 19:21 from, like, their perceptive, 19:22 but my parents have always 19:24 been like, kinda like, to me, 19:26 different from all their 19:28 friends, but they're different 19:29 together, so like... 19:30 >> Yeah, they're on the same 19:32 page, but they're unafraid to 19:34 be themselves, you know? 19:36 Unafraid to be themselves and 19:38 unafraid to-- they cheer each 19:42 other on so they're kind of 19:44 like the-- all the validation 19:44 they need is from each other 19:46 so they... 19:50 they're in their own world, 19:52 you know? 19:53 >> Entrepreneurship, I 19:54 definitely think that that's 19:55 something that our dad just 19:58 kind of, not even purposely, 20:00 just instilled in us, kind of 20:02 just over the years we've seen 20:04 him try so many different 20:06 business ideas and, you know, 20:09 every way to, like, you know, 20:12 just try and put food on the 20:15 table type thing, so I think 20:18 over the years we all just 20:19 learned that, you know, you 20:21 can make your money the way 20:23 you want to make your money 20:25 and it doesn't have to be, 20:27 like, you know, the same way 20:29 everybody else does it. 20:31 >> Nobody being able to tell 20:32 you what to do. 20:33 Just being able to do what you 20:35 want when you want and... 20:39 and just, yeah, true freedom 20:42 is being able to move on 20:45 your own clock. 20:47 I would say a big part of 20:50 their confidence is that they 20:52 have an extreme belief in 20:55 reliance on God, you know? 20:59 And their beliefs are a large 21:05 part of their identity and I 21:09 believe that has an effect on 21:12 the way someone will think and 21:13 navigate the world. 21:15 You know, you're backed up by 21:17 the Big Guy upstairs, 21:19 you know? (laughs) 21:22 Like together their 21:24 relationship is so strong 21:25 'cause they, like-- they both 21:28 love God more than they love 21:30 each other and then it 21:31 strengthens their love for 21:33 each other that also, 21:34 you know? 21:39 So I would say, yeah, 21:41 that's another thing. 21:46 ♪♪ 21:55 ♪Take my hand 21:59 ♪follow me and stand 22:05 ♪Where you are weak 22:09 ♪I am strong 22:14 ♪So trust in Me 22:17 ♪and give me all your heart 22:21 ♪Nothing, nothing, nothing 22:23 ♪nothing can 22:25 ♪ever tear us apart 22:28 ♪So trust in Me 22:32 ♪and give me all your heart 22:36 ♪Nothing can 22:40 ♪ever tear us apart 22:45 ♪So I promise to 22:49 ♪To take care of you 22:53 ♪I promise to 22:57 ♪To love you true 23:01 ♪Hey, yes 23:07 ♪Why is it so hard 23:11 ♪to get through to you 23:15 ♪My nail-pierced hands 23:20 ♪show My love for you 23:25 ♪So why is it so hard 23:29 ♪to get through to you 23:34 ♪My nail-pierced hands 23:38 ♪show My love for you 23:44 ♪I promise to 23:48 ♪To take care of you 23:52 ♪I promise to 23:56 ♪To love you true 23:59 ♪I promise to 24:03 ♪To take care of you 24:07 ♪I promise to 24:11 ♪To love you true 24:16 ♪I spread my hands 24:18 ♪and died for you 24:21 ♪And loving' you is all 24:22 ♪I'd rather do, yeah 24:24 ♪So don't break My heart 24:26 ♪and turn away from Me 24:28 ♪Oh, no 24:30 ♪So in your darkest moment 24:32 ♪I'll be there with you 24:34 ♪So put the world aside 24:35 ♪there's much for you to do 24:38 ♪Finally, I will always 24:40 ♪be your guide 24:41 ♪I'll stand by your side 24:44 ♪Yeah, yeah, yeah 24:47 ♪Oh, I love you, child 24:50 ♪and I'll take care of you 24:54 ♪and I promise to 24:57 ♪love you true 25:02 ♪Yes 25:06 ♪I love you so 25:10 ♪So I promise to 25:12 ♪love you true 25:15 ♪I promise to 25:19 ♪take care of you 25:24 ♪I promise to 25:30 ♪take care of you 25:42 >> So that song, thank you for 25:44 singing that, Norwill, and 25:46 those words, you wrote 25:48 that song. 25:49 So what does it mean to you, 25:50 that song, and how does it 25:51 give you hope? 25:53 >> In 1988 when I was here and 25:54 I was struggling and I was 25:56 asking God, "What am I doing" 25:57 "here? I don't wanna be here." 25:59 And He kept saying, 26:01 "Just hang on." 26:03 "I have plans for you." 26:05 It was those promises that I 26:07 rest on and it gave me the 26:10 encouragement to write 26:11 that song. 26:12 >> That's beautiful. 26:14 So God was talking to you 26:15 personally. 26:17 [Norwill] Mm-hmm, always. 26:18 >> So we've come to the end of 26:20 our time, sorry about that, 26:21 but we have-- I think it's 26:23 time to end. 26:24 >> Mm-hmm, thank you so much 26:25 for spending time with us, 26:27 it was wonderful having you 26:28 on our show. 26:30 >> We are so blessed to have 26:32 you, thank you so much. 26:33 >> It has been a pleasure. 26:35 >> Hollace, I wonder if I 26:36 could ask you to pray for us. 26:39 >> Certainly. 26:41 Dear Father in heaven, 26:43 we thank you so much for Your 26:44 love and for Your faithfulness 26:46 towards us. 26:48 We also thank You for the 26:49 challenges that You allow 26:51 to come into our lives. 26:53 And we also thank You for the 26:55 strength that You give us 26:57 to push through and 26:59 to overcome them. 27:01 Thank You for Mike and René 27:04 and for their ministry and we 27:06 pray that all that listen and 27:10 hear will be blessed. 27:15 Thank You for continuing to 27:16 direct our path, in Jesus' 27:19 name we pray, amen. 27:20 [All] Amen. 27:23 >> Friends, we have 27:24 experienced such a wonderful 27:26 time getting to know and being 27:27 blessed by the music of 27:29 Norwill and Hollace. 27:31 And our free offer for you 27:33 today is a CD called, 27:35 This Song of Worship, 27:37 featuring their inspirational 27:39 music. 27:41 >> To request today's offer, 27:43 just log onto 27:44 www.itiswrittencanada.ca. 27:53 >> We want you to get to know 27:55 the Lord as your personal 27:56 friend through reading the 27:58 Bible so that you can 28:00 experience the truth that is 28:01 found in the words of Jesus 28:03 when He said, "It is written," 28:05 "man shall not live by bread" 28:07 "alone, but by every word" 28:09 "that proceeds out of the" 28:11 "mouth of God." 28:15 >> I remember once I was going 28:18 through a valley and I was 28:21 coming home from work and 28:23 sitting in the car and I was 28:25 praying and talking to God. 28:27 About five minutes after 28:28 I got home, I got a call 28:29 from Hollace. 28:30 She said, "Hey, friend." 28:31 "I left you something on" 28:32 "your patio." 28:34 I went and I slid the door 28:35 open and there was a big box 28:37 on my patio. 28:39 And in this box it had 28:41 everything I needed plus more. 28:45 And I asked myself, 28:47 "How did she know?" 28:49 "I didn't tell her." 28:51 But that's the kind of person 28:53 Hollace is. 28:55 She came through for me 28:56 and that's the kind of 28:57 friendship we have. |
Revised 2021-04-21