Participants:
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC202107S
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00:43 >> Welcome to It Is Written 00:44 Canada, thank you for 00:45 joining us. 00:46 Often when we look back on our 00:48 lives, we see a chain of 00:49 circumstances where one 00:51 decision led to the next and 00:53 the next and we realize that 00:56 each decision led us to where 00:59 we are today. 01:01 >> And especially if we have 01:02 dedicated our lives to the 01:03 Lord, we see a magnificent 01:05 tapestry of colourful events 01:08 which may not always be easy, 01:11 but when we see God's hand in 01:13 them, we would have our life 01:15 no other way. 01:17 This was certainly true for 01:19 Paul and Raquel Antunes who 01:21 are our special guests on 01:22 It Is Written Canada today. 01:25 Paul and Raquel, welcome to 01:26 It Is Written Canada. 01:29 >> Thank you so much, it's an 01:30 honour for us to be here. 01:32 [RENÈ] So, Raquel, you were 01:34 originally from Brazil and I 01:35 know that your childhood was 01:37 quite different to Paul's. 01:39 So can you tell us about it 01:41 before we talk to Paul? 01:43 [RAQUEL] Sure. 01:44 I was born in a family of six 01:47 siblings, I was the only girl, 01:50 and by the time I was 01:52 22 months old, I had to go and 01:56 live in an Adventist orphanage 01:59 because my mom had some... 02:02 some mental health problems 02:03 and she was in and out of a 02:05 psychiatric hospital and my 02:07 father had to make a living 02:09 and I would be with 02:11 neighbours, church members, 02:13 and my brothers will be in the 02:15 streets and my father thought, 02:17 you know, that's not a good 02:19 situation. 02:20 So he heard about an Adventist 02:22 orphanage like two and a half 02:24 hours away from our city and 02:27 he inquired and they accept us. 02:32 So I went there, I was 22 02:33 months old, I was still in 02:35 diapers and... 02:38 So I had to share, for me, 02:42 like I say, my parents with 21 02:45 more kids, and I always had in 02:48 my mind, you know, maybe I'm 02:50 being selfish here, but I want 02:52 my own family, I don't want to 02:54 share my parents with so many 02:56 kids, you know. 02:58 Once we went to a store, a big 03:03 department store and I 03:05 remember when we got money to 03:07 buy roller blades and I 03:09 remember when the elevator 03:11 opened up, this lady saw this 03:13 bunch of kids coming out and 03:15 she said, "Oh, the door of" 03:18 "the foster home opened up." 03:20 You know, she made that 03:22 comment and we tried to brush 03:24 it off and, you know, but 03:25 always, you know, in your 03:27 mind, you always had this in 03:29 your heart, you know, I don't 03:30 want to-- sometimes you don't 03:32 like to be different, that's 03:33 right, I don't want to be 03:35 different, I want to have my 03:37 own family so I always, that 03:39 start in my mind that I want 03:43 to have a family just for me 03:44 that I could call, that's my 03:46 family, I don't need to share 03:47 with anybody else. 03:49 >> Did you ever see your own 03:50 father and your mother? 03:51 >> Yes, they would-- 03:52 especially my father, he would 03:54 come every month and he would 03:56 visit us on Sundays and he 03:59 would take the train and spend 04:01 the day with us and the end of 04:03 the day we would take him to 04:05 the train station and my heart 04:07 was broken. 04:08 I remember my father, my 04:11 foster father, I don't know 04:13 how you name him, he would be 04:15 holding me and I remember 04:17 saying goodbye and crying and 04:19 I would say, "Dad, Dad!" 04:21 So I was torn because I 04:26 already loved my new parents, 04:28 but I miss my dad, too. 04:31 I didn't know my mom back 04:33 then, I didn't know much. 04:35 I heard of her when I was 04:36 three years old. 04:38 >> So was there any religious 04:41 experience that you had or a 04:42 spiritual understanding that 04:44 came to you at some stage in 04:46 your development? 04:49 >> When I was about fourteen 04:50 years old, I went to a 04:52 Christian, spiritual retreat 04:54 and we were studying about 04:57 Ruth and Boaz and that's one 04:59 of my favourite romantic 05:01 stories in the Bible and I 05:04 remember they broke us up in 05:07 groups of two to pray and I-- 05:10 they put me with this 05:11 28-year-old single lady and 05:14 she really wants to get 05:15 married. 05:16 And she said, "Should we pray" 05:17 "for our husbands?" 05:19 And I thought, you know, 05:20 "I'm not that old yet, I'm" 05:22 "not thinking about that," 05:24 but, you know, I didn't have 05:25 the courage to say no to her 05:27 and then we prayed, but then 05:30 that clicked something in me 05:31 and I said, "Why not?" 05:33 You know, "I know I'm young," 05:35 "I'm not going to marry now," 05:36 "but I want a pastor because" 05:41 "I want to serve God, to give" 05:43 "back everything He has done" 05:45 "in my life and provide for" 05:47 "me and I want a Christian, a" 05:49 "a real Christian one, not a" 05:51 "fake one, a man that will be" 05:53 "a good husband to me and a" 05:55 "good father for my future," 05:59 "you know, kids and I want" 06:01 "one more thing, Lord, I want" 06:03 "a boy and a girl." 06:05 So then through, you know, 06:08 until I met him, you know, I 06:10 had very clearly that in my 06:13 heart, but I know that didn't 06:15 come from me, I know it came 06:16 from the Lord 'cause the Bible 06:18 says that God put this in your 06:20 heart, that's right. 06:22 >> And now you have a husband 06:24 who is a pastor, chaplain here 06:27 at Chinook Winds school and 06:29 also you have a boy 06:30 and a girl. 06:31 [RAQUEL] Yes, a boy 06:31 and a girl. 06:32 [MIKE] So, Paul, I want to 06:35 start with your father. 06:37 He made a lot of decisions, a 06:38 series of decisions, which 06:40 influenced your life in 06:41 a big way. 06:42 >> Yeah, absolutely. 06:44 You know, my father was a very 06:45 decided person and so when it 06:48 came, you know, as we were 06:51 growing up, we were very 06:52 faithful Catholics and, you 06:55 know, I was baptized Catholic, 06:57 my brother was, every Sunday 06:58 we were in mass and as 07:01 families we'd celebrate, 07:02 you know, those moments of 07:04 going to mass. 07:05 I remember that-- I don't 07:07 remember, but I remember 07:08 hearing my parents tell me 07:10 that it was around the 07:11 mid-70's that my parents 07:13 became Canadians and with 07:16 that, the Gideon Society gave 07:18 my mom and dad a Bible and my 07:21 father literally devoured the 07:23 Bible not once, not twice, but 07:25 three times. 07:27 He was in pursuit of Biblical 07:30 truth, he like, "I just--" 07:32 It just really meant something 07:34 to him and it's just this 07:36 whole understanding of Jesus 07:37 Christ and His love and so my 07:40 father began actually 07:42 church-searching. 07:44 And-- but we continued going 07:46 to mass every Sunday and I 07:50 remember one Sunday morning as 07:51 we were getting ready to go to 07:53 church, my father put the TV 07:56 on and in that moment a 07:59 program began to play which 08:02 just so happened to be It Is 08:04 Written with Pastor George 08:05 Vandeman and at the time it 08:07 was the American It Is Written 08:09 and long story short, my 08:12 father began watching it more 08:13 and more as we continued to go 08:15 to mass and then I remember 08:16 one day all of a sudden the 08:18 doorbell ringing and, you 08:20 know, my brother and I were 08:21 like, "Who's there?" Right? 08:22 And all of a sudden my parents 08:23 introduce us to this pastor, 08:25 Pastor Ted Wassolek and he's 08:27 always been someone so special 08:29 in our life and his family. 08:31 And I remember him coming in 08:33 and of course this was 08:35 mid-70's so technology, folks, 08:36 was way different, right, you 08:37 remember, and so he literally 08:39 brought this slide projector, 08:41 like this, it was like a box 08:42 really and he began showing 08:44 this Biblical cartoon, if you 08:47 would, and just, my brother 08:49 and I were like, "Wow!" 08:52 And then he came to the end of 08:53 it and that first time he came 08:54 to the end of it, he opened 08:56 the Bible and began teaching 08:57 about the Bible. 08:58 My brother and I were like, 08:59 "Ehh," so we were out 09:00 of there. 09:01 And my parents began to study. 09:03 Now I need to be honest, in 09:05 the beginning, my mom was 09:06 like, "Ehh..." 09:07 She just wasn't buying this. 09:08 Her family began saying, 09:09 "What are you guys up to?" 09:10 "Like this is really" 09:11 "different..." right. 09:13 Portuguese make their wine, 09:15 Portuguese make their sausage, 09:18 Portuguese make their 09:19 moonshine. 09:20 You know, I remember going to 09:21 Portugal to the little village 09:23 of Painho, 'cause there might 09:24 be some Portuguese listening 09:26 here and actually stepping in 09:29 the area where they put all 09:30 the grapes and then crushing 09:32 with your feet, you know, the 09:33 grape juice and, you know, 09:35 these memories flooding and-- 09:37 But my parents began to 09:39 continue to study and my 09:42 father said, "Well, let's" 09:43 "start going to church." 09:44 My mom wasn't quite ready. 09:46 And so she continued working 09:48 as a hairdresser on Saturdays 09:50 and I remember the first 09:52 Sabbath we got to church. 09:55 And, Mike, René, it was, for 09:56 me, it was really special. 09:59 My dad was-- he went into the 10:01 church and then I was taken to 10:03 Sabbath School and I'm like, 10:05 "'Sabbath School,' what's" 10:07 "that," right, and immediately 10:09 as I'm walking down the 10:11 hallway, someone took me down 10:12 there, don't know who, and I 10:14 remember hearing music and 10:15 it's like, "Wow!" 10:17 I just like, it was a magnet 10:19 for me and I was listening to 10:20 that music and so my brother 10:21 and I were just like, we 10:22 really fell in love with it. 10:24 And it took a little while, 10:26 but my parents, with the Bible 10:27 studies, they finally decided 10:30 in accepting the seventh day 10:32 Sabbath message from the 10:33 Seventh-day Adventist Church 10:34 and were baptized in the 10:36 Vancouver Adventist Church and 10:40 so yeah, it was a really 10:42 special experience, but for my 10:44 family, they're like, 10:46 "You guys are crazy!" 10:47 "Like, you're leaving all" 10:48 "this behind?" 10:49 But they respected us, right, 10:50 'cause it's like it's crazy, 10:53 but at the same time, well, 10:55 it's your journey, right? 10:57 Yeah. 10:57 >> So, Paul, did you 10:59 experience any challenges 11:00 to your faith? 11:02 >> You know what, yes. 11:05 Growing up in a Portuguese 11:06 home with just lots of dancing 11:08 and upbeat music and excitement 11:10 and I remember, you know, 11:12 you-- changing from the 11:14 religion that we did all that, 11:16 and I remember when I hit my 11:18 10-, 11-year old time, I 11:20 started getting into rock and 11:22 roll and I could just fire off 11:24 a whole bunch of bands I used 11:26 to listen to and I loved that, 11:28 and it's like, the stronger 11:29 the beat and the louder 11:30 the better. 11:31 I remember a lot of times my 11:32 mom would come running down 11:33 the hallway and she's like, 11:35 "Paul, turn off that stuff," 11:36 "it's no good for you!" 11:37 And I'm like, "Oh, Mom," 11:38 "give me a break!" 11:39 But anyways, you know, it went 11:41 a few years like that and I 11:43 just kept on and kept on and 11:45 my mom would just plead and I 11:46 wouldn't and I, you know, I 11:47 remember one summer 11:49 specifically where my brother 11:51 and I, we were working in the 11:53 berry patch so we would always 11:54 work, I was probably about ten 11:57 when I started working in the 11:58 berry patch, my brother was 11:59 seven and a half, and so my 12:01 mom would say, "OK, guys, go," 12:02 we'd ride our bikes to the 12:03 berry patch and we would work, 12:05 strawberries and raspberries. 12:07 And for us to be able to be 12:09 able to get more, we had the 12:10 Walkmans on, you know the 12:11 Walkmans... 12:12 >> I remember those. 12:14 >> Some of our audience is not 12:14 gonna get it, you guys. 12:15 (laughs) 12:17 And I remember listening, and 12:18 I was always in search of a 12:20 faster beat to be able to be 12:21 able to pick faster and it was 12:23 just what I liked and it got 12:25 to the end of that summer and 12:27 I started feeling this 12:29 loneliness and this emptiness 12:31 and I really wasn't sure why I 12:34 was feeling that and I was 12:35 changing the channels trying 12:37 to find that right song and I 12:39 couldn't and I was about to 12:41 turn the Walkman off when all 12:44 of a sudden I landed on a 12:47 Christian radio station and 12:49 I'd heard songs in the church 12:51 and it was just there was no 12:53 life and God was working in me 12:57 and He was wooing me and I had 12:59 no idea and the song that 13:01 literally began to play was a 13:03 song entitled God and God 13:04 Alone by Steve Green. 13:06 And from that moment I was 13:08 glued to what was then called 13:10 KLYN, 106.5 in Lynden, 13:13 Washington. 13:14 And I just loved listening to 13:17 all the artists at the time 13:18 and the songs. 13:20 They were just so filling to 13:21 me and it was at that moment 13:23 that God really gripped me, I 13:25 had always loved music, but 13:26 He really gripped me and I had 13:28 the dream now to become a 13:30 Christian recording artist at 13:31 the age of 15, whatever it was 13:32 at the time, and I'm like as 13:34 if I could understand anything 13:36 really, and yet God works in 13:38 unbelievable ways. 13:40 And so, you know, my parents 13:43 had moved from Richmond when 13:44 we became Adventists to 13:46 Aldergrove, BC to go to Fraser 13:47 Valley Adventist Academy and 13:49 so, you know, our life really 13:51 changed and so it was really 13:53 cool how God led at that time 13:55 and really brought me 13:56 out of that. 13:57 >> So God was leading you 13:59 through music and you decided 14:01 at some stage to become 14:02 a minister. 14:04 >> Yeah, I was around 17 years 14:05 of age working at-- it was 14:08 then called Camp Chawuthen and 14:10 that's the Mountain View Camp 14:12 in Hope. 14:14 And it was my first day at 14:16 camp, I was gonna be a staff 14:18 and whatever else they were 14:19 gonna get me to do and I 14:20 remember specifically we had a 14:23 communion service and we sang 14:25 and the communion service and 14:27 at the end of that communion 14:28 service, it was just really 14:29 touching and they opened it up 14:31 for us teenagers to share and 14:33 we began to just share from 14:34 our hearts and it just all of 14:36 a sudden came out of my heart, 14:37 like, you know, I wanna be a 14:38 youth pastor. 14:39 And I remember Pastor Jim Gall 14:41 said, "Uh, you haven't even" 14:43 "gone into the summer yet," 14:44 "are you sure you wanna be a" 14:46 "youth pastor without" 14:47 "experiencing working" 14:48 "with youth?" 14:49 And I'm like, "Yeah," 14:51 "I just feel it." 14:52 So it was really special. 14:53 And so from that moment on it 14:55 was music and theology and I 14:56 was going to do it. 14:58 And little did I know, my mom 15:01 and dad, specifically my dad, 15:03 he really wanted me to 15:04 relearn Portuguese. 15:07 And they decided-- he decided 15:09 to send me, I'm gonna be 15:11 specific 'cause Mom wasn't in 15:13 favour with this move either. 15:15 She said-- he said, "Paul," 15:17 "have you ever thought of" 15:18 "going-- why don't you go to" 15:19 "Brazil and you can relearn" 15:20 "the Portuguese, you know," 15:22 "stay there for a semester" 15:23 "and have an experience," and 15:24 it was, "No!" 15:25 You know, I just didn't know 15:27 what to expect and stuff, you 15:29 know, and that very next 15:30 summer my parents met a couple 15:31 Brazilians at Camp Hope and I 15:35 remember them finally coming 15:37 to our home and they talked 15:39 about Brazil, they talked 15:40 about the beaches, they talked 15:41 about the weather, they talked 15:43 about the music 'cause they 15:44 already knew I loved music, 15:45 they actually talked about 15:47 the women; "the girls are" 15:48 "so beautiful!" 15:49 I'm like, "I'm dating a nice" 15:51 "girl here." 15:52 And so anyways, those 15:55 Brazilian friends, they 15:56 started saying, "Hey, Paul," 15:57 "this would be really, really" 15:59 "special for you to go." 16:00 Long story short, I graduated 16:03 in '90 and in August of '90 I 16:06 was on a plane headed to 16:07 São Paulo, Brazil. 16:09 And I remember when we landed 16:10 in São Paulo, when we, when I 16:12 landed in São Paulo, Brazil, I 16:13 remember saying goodbye to my 16:15 mom and my dad, all my family 16:16 came to the Vancouver airport 16:17 because it's like, 16:18 "No, Paulito," it's like, 16:19 "Bona Paulito!" 16:21 just leaving, you know, it was 16:22 like, it was always the 16:23 "Little Paulito" and as I-- 16:24 always, we were always 16:26 together as a family, right. 16:27 And so I landed in São Paulo 16:30 and the first shock was like, 16:31 the cold, I landed in August, 16:32 it's-- they do have a winter, 16:34 it's not like ours here in 16:35 Alberta, but they do have one 16:36 and I remember going straight 16:38 to our Adventist University in 16:40 São Paulo and it's a beautiful 16:42 campus and I remember going 16:43 straight to the theology 16:45 department and I remember 16:46 meeting the secretary there 16:48 and she, you know we did our 16:49 introductions and she said, 16:51 "Did you ever meet this guy" 16:53 "by the name of Bill Santos?" 16:55 And I'm like, "No, I don't" 16:56 "know who Bill Santos is," 16:58 "like, Canada's big, right," 16:59 "where'd he live?" 17:00 "Toronto." 17:01 I'm like, "Well, no." 17:02 Like, technology's much 17:03 different back then, right, 17:04 and so anyways, of course I 17:06 ended up meeting Pastor Bill 17:07 Santos which was one of 17:08 It Is Written's speakers 17:09 before you folks. 17:11 And so I remember that first 17:14 month in Brazil and the first 17:16 week was fine, but then I went 17:18 to the university because I 17:19 spent the week with those 17:21 friends that I'd met in Canada 17:22 and I remember that we-- that 17:26 I came there and the loneliness. 17:28 And I remember one day being 17:29 at the piano and I said, 17:30 "God, I'm feeling so lonely." 17:32 And I was just saying, "God," 17:34 "please help me through this." 17:36 And I remember the day that I 17:38 met... [clicks tongue] 17:40 this beautiful woman beside me 17:42 and I'm like, "WHOA!" that 17:46 she's exactly what I'm 17:48 looking for! 17:49 And it's just connecting in a 17:53 totally new environment and 17:55 God knew that I needed that. 17:58 And I spent six and a half 18:01 years in Brazil, I fell in 18:03 love with not with just this 18:04 amazing, beautiful woman, I 18:08 fell in love with the people 18:10 and the culture, and it really 18:13 changed my life. 18:17 >> So, Raquel, can you tell us 18:19 your side of the story? 18:21 >> Yes, when he arrived at the 18:23 University, everybody knew 18:25 because we Brazilians love 18:27 foreigner people, we call them 18:29 "gringos" and we knew he was 18:31 a gringo because he wore socks 18:35 up to the middle of his legs 18:37 and a very colourful shorts 18:39 with a tie on and a backpack 18:42 and a Walkman so we knew he 18:44 was not Brazilian, that's 18:46 right, because Brazilians are 18:48 so focused on their looks, 18:49 [laughs] so... 18:52 Something in me said, "I like" 18:55 "this guy," you know, "I like" 18:57 "what he's saying unless he's" 18:59 "not-- he's fake." 19:01 And I had a classmate in 19:03 nursing school that he was his 19:04 roommate so I ask him, 19:08 "How is him really, you know," 19:10 "at the dorm, like, you're" 19:11 "his roommate, is he really" 19:13 "the way he shows, you know," 19:16 "on the campus." 19:18 And then my classmate said, 19:20 "But aren't you dating?" 19:22 I said, "Yes, but I'm going" 19:24 "to break up with him." 19:25 [all laugh] 19:27 'Cause I knew I didn't-- 19:29 it didn't work, it was 19:30 not working. 19:31 And then I want to see where 19:34 he was so I follow him, I was 19:37 trying for him not to notice 19:39 me, but I would not speak to 19:41 him, I would not say "hi," I 19:44 would just follow him where he 19:46 was, but my friend, he 19:49 noticed that, he said, 19:51 "She's following you." 19:55 >> And now you have a 19:57 beautiful family and family is 19:59 big in your life, Raquel, and 20:01 before I ask you questions 20:02 about that, we're gonna listen 20:03 to a song called Love At Home. 20:06 Have you ever heard this 20:07 song before? 20:07 [PAUL] Yeah. 20:08 [RAQUEL] Yeah, I sang that 20:09 song-- we sang that song at 20:11 the orphanage quite often. 20:13 [MIKE] Wow, that's remarkable. 20:14 >> Yeah, you know, we could 20:16 sing the song a little bit 20:17 with you guys if you don't 20:18 mind a capella. 20:19 >> That would be super, yeah. 20:20 [PAUL] Oh, great. 20:21 Well, let's run with it. 20:23 [PAUL SINGING] ♪There is beauty 20:25 ♪all around 20:28 [BOTH SING] ♪When there's love 20:30 ♪at home 20:33 ♪There is joy in every sound 20:38 [BOTH SING] ♪When there's 20:39 ♪love at home 20:43 ♪Peace and plenty here abide 20:48 ♪Smiling fair on every side 20:52 ♪Time doth softly 20:55 ♪sweetly glide 20:57 [BOTH] ♪When there's love 20:59 ♪at home 21:02 ♪Love at home 21:11 ♪Time doth softly 21:14 ♪sweetly glide 21:17 [BOTH] ♪When there's love 21:20 ♪at home 21:28 >> Raquel, that song, Love At 21:30 Home, very beautiful. 21:32 I know that, because I grew up 21:34 in an orphanage, I understand 21:35 how important family is to 21:37 you, so explain to our 21:40 viewers how important family 21:41 is to you. 21:43 >> Yes, I could write a PhD 21:47 book on it, you know, but to 21:49 summarize, you know, family, 21:51 there's nothing important 21:53 on this earth for me than my 21:54 family, that's right. 21:56 And one of my favourite verses 21:58 in the Bible, I pray when we 22:00 had hard time to conceive, we 22:04 dealt with infertility, too, is 22:06 "Delight yourself in the" 22:08 "Lord and He will give the" 22:10 "desires of your heart." 22:11 And He gave the desires 22:13 of my heart. 22:14 We are not perfect, we have 22:16 our challenges, but when I 22:18 look at my husband, look at my 22:20 children, I thank God every 22:24 day for them, when I'm folding 22:26 their laundry, I say, "Thank" 22:28 "You, Jesus, for my family." 22:30 Sorry... 22:33 >> So, Paul, how important is 22:36 family to you? 22:39 You know what, because of how 22:41 I was brought up, I had a mom 22:42 and dad and so there was that 22:44 stability that was different 22:46 than for Raquel, right. 22:47 I never had the questions 22:49 about, "Oh, I wish I had my" 22:52 "own family," because I did 22:54 and so when we finally got 22:56 married, I had my ambitions, 22:59 my pursuits, I wanted music, 23:01 wanted to record and all these 23:03 things and so those things 23:05 began to happen and I went 23:07 right into it and Raquel began 23:10 saying, "Well, what about me," 23:12 "what about us as a family?" 23:14 And then when the kids came I 23:16 was still like, work, work, 23:17 work, I've gotta do this, 23:19 right, 'cause it was so 23:20 important and Raquel was like, 23:22 "The family is the most" 23:24 "important." 23:25 As a pastoral family we began 23:29 to work with families and-- to 23:33 see the brokenness and the 23:35 heartache of mothers, of 23:38 fathers, and of the children 23:40 and to begin trying to bring 23:43 healing and sometimes healing 23:47 couldn't happen at that time. 23:50 And so you try to just share 23:52 the love of God and encourage 23:56 the people and pray with them 23:58 so that their faith in God 23:59 doesn't break apart even 24:01 though their family life is 24:04 breaking apart. 24:05 You know, we're reminded that 24:07 although everyone will forsake 24:08 us, God never forsakes 24:11 His children. 24:12 Dads, you need to stop 24:14 working so much. 24:16 The almighty dollar at the end 24:18 of a person's life 24:19 means nothing. 24:21 I have been at the bedside of 24:23 people when they're about to 24:25 pull the machine off and the 24:28 family's all hanging around 24:31 and just speaking words of 24:32 hope to those families 24:35 for the loved ones that are 24:36 passing on. 24:37 And you know what, Jesus is 24:40 all in the business of healing 24:42 brokenness and we know that, 24:45 you know, I lost my father, 24:48 he was 59 years of age, it was 24:50 like 16 years ago almost and 24:52 he was killed in a workplace 24:53 accident in Burnaby and that 24:56 forever changed our life. 24:58 I remember my brother and I 24:59 going to that place of his 25:00 death and weeping together 25:02 because my father who had 25:05 brought the, you know that 25:07 strong, spiritual direction in 25:10 our home and it just-- it was 25:13 so hard to lose Dad and, of 25:15 course, Mom now without Dad 25:17 and it's never the same, but 25:19 you know what, as Christians 25:20 we have this hope and the hope 25:22 we have is in Jesus Christ and 25:25 that one day we will be 25:26 reunited with moms, with dads, 25:29 with grandparents, and maybe 25:31 for some of you guys who are 25:32 listening right now, to your 25:34 little babies that you lost. 25:36 Family is the most important 25:38 and I thank God for this one 25:39 who really taught me the value 25:42 of families. 25:44 [MIKE] Amen, amen. 25:46 Paul, we've run out of time, 25:48 but I thank you for that 25:51 encouraging note and I wonder 25:52 if you could pray for us 25:53 as we close. 25:54 [PAUL] Sure, let's pray 25:55 together. 25:56 Father in heaven, we wanna 25:58 thank You that although we may 26:01 experience different things in 26:03 our lives that You are the 26:05 Father who never gives 26:07 up on us. 26:09 I know that there are many 26:10 listeners here today that are 26:12 listening to this message and 26:14 maybe hoped that they would 26:16 have had a family that was 26:18 together, that maybe they felt 26:20 alone or abandoned, but that 26:22 they in this moment will 26:24 experience that You are a God 26:25 who never forsakes and that 26:27 they will see You, Jesus, as 26:28 their Lord and Savior. 26:31 So thank You for our 26:32 listeners, bless and keep 26:33 them, thank You so much for 26:34 Mike and René, for the amazing 26:36 ministry they, It Is Written, 26:38 continues to do all these 26:40 years and we pray this in 26:41 Jesus' name, amen. 26:43 [MIKE] Amen, amen. 26:45 Thank you very much, Paul and 26:46 Raquel, for sharing your 26:47 story on It Is Written 26:49 with us today. 26:51 >> Friends, as Paul and Raquel 26:53 shared the importance of 26:54 making family first, we want 26:57 to share with you a book that 26:58 can help you build a 27:00 stronger family. 27:02 Our free offer for you is 27:04 Hope For Today's Families. 27:06 >> Hope For Today's Families 27:08 offers you ideas and solutions 27:11 that come from time-proven 27:13 principles that can help you 27:15 secure strong, stable 27:16 relationships within 27:18 your family. 27:21 >> To request today's offer, 27:22 just log onto 27:23 www.ItIsWrittenCanada.ca. 27:27 If you prefer, you may call 27:29 toll free at 1-888-CALL-IIW. 27:33 That's 1-888-CALL-IIW. 27:36 Call any time, lines are open 27:38 24 hours daily. 27:40 That's 1-888-CALL-IIW. 27:43 And thank you for your prayer 27:44 requests and your generous 27:46 financial support. 27:49 >> We want you to experience 27:51 the truth found in the words 27:53 of Jesus when He said, 27:55 "It is written, man shall not" 27:58 "live by bread alone, but by" 28:00 "every word that proceeds" 28:03 "out of the mouth of God. 28:06 ♪♪ |
Revised 2021-11-11