Participants:
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC202204S
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00:00 >> Hello and thank you for
00:01 joining us on It Is Written 00:03 Canada. 00:04 René and I picked up a good 00:06 book with an intriguing title, 00:08 "Same Kind of Different As Me" 00:10 and I really love that title. 00:11 They made a movie based on the 00:13 book as well. 00:14 It's a true story about a 00:15 homeless man named Denver 00:17 Moore who faced one tragedy 00:19 after another and wandered 00:21 from one city to the next 00:24 trying to stay out of trouble. 00:26 >> Ron Hall, a wealthy Texas 00:28 art dealer, after being 00:29 persuaded by his persistent 00:31 Christian wife, Debbie, 00:33 decided to connect with this 00:35 homeless man by taking him to 00:37 a local restaurant. 00:38 [MIKE] And while Denver, this 00:40 homeless man, was shovelling 00:41 down this expensive food, he 00:43 paused and he asked a 00:45 challenging question: 00:47 "Mr. Ron, what do you want 00:49 from me?" 00:50 >> That's a very good 00:52 question. 00:53 What could could a wealthy 00:54 Texas art dealer want from a 00:56 homeless man? 00:58 >> Ron answered, "I just want 01:00 to be your friend." 01:02 >> Denver furrowed his 01:04 brow and replied, "Let me 01:07 think about it." 01:09 >> It was a few days later 01:11 when Denver said to Ron, "I've 01:13 been thinking a lot about what 01:15 you asked me." 01:16 >> Ron didn't know what he was 01:18 talking about so he asked, 01:20 "What did I ask you?" 01:22 >> "About being your friend." 01:24 >> Ron was surprised he had 01:25 almost forgotten about their 01:26 conversation. 01:28 >> So Denver continued, 01:30 "There's something I heard 01:33 about white folks that really 01:35 bothers me and it has to do 01:37 with fishin'. 01:38 I heard that when white folks 01:40 go fishin', they do something 01:42 called 'catch and release' 01:44 so, Mr. Ron, it occurred to me 01:47 if you is fishin' for a friend, 01:49 you just gonna catch and 01:51 release then I ain't got no 01:54 desire to be your friend." 01:57 >> Ron Hall's eyes widened and 01:59 he swallowed hard. 02:01 >> "But," Denver added, "if 02:03 you lookin' for a real friend, 02:05 then I'll be one forever." 02:08 >> Ron had tears in his eyes 02:10 when he replied, "Denver, if 02:13 you'll be my friend, I promise 02:15 not to catch and release." 02:17 >> Friends, our special guest 02:19 on It Is Written Canada today 02:20 is Aline Costa who, after 02:23 becoming best friends with a 02:24 vibrant Christian by the name 02:26 of Angela, experienced the 02:28 life-changing power of true 02:30 friendship first hand. 02:32 >> In a moment you will meet 02:33 Aline Costa and hear her story 02:36 which is both tragic and 02:38 inspirational. 02:40 ♪♪ 03:23 >> As a 17-year-old university 03:25 student in Brazil, Aline Costa 03:28 became so involved in her 03:30 studies that there was no room 03:32 for thinking about God. 03:34 Her life was far too busy 03:35 for that. 03:37 >> However, during her 03:38 psychology studies, Aline met 03:40 Angela, a vibrant Christian, 03:43 who made an impact on her life. 03:46 Soon they became best friends 03:48 and Aline looked up to Angela, 03:50 admiring her faith in God. 03:52 >> Then tragedy struck, 03:54 changing Aline's life forever. 03:57 Aline, thank you for joining 03:59 us on It Is Written Canada 04:00 today. 04:02 >> Thanks for having me. 04:04 >> So, Aline, before you tell 04:05 us about your friend, Angela, 04:07 take us back to your 04:08 beginnings. 04:10 Tell us about your childhood, 04:12 about your family, about your 04:14 spiritual life... 04:17 >> I was raised in a very 04:19 happy family I would say, with 04:21 normal struggles and I have my 04:25 parents-- my grandparents as 04:28 the base of our family, both 04:31 sides, so we used to get 04:34 together every Sunday for a 04:36 barbecue and my mom's parents 04:41 used to live downstairs in the 04:43 house, the same yard, and my 04:46 dad's parents used to live 04:48 upstairs. 04:49 The things together with our 04:53 family were very special, for 04:54 sure, yeah. 04:56 >> And, Aline, tell us about 04:58 your siblings. 05:00 >> I have two sisters, my best 05:02 friends, one is living in 05:05 Montreal and the other one is 05:06 living in Brazil, she is a 05:08 dentist, and the other one is 05:10 a lawyer, as I am. 05:15 >> So you were very close to 05:16 them and a good friendship 05:18 still today? 05:19 >> Yeah, we talk every day. 05:21 [MIKE] That's great. 05:22 >> We have a group and we talk 05:24 every day, it's a special 05:25 relationship. 05:27 >> Tell us about your 05:28 spiritual life then at that 05:29 time, you had a close family, 05:31 how did you experience things 05:33 spiritually? 05:34 >> We were raised in a 05:37 Catholic family and we used to 05:40 get together for special 05:42 events like Christmas, Easter, 05:44 but as I told you, for 05:46 barbecues and I was like, I'd 05:51 like to be close to God at 05:53 that time. 05:55 And I used to tell to my mom 05:57 that I was feeling that I 05:58 should get close to God, but I 06:00 didn't know how and, yeah, 06:03 nowadays she used to tell me 06:05 that finally I could get 06:07 closer, right? 06:09 >> And so then you met Angela 06:11 and you were 17 years old, the 06:13 two of you were at university 06:14 together in Brazil. 06:16 What impact did Angela have on 06:18 your life at that time? 06:20 >> She had a huge impact 06:21 because I was in search, 06:24 searching for God and with her 06:27 friendship I could get closer. 06:30 The first time I met her we 06:32 were sharing a ride by car for 06:34 our first day in university 06:36 and after that day, I felt 06:38 that I really want to stay 06:39 close to her. 06:41 I'm sure her friendship with 06:44 Jesus was what made her such a 06:49 special friend, yeah, she was 06:51 really special, a sister. 06:55 [gentle piano music] 07:00 ♪♪ 07:11 ♪What a friend we have 07:14 ♪in Jesus 07:20 ♪All our sins and griefs 07:23 ♪to bear 07:30 ♪What a privilege it is 07:35 ♪to carry 07:40 ♪Everything to God 07:43 ♪in prayer 07:49 ♪Have we trials 07:51 ♪and temptations 07:59 ♪Is there trouble anywhere 08:08 ♪Our precious Saviour 08:11 ♪He is still our refuge 08:18 ♪Take it to the Lord in prayer 08:24 ♪Some things we have not 08:29 ♪because we ask not 08:34 ♪When we have a friend 08:39 ♪who's there (who's there) 08:46 ♪When we're weak 08:48 ♪and heavy laden 08:56 ♪Cumbered with a load 08:58 ♪of care 09:05 ♪We should never be 09:08 ♪discouraged when we 09:15 ♪Take it to the Lord 09:17 ♪in prayer 09:21 >> "Can we find a friend so 09:23 faithful who will all our 09:25 sorrows share." 09:27 We've been talking to Aline 09:29 Costa who found a very good 09:31 friend named Angela while she 09:33 was studying at a university 09:34 in Brazil and Aline was 09:36 telling us about how Angela's 09:38 friendship with Jesus had 09:40 impacted her life. 09:43 >> So, Aline, did you ever go 09:44 to church with Angela? 09:47 >> Yes, I went sometimes and I 09:50 was so impressed about her 09:52 commitment because I realized 09:54 she used to go to church every 09:57 weekend, especially on 10:00 Saturday, Sabbath, and I was 10:02 very impressed and curious 10:04 because, as I told you, I was 10:06 raised in a Catholic family so 10:09 we used to go basically to the 10:12 church for weddings, baptisms, 10:15 and I was really impressed 10:17 with the commitment. 10:20 The gift she gave to me was 10:23 planting seeds in my heart. 10:33 It was like something that she 10:35 was feeling and she was just 10:41 showing me without using her 10:44 words so it was very, a great 10:48 impact in my life, the way she 10:50 could do this. 10:53 So I-- what I wanna do is to 10:56 try to have the same approach 10:57 that worked with me, you know, 11:00 I don't wanna push people, I 11:02 know I feel-- sometimes I feel 11:04 anxious when someone needs 11:06 help and tells me. 11:08 And I see, like, a space to 11:12 talk about Jesus, but I don't 11:14 wanna push people, I don't 11:15 wanna feel anxious, I don't 11:17 want them feeling that I'm 11:19 anxious like this, I wanna be 11:21 calm, you know, and show them 11:25 the hope that I know that 11:26 makes me calm, makes my life 11:29 so much easier than before. 11:32 >> And that's exactly the same 11:33 approach that Angela used 11:35 for you. 11:35 >> The same approach, exactly, 11:37 yeah. 11:38 >> So then tragedy struck. 11:41 You wanna tell us about that? 11:44 >> Yeah, we moved to Canada in 11:46 2011 and my friend, Angela, 11:49 was in Brazil at that time. 11:50 After five months living in 11:53 Canada, I found out what 11:56 happened. 11:58 She went to a church event in 12:01 another city and she was going 12:04 to be the speaker and she was 12:06 in the hotel room with her 12:09 family, her husband, and two 12:11 kids, two sons, Pedro and 12:13 Felipe, and the robber came in 12:17 the room and shot her and 12:20 murdered her, yeah, and the 12:25 kids, I think they didn't wake 12:28 up, but it was mentioned that 12:31 one of them woke up and his-- 12:34 her husband had to deal with, 12:36 like, "Oh, it's just 12:38 fireworks, don't worry, go to 12:40 sleep," and deal with his wife 12:43 in the room and ask for help. 12:46 >> And so you're in Canada, 12:48 this happened in Brazil... 12:49 >> Yeah. 12:50 >> And you found out? 12:52 How did you find out? 12:53 >> Well, I was on Facebook and 12:56 two friends of us, we were the 13:01 same to the university at that 13:03 time a long time ago, and they 13:06 send me a message like, "I'm 13:07 so sorry, I know Angela was 13:09 like your sister," and two 13:11 messages like this and I cry 13:14 and I call my husband and I 13:16 said, "Marco, please, see what 13:18 happened to Angela, I can't 13:20 see, I can't--" and he went 13:22 through the news and he just 13:25 found out what happened and I 13:27 couldn't even stand, I had to 13:29 sit and cry and cry and it was 13:31 a terrible thing even to 13:33 remember nowadays. 13:36 Yeah, it was so hard and being 13:39 away from her family, it was 13:43 much more hard, it was harder 13:49 because I couldn't be there to 13:51 hug them and to say some words 13:53 even to comfort them and even 13:55 to have them comforting me, it 13:57 was really hard. 13:59 >> Aline, that's so awful. 14:01 We're so sorry about 14:02 your loss. 14:04 Can you tell us what happened 14:06 when you picked up the phone 14:07 to call Angela's family to 14:10 express your condolences 14:12 to them? 14:13 >> Yeah, after the funeral, I 14:15 called her mom and her husband 14:19 because I felt that I could 14:21 tell them some words that 14:23 could help, but I couldn't say 14:25 a word. 14:26 I wasn't able and they could 14:29 help me, they could comfort 14:31 me, both of them, a mom and a 14:33 husband, with such pain in 14:38 their hearts, they could tell 14:40 me to stay calm, to believe in 14:43 God, and I was like, "How come 14:47 they can--" you know, I know 14:49 their pain was much-- was 14:53 bigger than mine and I felt 14:57 bad at that time and I was 14:59 like, "Well, what kind of 15:00 thing, these people, how can 15:03 they get this feeling, 15:04 this faith? 15:06 I want this for me." 15:07 And I remember looking at my 15:11 daughter, she was like 18 15:13 months at that time and I was 15:15 like, "I couldn't handle, I 15:18 couldn't support if something 15:19 happened to my daughter. 15:21 I want this faith for me. 15:23 I need this." 15:25 >> So how did Angela's death 15:28 change the trajectory 15:29 of your life? 15:31 >> Well, after that day, I was 15:35 eager to know how people were 15:38 dealing-- how her family were 15:39 dealing with her death so I 15:42 looked for an Adventist church 15:45 in Montreal and I was happy 15:48 that there was one Brazilian 15:50 there so we could speak the 15:51 same language. 15:54 So people were very friendly 15:57 there with me. 15:59 My first day there I just 16:03 start crying when I came in 16:05 the church and I was so eager 16:08 to know how they were dealing 16:11 with her death and how people 16:13 usually deal with death because 16:16 I hadn't any idea about it. 16:20 So I start asking people, 16:22 "Tell me," and they starting, 16:25 you know, explaining me about 16:27 the second coming of Jesus and 16:28 I was like, "What? This is 16:31 so..." you know, it's hard to 16:35 believe because I spend my 16:37 whole life and I didn't even 16:40 know that He was coming back. 16:42 So it was a special hope 16:44 in my life. 16:45 >> So you started studying the 16:46 Bible then? 16:48 >> So yeah, after that I 16:50 started studying the Bible 16:51 with Tiago, a friend, and then 16:54 in 2014 I got baptized. 16:57 >> What was the most 16:58 comforting part of those Bible 17:00 studies that you did? 17:02 >> Knowing about the second 17:04 coming of Jesus was so 17:06 special, it brought me hope 17:08 back to my life and I'm 17:10 standing on the promise that 17:12 Jesus is coming again and I 17:14 will see Angela again. 17:16 This is amazing, 17:18 amazing thing. 17:22 ♪♪ 17:27 ♪Standing 17:31 ♪Standing 17:35 ♪Standing 17:37 ♪Standing on the promises 17:43 ♪Standing on the promises 17:45 ♪of Christ my King 17:47 ♪Through eternal ages 17:48 ♪let His praises ring 17:51 ♪Glory in the highest 17:53 ♪I will shout and sing 17:55 ♪Standing on the promises 17:56 ♪of God 18:01 ♪Standing on the promises 18:03 ♪I cannot fail 18:05 ♪When the howling storms 18:07 ♪and doubt and fear assail 18:10 ♪By the living word of God 18:12 ♪I shall prevail 18:14 ♪Standing on the promises 18:15 ♪of God 18:18 ♪Standing, standing 18:22 ♪Standing on the promises 18:24 ♪of God my Saviour 18:26 ♪Standing, standing 18:32 ♪I'm standing on the promises 18:34 ♪of God 18:36 ♪♪ 18:45 ♪Standing on the promises 18:47 ♪of Christ our Lord 18:50 ♪Bound to Him eternally 18:52 ♪by love's strong cord 18:55 ♪Overcoming daily with 18:57 ♪the Spirit's sword 18:59 ♪Standing on the promises 19:01 ♪of God 19:04 ♪Standing, standing 19:09 ♪Standing on the promises 19:10 ♪of God my Saviour 19:13 ♪Standing, standing 19:18 ♪I'm standing on the promises 19:23 ♪the promises 19:25 ♪the promises of God 19:37 >> Aline, you were telling us 19:39 how your good friend, Angela, 19:41 tragically had her life cut 19:43 short and yet you held onto 19:46 the promises in God's word, 19:48 you were standing on those 19:49 promises that one day Jesus 19:51 will return and all those who 19:53 have put their faith in Him 19:56 will be resurrected to live 19:57 with Him eternally. 20:00 >> Yes, that's a beautiful 20:02 promise and I'd like to show 20:06 you this Bible that she gave 20:08 to me, it's a special gift she 20:10 gave to me in 2004 and the 20:12 Bible is in Portuguese, but I 20:15 will read in English, OK? 20:18 So I hold onto this promise 20:21 from 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 20:23 16 to 17. 20:57 I'm looking forward to being 21:01 with Angela when Jesus is back 21:05 and I can't wait for this. 21:08 And it reminds me of a very 21:12 special day when I was 21:13 baptized and her family 21:17 surprised me with a video and 21:20 her son, Pedro, told me, told 21:25 something very special, he 21:27 said, "I can't wait to see how 21:30 surprised my mom will be when 21:32 she sees that you are in 21:36 heaven with her." 21:37 So, yeah, it will be amazing 21:40 and I can't wait, for sure. 21:44 >> Aline, that's really 21:45 beautiful. 21:47 So I wonder if you can tell us 21:49 what lessons you learned from 21:50 this tragic experience. 21:54 >> Well, I learned that we 21:59 have to live out your life 22:03 close to Jesus and living out 22:06 your faith and showing it and 22:10 standing-- staying connected 22:13 to Jesus every time so people 22:14 will feel it. 22:17 You know, sometimes you don't 22:19 have to use so many words. 22:21 I used to say that her 22:25 lifestyle as a real Christian 22:29 was worth more than a 22:32 thousand words. 22:34 So I think it's all about 22:38 having your heart open to 22:41 Jesus and Jesus will-- and, 22:45 you know, the Holy Spirit will 22:47 help you because we can't do 22:50 it by ourselves, we need it, 22:54 help, and help comes. 22:58 >> What was the last 22:59 conversation you had with 23:01 Angela like? 23:04 >> We were texting on Skype and 23:11 I asked her to turn her camera 23:13 on and she said, "Oh, I can't 23:17 because--" she used to have 23:19 the hair like yours, beautiful 23:21 curly hair and she knew I 23:25 loved her hair, her curly hair 23:27 and she said, "Oh, you'll be 23:29 mad because now I have 23:32 straight hair." 23:33 So we kept texting and she 23:36 said, "Well, you know, some 23:38 people ask me why you moved to 23:41 Canada and I know, but 23:44 sometimes I, you know, I don't 23:46 know what to say." 23:48 And then we lost the 23:50 connection and if you open my 23:52 page on Skype you will see the 23:54 question, "Why did you move to 23:56 Canada?" and I know the reason 24:00 I moved to Canada, it's that I 24:03 came here to find Jesus. 24:06 >> And so you're gonna be able 24:08 to tell her that when you see 24:10 her at the resurrection and 24:11 you're in heaven together. 24:13 [ALINE] Yeah. 24:14 >> You can talk to her forever 24:15 and answer the question... 24:17 >> Exactly. 24:18 >> ...on the big impact that she 24:19 had on your life. 24:20 >> Yeah, yeah. 24:22 It will be amazing. 24:24 I can't wait actually. 24:27 >> So, Aline, tell us where 24:28 you're at today, tell us about 24:30 your personal faith journey. 24:33 >> I still miss Angela a lot, 24:37 but all the hope that I have 24:40 in my heart makes all this 24:44 pain easier to handle 24:48 all this time. 24:49 And, unfortunately, it was her 24:54 death that made me wake up 24:59 and, of course, I wish I could 25:03 wake up earlier. 25:06 I discovered that she changed 25:08 the lives of many people. 25:11 She was a teacher in an 25:13 Adventist university so many 25:18 people were touched by 25:21 her faith. 25:23 And it was very amazing, 25:28 pretty amazing to know that 25:31 she could do this through the 25:34 Holy Spirit. 25:37 I can't understand many things 25:40 about what happened and-- but 25:44 I'm sure God will make a way 25:48 to make me understand what 25:49 happened and one thing that I 25:52 really know is that God used 25:55 Angela to draw me closer 25:57 to Him. 25:59 I try to live a simple life 26:02 and have a positive attitude 26:05 like Angela did and I pray for 26:09 God to give me wisdom. 26:12 I want to be closer to Him, I 26:15 need His help, I want to be 26:17 like Jesus. 26:19 >> Aline, I wonder if I could 26:21 ask you to please pray for us 26:22 right now. 26:23 >> Sure. 26:28 Dear Jesus, firstly, thank You 26:31 for giving me the opportunity 26:34 to spread Your Holy Word. 26:37 Thanks for all the love and 26:41 hope You put in my heart. 26:45 We can't wait to see You soon 26:48 and I can't wait to see Angela 26:51 and all our loved ones again. 26:57 Please help me to be a 26:59 blessing in other people's 27:00 lives. 27:02 Please heal this world and 27:04 stay with us because we 27:07 need You. 27:09 In Jesus' name, amen. 27:11 [MIKE] Amen. 27:14 Friends, to help you in your 27:16 Christian walk, our free offer 27:18 is The Miracle of Conversion 27:20 by Morris Vendon. 27:22 >> In The Miracle of 27:23 Conversion, you will learn 27:24 about the necessity of 27:26 conversion, the steps to 27:28 conversion, and the work of 27:30 the Holy Spirit. 27:34 >> Before you go, we would 27:35 also like to invite you to 27:37 follow us on Instagram and 27:38 Facebook and to subscribe to 27:40 our YouTube channel and also 27:43 listen to our Podcasts. 27:45 And if you go to our website, 27:47 you can see our latest 27:48 programs, including our 27:50 cooking demonstrations, our 27:52 short spiritual messages 27:53 entitled Daily Living and our 27:56 exercise workouts called 27:58 Experiencing Life. 28:01 >> We want you to experience 28:03 the truth found in the words 28:05 of Jesus when He said, "It is 28:07 written, 'Man shall not live 28:09 by bread alone, but by every 28:12 word that proceeds out of the 28:14 mouth of God.'" |
Revised 2022-12-01