Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY210057A
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00:01 As you're well aware,
00:02 we're living in unprecedented times. 00:05 Join us now for Today special program. 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Mending broken people 00:23 I want to spend my life 00:29 Removing pain 00:34 Lord, let my words 00:39 Heal a heart that hurts 00:44 I want to spend my life 00:50 Mending broken people 00:55 I want to spend my life 01:00 Mending broken people 01:14 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn 01:16 and we welcome you to 3ABN Today. 01:19 You will totally enjoy the conversation 01:24 that we're about to have. 01:25 I have a beautiful sister here with me. 01:28 And what I appreciate so much is her enthusiasm for the Lord. 01:32 We're going to share her testimony 01:34 and how God is using her on Facebook 01:37 to reach out around the world. 01:40 Really, it's exciting. 01:41 But before we begin, 01:43 let me share one of my favorite, 01:46 actually, there's two scriptures 01:47 that I want to read you from Psalm 143. 01:51 And I chose these today 01:53 because it reminds me of our guest. 01:56 But Psalm 143:8, David says, 02:00 "Cause me to hear Your loving kindness 02:03 in the morning, 02:05 for You do I trust. 02:07 Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, 02:11 for I lift up my soul to You." 02:14 So he's saying, Lord, open my ears. 02:17 I want to follow Your will, let me know. 02:21 And then in verse 10, he says, "Teach me to do Your will, 02:26 for You are my God, Your Spirit is good. 02:29 Lead me in the land of uprightness." 02:33 I used to pray this every morning. 02:35 I need to start doing it again. 02:37 But it's a precious thing to be tuned in, 02:42 to hear the voice of the Lord, 02:45 to feel those impressions on your heart 02:48 and to submit and commit your life 02:52 to following God's lead. 02:54 And you know what? 02:55 That's what our guest today has done. 02:57 Let me introduce our special guest, 02:59 Tiffani Claiborne who lights up this set with her smile. 03:05 Thank you so much. 03:06 It's nice to be here. It's a pleasure. 03:08 Oh, Tiffani, I'm just really excited to share, 03:12 have this opportunity to share your in 03:14 or your testimony with people 03:17 because God's led you in some interesting ways. 03:19 Thank you. 03:21 But before we begin... Sure. 03:22 We love music. 03:25 We know you love music. 03:27 So we have Martha Jhoana De Luna, 03:31 and she is a pianist 03:33 and she's using her gift for the Lord. 03:36 And her song is, We Shall Behold Him. 07:46 Woo! 07:47 That was Martha Jhoana De Luna, 07:49 and what a gift God has given her. 07:52 And we praise the Lord 07:54 that she is using her gift for His glory. 07:58 Well, if you're joining us just a little late today, 08:01 our special guest is Tiffani Claiborne. 08:05 And Tiffani has a love for God and enthusiasm for His Word. 08:10 And she's got an incredible Facebook ministry 08:13 that we're going to hear about. 08:14 But, Tiffani once again, so glad you're here. 08:18 Thank you so much. 08:19 It's such a blessing to be here. 08:21 Well, you know, we're looking forward to getting to know you. 08:24 We had a few minutes together. 08:25 Yeah. 08:27 Very few in the green room. 08:28 But let's just kick this off. 08:30 Tell us a little of your growing up? 08:32 Okay. 08:34 Did you grow up in a Christian home? 08:35 I did. 08:36 I grew up in a Christian home, 08:38 a Seventh-day Adventist Christian home. 08:39 And I always like to give my parents a shout out 08:41 because my parents, 08:43 they instilled in my sister and I 08:45 the importance of a Christian education. 08:47 So elementary school, middle school, 08:50 high school and university, 08:52 I went to a Christian university. 08:54 Oakwood College was my Alma mater. 08:56 So, yes, growing up 08:58 I was in a loving Seventh-day Adventist Christian home. 09:01 So I've always had a love for God. 09:03 And it stemmed from my parents 09:05 what they instilled in my sister and I. 09:06 You know what? 09:07 That's so important 09:09 because, and take this to the bank. 09:11 If your religion is just about rules, 09:14 if that's rules without relationship, 09:17 it results in rebellion 99 out of 100 times. 09:21 But if you teach your child 09:23 to have, how much God loves them 09:26 and to love God in return, 09:29 then we get these beautiful lives. 09:33 So you went to college, you got your degree in? 09:38 I have a degree in computer science 09:40 and I also have an associate's degree 09:41 in commercial art. 09:43 Yes, then it's amazing 09:45 because you were top of your class. 09:47 You got the dream job. 09:49 Tell us about your job with NASA? 09:52 So when I was at Oakwood College, 09:54 they had a program for computer science 09:56 and math majors 09:57 and it was in conjunction with NASA. 10:00 So I had an internship and then when I graduated, 10:03 God is good. 10:04 I was blessed with an offer to continue working with them. 10:07 So I got a job, yes, with NASA as a web developer. 10:10 And it was amazing, wonderful boss, John Sudderth, 10:14 if he ever watches this video, it was years ago 10:17 but he was an amazing boss, had amazing coworkers. 10:20 It was a great job. 10:21 It was a wonderful job. 10:23 But sometimes God has other plans. 10:25 So, yes, I worked there for a while. 10:29 And then God told me it was time for me to move on. 10:34 He said, "Tiffani, I know you enjoy this job, 10:36 but I have a greater work for you to do." 10:39 Now, let me stop you for just a second. 10:41 Because I remember when I first came here 10:42 and I'd say, well, God told me this, 10:44 God told me that, and people were like. 10:47 Did He really tell? 10:48 "Yeah, you know, with this woman." 10:50 But what we're talking about 10:52 is the still small voice of the Lord. 10:55 You know, I bet almost everybody watching 10:58 if you're a Christian, 10:59 there are times you know 11:00 that God has put a thought in your mind. 11:03 And it's not your thought. 11:06 You realize where it's coming from. 11:08 So it's not like you heard over the megaphone, 11:11 this big booming voice, 11:12 "Tiffani, it's time to change jobs." 11:15 But you knew that God was speaking to you, 11:19 calling you out into something different. 11:21 Yes. 11:23 So what did you do? 11:24 So just like you mentioned, it was a still small voice. 11:27 And I said, okay God, you're telling me. 11:31 Actually, stemmed from there's a parable 11:34 that Jesus mentions, 11:35 I'm sure many of us are familiar with the parable, 11:37 where He talks about the talents, 11:39 and I enjoy drawing and painting. 11:42 So my family, my friends know I love art. 11:44 And God basically was saying, "Tiffani, you have this talent. 11:48 But right now, you're not doing anything with it." 11:50 And I thought about the parable and I said, 11:52 "Okay God, I do want to use this talent for You." 11:54 And that's how He led me to leave my job. 11:57 And I actually moved. 11:58 My job, I was working in Huntsville, Alabama. 12:00 I moved back to Maryland with my parents. 12:02 Now, that was also a very interesting situation. 12:05 I'm the youngest girl. 12:07 And my parents, you know, they were excited. 12:10 Our daughters, we've put them through Christian school 12:13 their entire lives. 12:14 They both graduated, 12:15 my sister at the time was married. 12:17 I was the last one. 12:18 I had graduated, had a great job, 12:20 had bought a house. 12:21 They thought, we're done. 12:23 One day, the call came. 12:26 My dad calls me baby girl. 12:28 He says, "Hey, baby girl. 12:29 How are you?" 12:31 I said, "Daddy, I am great. 12:32 However, I have something to tell you." 12:34 He said, "Okay, let me get your mom real quick." 12:35 So the three of us were on the phone. 12:37 And, of course, I could tell they were in a good mood. 12:40 I said, "So God told me to quit my job." 12:44 And there was a long silence. 12:46 I'm sure. 12:47 And my dad said, "Baby girl, 12:50 I'm not sure that was God's voice." 12:53 So I said, well, so we continue having the conversation. 12:57 And I explained to them, I said, 12:59 "You know, you raised my sister and I to trust God." 13:02 And when God tells us to do something, 13:04 even when it's hard to move forward. 13:06 And again, eventually they said, 13:07 "Okay, well, whatever God is telling you." 13:09 That conversation was just very funny. 13:12 But, so I sold my house, I moved back with my parents. 13:15 And again, my whole life changed, 13:17 went back with my parents for about a two-year period. 13:19 During that two-year period, 13:21 I just focused on producing artwork, 13:23 producing paintings 13:24 because I wanted to bring God glory. 13:25 And again, I'm appreciative of my parents 13:28 for understanding the transition 13:30 and allowing God to lead so. 13:32 Amen. 13:33 But while you were at Oakwood, 13:35 you had heard stories of South Korea. 13:37 Yes. 13:39 And you had made a determination 13:40 that after you finished your career path 13:43 that she wanted to be a missionary. 13:45 It felt called even back in college 13:48 to go to South Korea. 13:49 So after a couple of years of this artwork, 13:52 how did you end up in South Korea? 13:55 So, yes, I had heard about South Korea 13:57 the mission opportunity when I was at Oakwood, 13:59 but I decided to continue with my career 14:01 and then I'll do it later. 14:03 So about the second year 14:05 when I was still drawing and painting, 14:07 again, God spoke that's still small voice, 14:09 "Is that okay, Tiff? 14:10 Now, I need you to do mission work in South Korea." 14:13 I had a lot of friends that had travelled to South Korea 14:16 and they were missionaries and they told me 14:17 how amazing their experience had been. 14:19 So I looked into it and I applied. 14:22 And the initial plan 14:23 was just to be there for a year. 14:25 I wanted to teach the Bible 14:26 and I wanted to also help students 14:28 speak English well. 14:30 However, I also told God, 14:33 I would not live in another country 14:35 without learning their language. 14:37 So I told my parents I'm going for a year, 14:39 they said, "Okay, you know, we'll miss you but okay." 14:42 That year turned into 10 years, so I speak Korean fluently. 14:45 There are many things that happened 14:47 during that 10-year period. 14:48 But it was so amazing, 14:50 being in Korea as an English missionary. 14:53 It was great. It really changed my life. 14:55 And while you were there, 14:57 not only were you reaching out and embracing the people, 15:01 but you embraced the culture. 15:03 Yes. 15:04 You used that talent that God gave you, 15:05 the gift of art and you took some classes there. 15:09 Tell us about that? 15:11 Yes. So what happened, I was in Korea. 15:14 And again, I mentioned earlier, I wanted to speak Korean. 15:16 So I started studying on my own. 15:18 Then I found a program in one of the local universities 15:21 and I started studying Korean there. 15:23 Is that a difficult language to learn? 15:24 Extremely. 15:26 On a scale of one to 10, it's a 15. 15:28 So it was not easy at all. 15:31 And just to give you an example, 15:32 so in English, we say, take a shower. 15:36 In Korean, it's the flip. 15:38 So it's syawoleulhada. 15:39 It means shower I did, if I directly translated that. 15:43 So you have this language. 15:45 And again, I was 27, 15:46 when I started learning the language. 15:48 So I already was very familiar with English, of course, 15:51 and to learn in a language 15:53 that was totally opposite of my own. 15:55 The grammar was different. 15:56 There were so many other things about their culture 15:58 built into the language, it was extremely difficult. 16:01 But again, God helped me through it. 16:02 But while I was studying, 16:04 I got to about a level three or level four. 16:06 But I was studying and teaching at the same time. 16:09 So my schedule, I wake up at four in the morning. 16:11 I am an early bird 16:13 and a lot of my friends and family know this. 16:14 I would wake up at 4 am 16:16 and I'd study from 4 am to about 8 am. 16:19 Then I take a shower, eat breakfast 16:21 and I'd go to the university 16:22 from 9 am to 1 pm taking classes, 16:25 come home, take a short nap. 16:26 And from 2 pm to 10 pm, 16:29 I would teach the English classes 16:31 at the missionary institute. 16:32 This was my life for about 10 months, 16:35 every day except, of course, Friday 16:37 because it was a Christian institute. 16:39 So When I got to the 10th month, 16:41 I realized that I had reached the plateau. 16:43 Wait a minute, you just said except for Friday 16:45 because it was a Christian institute, 16:47 was a Seventh-day Adventist Christian 16:49 if you would tell? 16:50 Yes, Seventh-day Adventist. So Friday was... 16:53 Friday is preparation day for the Sabbath. 16:56 So there are many institutions of Seventh-day Adventists 17:00 that have either work half a day on Friday 17:03 or none on Friday, 17:04 so that you can be prepared. 17:05 So yes, I'm sorry and Sabbath and Sunday. 17:08 So Saturday and Sunday, I also did not do that. 17:10 So it got to the point 17:11 where it was a little bit overwhelming. 17:13 I reached this plateau in my Korean language journey. 17:16 And a friend of mine that was in my class told me, 17:19 "Tiffani, why don't you apply for the scholarship?" 17:22 I said, "What scholarship are you referring to?" 17:23 Because I was the oldest individual in the class. 17:26 The other individuals were about 18 years old. 17:28 They were younger than me. 17:29 And I said, "How are these individuals studying here 17:31 when I'm working to fund my education." 17:34 So I found out about a Korean scholarship 17:36 from the government. 17:38 Fast forward, I applied for it. 17:39 Praise God, I got the scholarship 17:41 and the scholarship paid for everything. 17:43 It paid for my education, 17:44 it paid for me to go to grad school 17:46 and it gave me a monthly stipend. 17:48 Now a part of that 17:50 was I could choose my degree in grad school. 17:52 And that's how I choose oriental painting. 17:54 So I was able to learn the language 17:56 and also continue with my art interest 17:59 in learning more about oriental painting. 18:01 So as an artist, what was unique 18:05 about when you say oriental painting, 18:07 what's different about oriental painting? 18:10 To be very honest with you, 18:12 there's something that happened prior to me, 18:14 majoring in oriental painting. 18:16 Whenever I would look at an oriental painting, 18:18 there was something about the brushstrokes. 18:21 It would seem like a simple piece of artwork 18:24 for someone looking at an oriental painting. 18:25 They use a lot of nature, 18:27 a lot of pictures of mountains or paintings of say, 18:30 what looks like a leaf or a plant. 18:32 But there was something about the movement 18:34 within the paintings that really caught 18:35 my attention. 18:37 So when I got into the program, 18:38 I learned, okay, it's not just a brushstroke, 18:41 there were so many different things involved in it. 18:43 So that's the main thing that got my attention. 18:45 So they use different materials to paint with, 18:49 they use different types of brushes 18:50 and different things. 18:52 So that's interesting. 18:53 Yes. 18:54 So that's fascinating. So here you are 10 years. 18:56 Yes. 18:58 There, you finally decide to return to the United States. 19:02 And when we're talking about 19:04 the still small voice that heard, 19:06 that's 1 Kings 19:12, 19:08 when God spoke 19:11 in this still small voice to Elijah 19:13 to get in and we know that 19:15 that's the voice of the Holy Spirit. 19:17 Because when God's audible voice 19:20 is always like a thousand thunders, 19:23 it's magnificent. 19:26 But the still small voice of the Lord as you come back, 19:29 how did God lead when you return to the States? 19:33 So I had been there 10 years, 19:35 toward the last portion of my time in Korea. 19:38 So I taught thousands of students 19:40 during my time in Korea 19:42 as a missionary English teacher. 19:43 But we had a group of students, 19:45 they would go from level one to level six learning English 19:48 and then they'd also hit this plateau. 19:50 And so my boss at the time came to me and said, 19:53 "Tiff, we have this group of students 19:55 and they're struggling with the next level, 19:58 trying to get to the next level 19:59 and sound more like a native English speaker." 20:01 He said, "Would you mind developing a program for them?" 20:04 I said, "Sure." 20:05 I enjoyed teaching students, I enjoyed organizing things. 20:08 So I organized the program. 20:09 God has obviously given you a teaching gift. 20:13 Praise God. 20:14 And again, I realized that while living in Korea, 20:16 that I had a passion for teaching 20:18 and that it's something that, 20:19 yes, God gave me the ability to do, 20:21 but I really enjoy it. 20:23 So I developed this program and I had a group of students 20:25 that came to my class for a two-month period. 20:28 And what I was trying to do 20:29 was teach them how to give a speech. 20:31 Giving a speech, 20:32 even for a native English speaker is tricky. 20:34 Standing in front of people they're stage fright. 20:37 And these are students who are learning English 20:38 as a second language. 20:40 So I taught them how to give a speech. 20:42 And I actually used the principles 20:44 that we learned when we were in school, 20:46 high school and even college English classes. 20:49 And my favorite English teacher was actually in high school. 20:52 I went to Takoma Academy in Maryland. 20:54 Her name is Miss Kendalleria. 20:56 She's the best English teacher I've ever had. 20:58 And some of the principles 20:59 she taught us how to write a paper, 21:01 how to organize your thoughts. 21:02 I put those into part of the program 21:04 that I taught the students. 21:05 And the students went from 21:07 not being able to give a speech up front 21:09 for even a minute or two without being nervous 21:11 and stopping to at the end of a two-month period 21:13 being able to give a 10-minute speech, 21:15 with no notes up front with confidence, 21:18 something that even native English speakers struggle with. 21:21 And I realized, okay, this is something 21:23 that can help other students, 21:25 other English learners. 21:26 And my goal has always been to help people. 21:28 I want people to have more confidence in themselves. 21:31 So that led me to start a YouTube channel 21:34 while I was in Korea. 21:36 My YouTube channel is Speak English with Tiffani. 21:38 And the only goal was what I taught in class, 21:41 I wanted other Korean students to learn the same, 21:44 that's my only goal, was my only goal at the time. 21:47 So I what I taught in class, I created videos. 21:50 And again, I used my skills 21:52 from when I worked at NASA 21:54 to develop the visuals for the video. 21:57 So I put them up on YouTube. 22:00 But as you are familiar, YouTube is a global website. 22:05 So I started getting a lot of views. 22:08 And it was kind of confusing at the beginning, 22:10 because when I looked at the analytics, 22:12 they weren't Korean students. 22:14 There were students from Brazil, from China, 22:17 from Russia, that were watching the videos. 22:20 And I realized... That's fascinating. 22:21 I can help even more people. 22:24 So it led me to want to make more videos. 22:26 So again, my schedule was already very hectic. 22:31 I was teaching at that time, 22:32 I was still studying in my graduate program, 22:35 which was also very challenging. 22:37 The entire thing was in Korean. 22:38 And then there was this YouTube piece. 22:41 But I felt like I was helping people. 22:43 And I always went back to God sent Jesus to this earth 22:47 to help us to know more about Him. 22:48 Yes. 22:50 Let me be like Christ. I'm not a doctor. 22:51 I can't heal you physically, 22:53 but I can help you with English. 22:55 So I spent a lot of time. 22:57 Every week I posted a video without fail. 22:59 So coming back to your question 23:01 about when I came back to America, 23:02 I had two choices. 23:04 I said, "Okay God, I finished my graduate degree. 23:06 I have my degree in oriental painting. 23:08 There's also this YouTube channel. 23:10 So either you want me to come home 23:12 and be an art professor 23:14 or You want me to come home 23:15 and keep doing this YouTube channel. 23:17 My life is Yours." 23:20 And that was about it, I think, a week period 23:22 where I did the praying and fasting. 23:25 I said, "Okay God, by the end of this week, 23:27 please show me what You want me to do." 23:29 And again, I had gotten to this point in my life 23:31 where whatever God said, 23:34 whatever He led me to do, I would do it 23:36 because I've seen Him work in the past. 23:39 So at the end of that week, 23:41 I actually got a call 23:42 from a Korean television company 23:44 who sent me an email. 23:45 And they said, "Hi, Miss Tiffani, 23:47 we found your YouTube channel. 23:49 And we'd like to have a conversation with you." 23:51 And basically, that ended up being, 23:54 we signed the contract where they put my videos 23:56 on The Korean television channel. 23:57 Wow. 23:58 And I said, "God, You gave me the sign I needed. 24:01 So when I came back to America, I decided to move forth. 24:04 I said, "God here's the thing, 24:05 how are you going to use English 24:08 to help me spread Your Word?" 24:10 He said, "Don't worry." 24:11 Yeah. 24:12 "I got it." 24:14 Okay, I just have to let's rewind the clock 24:15 just a little bit. 24:17 God does not have any grandchildren. 24:21 So even if you have come from decades 24:25 in your family line where of Christians, 24:29 it had to be a time in your life 24:34 where it was more than your parent's religion. 24:36 The Seventh-day Adventist Christian faith, 24:39 it wasn't just something 24:40 that was being handed down to you as a cultural thing 24:43 because you obviously have a close personal relationship 24:47 with the Lord. 24:49 When did it become real for you? 24:53 I'm really glad you asked that question 24:54 because I feel like every Christian, 24:58 every Seventh-day Adventist Christian, 24:59 every Christian believer goes through this period 25:01 in their life. 25:02 Sure. 25:03 And I was a sophomore at Oakwood 25:06 when it happened to me. 25:07 I had attended we have, 25:08 you know, we had religion classes 25:10 and they were amazing. 25:11 We had great teachers. 25:12 But I remember sitting down one day in the dorm 25:15 I stayed in and I said, "God, here's the deal. 25:18 My parents love You. 25:20 I came from a household with full of love. 25:23 But I have to know for myself if this is real, 25:25 if what's in the Bible is real or not." 25:28 So I decided to get a commentary. 25:31 You know, the big commentaries 25:32 before we have iPads and everything. 25:34 Yeah. 25:35 The big commentary and I said, "Okay, I'm going to... 25:38 It's going to be me, God, the commentary and the Bible." 25:41 And I spent several months scouring the Bible, 25:45 looking up different things, 25:47 making sure I knew what I believed. 25:49 And by the end of that period, I said, I know what I believe. 25:52 Praise the Lord. 25:53 I know what I believe. 25:54 I mean, you know, because it's at that time, 25:57 we all, I mean, I wasn't quite as young as you were 26:01 when I would do that. 26:02 But my mother always told me one thing and I'm so thankful 26:05 because I didn't grow up as Seventh-day Adventist. 26:08 I grew up in a "New Testament Church." 26:12 Then I studied my way out of that, 26:15 went into a non-denominational arena. 26:18 But when God called me to ministry, man, I mean, 26:21 He locked me down several years, all I did. 26:24 I didn't even use a commentary. 26:26 I just studied the Bible. 26:29 But it when you do that, you become so sure. 26:33 And God's Word becomes so real to you. 26:37 And I've seen atheists who said, 26:39 "I'm going to prove you wrong." 26:40 And they pick up the Bible and they're studying 26:42 so that they can have an argument 26:44 and the Word is alive and active. 26:46 Amen. 26:48 And what happened 26:49 is, you have a real love 26:54 for the Word of God. 26:55 You've got this desire in your heart to share. 26:59 So you're online teaching English, 27:02 but how has God taken that and translated it 27:07 into getting the gospel to all the world? 27:11 So that is an interesting and a great question. 27:13 So again, there was a period I've been doing, 27:15 I've been online for I think, I started in 2018 in Korea, 27:19 but it really became a business in 2019. 27:21 Okay. 27:22 And throughout the entire time, 27:23 I had the same question in the back of my mind. 27:25 Lord, I'm not questioning You, but I'm just wondering, 27:28 when is the ministry side going to kick in? 27:30 And I started getting messages from my students. 27:34 They would always say, "Oh, we enjoyed the lesson, 27:36 we learned a lot." 27:38 But I started getting different messages. 27:40 Are you a Christian? 27:42 Do you love God? 27:43 And they were asking 27:44 as if they could see something in the video. 27:46 I was only teaching English. 27:47 I wasn't saying anything about God. 27:50 But I started to get these messages 27:51 on a regular basis. 27:53 And then someone said, "Listen teacher, 27:56 there are many great English teachers on YouTube. 27:59 But there's something about you that I can't put my finger on. 28:02 Do you believe in God?" 28:03 And so I realized that God was opening the door. 28:07 They started the conversation 28:08 because I have students again from all over the world, 28:11 Muslim, atheist, as you mentioned, 28:13 so I never wanted to put my views in my videos. 28:17 But the moment they opened the door, 28:19 at the end of each lesson, I tell a story. 28:21 And I sing a song, story time 28:24 and I go into a story about my life 28:26 and students love it. 28:28 So when they started asking questions, 28:29 I said, "Okay, God, they're asking questions." 28:31 He said, "Go through the door." 28:33 So I would start telling them about my life, 28:35 about how important God is to me. 28:38 And this is what's happening now. 28:40 So I'm open and free to talk about God in my videos 28:43 without worrying about. 28:44 Praise the Lord. 28:46 Oh, no, you're teaching English. 28:47 Why are you talking about God? 28:48 I never get negative comments. 28:50 Even my Muslim students, they're like, "Teacher, 28:52 we know that you don't believe in Allah 28:54 or you know, but we can see His hand over your life." 28:57 But they'll make comments like that. 28:58 But again, it's being there and talking about God 29:02 and they're seeing something different. 29:03 And we've had so many conversations, 29:06 again, with students that don't believe in God 29:08 and they're like, 29:09 "I don't really believe in God, per Se, 29:10 but I like you and I like what you're saying." 29:12 So it's opened the door for me 29:14 to start talking about God more. 29:17 And some students have even joined a class that I teach to, 29:20 so I know we'll get into that in a few moments. 29:21 Yes, so that's my next question. 29:23 Because now her ministry, I mean, 29:26 she still has her online business teaching English, 29:29 but her ministry she started 29:32 a Sabbath School live program every Sabbath. 29:37 And you started this the beginning of 2020. 29:40 So tell us how God led you into that? 29:44 And I know you're attracting people 29:45 from around the world. 29:47 So when I came back from South Korea and I said, 29:51 "Okay, God, You want me to do the English 29:53 you know, English business," 29:55 but I was still longing for the Bible study portion. 30:00 I was teaching the Bible in Korea 30:01 almost every day to students. 30:04 And that piece was completely gone 30:06 because now I was back home. 30:08 And when I was in Korea, I was, there was, 30:11 we didn't have the bubble like the Christian bubble 30:14 or Seventh-day Adventist Christian bubble. 30:16 I was surrounded by people that didn't even believe 30:19 there was a God. 30:20 So when I came back home, 30:21 it was kind of, I was surrounded by other 30:23 Seventh-day Adventist Christians. 30:25 So I was like, "Lord, where is my field? 30:27 Where am I supposed to do this Bible study?" 30:30 And God led me to start class at my church, 30:34 a Bible study class and initially 30:36 was just going to be studying different topics, 30:38 but it ended up being a Sabbath school class. 30:40 And I wanted to start the Sabbath school class, 30:42 this is prior to 2020. 30:44 Because I heard so many people saying 30:48 that those in their 30s, those in their 40s 30:52 really didn't have a desire to study the Word of God 30:55 or really didn't have a desire to study 30:56 the Sabbath School lesson that we have. 30:59 And I didn't believe that was true. 31:01 I just believed 31:02 that what was needed wasn't there just yet. 31:08 So I said, okay, let me start a class 31:09 and do it specifically for that group. 31:13 I started at my church, pastor was very supportive. 31:15 And the time also was an issue. 31:18 Because when you have those in their 30s and 40s, 31:20 they have young families. 31:22 So it's hard sometimes to come to church early. 31:23 I said, but God can still do big things. 31:25 So I started the class at my church 31:27 and it was a blessing. 31:29 We had a wonderful time 31:30 studying the Sabbath School lesson. 31:31 Prior to this, I liked Sabbath School. 31:33 So I would go on my own, 31:34 but I wanted to start this class 31:36 and we would enjoy our time together. 31:38 And then, 2020 the pandemic of 2020 hit. 31:44 And as you know, church doors closed. 31:47 So all that we had built up having class together 31:50 on Sabbath morning, 31:51 studying the Sabbath School lesson, 31:52 a time studying different topics in the Bible, 31:55 it went away. 31:56 And again, I was back at square one. 31:59 When I came back from South Korea, 32:01 I missed studying the Bible with fellow believers, 32:04 I missed diving into God's Word. 32:07 I said, "God, what do You want me to do now?" 32:09 I can't just sit down. 32:11 I can't just not do anything. 32:13 And... Wait a minute. 32:14 Yes. 32:16 I'm going to hit the pause button 32:17 because this is going to be our cliffhanger. 32:18 We're coming in just a second. 32:21 I can't help but ask this. 32:22 Sure. 32:24 You're saying 30 and 40-year olds 32:26 whose lives were so busy 32:28 that you were hearing they didn't have a desire 32:32 and a lot of people don't know they've got the desire 32:34 because something's wrong. 32:36 What did you do differently 32:38 to get those people involved in your class to where, 32:42 I mean, how do you reach somebody 32:45 that doesn't know they've got a desire? 32:48 So I think what happened, to be honest with you, 32:53 I trusted the power of God's Word. 32:55 I didn't trust in myself, 32:56 I trusted in the power of God's Word. 32:57 This is His power. 32:59 The gospel is His power and His glory. 33:01 Being in that age group as well, 33:03 I knew that it wasn't a lack of desire. 33:07 It was just that the way maybe things were presented. 33:11 I know that one thing that I've heard 33:13 is that sometimes it's hard to connect the Bible 33:16 with my life right now. 33:18 Okay. 33:19 So I think, that was one of the main things. 33:20 Just making it relevant. 33:22 Making it relevant. 33:23 All right. 33:25 And enjoyable. 33:26 I think something has happened 33:27 where studying the Bible sometimes turns into this, 33:31 let's all be solemn. 33:33 Let's be quiet as and there are moments 33:36 when that is necessary. 33:37 But it's dry. 33:39 Let's put it that way. 33:40 Because you know and this is the point is that, 33:43 please listen to what I'm saying. 33:44 If you are a Christian 33:46 and all you're doing is studying the Bible to answer 33:49 the Sabbath School panel quite 33:51 or the Sabbath School questions 33:52 or to answer your Sunday School questions. 33:55 If that's the only reason, 33:56 if you're just going through the Bible, 33:59 to find an answer to a question, 34:02 it isn't going to feed your soul. 34:04 But when you're looking at the Bible 34:07 and understanding this is God's Word does, 34:10 these are God's promises and you are applying them, 34:13 you are making it relevant. 34:16 All of a sudden, 34:17 the study of God's Word gets truly exciting. 34:21 So that's what you're doing. 34:24 You've got a class that is flourishing. 34:27 The thing here is COVID. 34:29 How did that... What happened when COVID came? 34:33 So again, when COVID hit again, 34:34 it threw a monkey wrench into everything. 34:38 Class stopped. 34:39 So I still have students, 34:41 church members, friends and family 34:43 that are like "Tiffani, what are we going to do? 34:45 We you know, we missed the class." 34:47 So I prayed about it. 34:49 And I said, "God, what do You want me to do?" 34:50 It's not just about teaching it to others. 34:52 When you teach you also are blessed yourself 34:54 because you have to learn as well. 34:56 So I missed it too. 34:58 And God said, "Okay." 34:59 Again, God kind of sat me down in that still small voice. 35:02 He said, "Okay, Tiffani, 35:03 what do you do on a regular basis 35:05 for your students that you're teaching English." 35:07 And I had a whole production, had camera lighting, 35:12 everything needed in my home studio 35:15 because I did it on a regular basis 35:16 for my English students 35:17 for my YouTube channel and for my academy. 35:20 He said, "I need you to do the same thing for Me. 35:22 The same effort you're giving to teach English, 35:25 I need you to take that and give it 35:27 and do something for Me." 35:28 So I said, "Okay, God, 35:30 I give 110% for my English students. 35:33 I'll do the same for You." 35:34 And so I used the talents or skills 35:36 that God had blessed me with teaching English 35:38 and I switched it over and said, 35:40 It's time to go online and teach the Sabbath School. 35:42 Okay, I think is this a good time, 35:44 we've got a few little video clips because what... 35:48 Here she's got this teaching gift 35:50 that God has just put inside of her. 35:54 So she goes through all this preparation. 35:57 But then because of her art gift, 36:00 she really is creating. 36:03 I mean, she's got an enthusiastic open, 36:06 but then she's creating some great visuals 36:10 that will attract people. 36:11 So let's look at this one. 36:13 You are flipping through a notebook here, explain. 36:16 I don't think there's any recording or audio. 36:19 So tell us what's going on as you prepare? 36:21 Sure. 36:23 So I'll explain. 36:24 So this is a video of me 36:25 flipping through a sketchbook I have. 36:27 Now I'm very meticulous. 36:29 So what I do is I study the Sabbath School lesson. 36:32 And then I take notes. 36:34 And then I actually draw out every visual 36:37 I'm going to create for the class. 36:39 So what you're seeing right now, 36:40 this is one of my notebooks. 36:42 I've been doing this again, 36:43 since the pandemic of 2020 started. 36:45 So there are tons of little notebooks and little drawing. 36:48 So each week I draw in the notebook, laying it out. 36:51 And again, it's because I promised God, 36:53 the same effort I give to my students 36:55 to teach English, I'll give to Your Word, 36:58 to teaching Your Word. 36:59 So this is a part of the process, 37:01 drawing out every visual, 37:03 then translating that to a computer 37:05 and then moving forward and teaching the class. 37:06 So that's what you just saw on the screen, 37:09 the notebook I used. 37:10 And then I have to say this, you're not a shy person. 37:14 No. 37:16 You know, the word enthusiasm. 37:18 Think of it this way, enthu, God in us. 37:23 And then the I-A-S-M, enthusiasm is God in us. 37:28 And I think of it as I am sold myself. 37:31 So when you're, when you are in love with God. 37:36 I love the way you open up your program 37:40 because her goal is to make everyone feel welcome, 37:46 like they're around the program. 37:48 But see if you think this is an enthusiastic open. 37:52 Good morning and Happy Sabbath family. 37:55 I am Tiffani Claiborne. 37:57 And I love studying the Word of God 38:00 with God's people. 38:02 We are back, family. 38:04 We had a two-week break. 38:05 As you can see, I have moved to a new apartment 38:09 and have a new studio. 38:10 And I am excited to jump into God's Word 38:14 one more time together with you. 38:17 Now, family, you all know what we do each and every time 38:21 we come together. 38:22 We come in, we say Happy Sabbath 38:24 and we let each other know our testimonies. 38:27 Let us know how good God has been to you. 38:31 I love it. 38:32 I mean, nobody's expecting a dry lesson here. 38:36 Not at all. 38:38 So explain how your Sabbath School kind of goes? 38:41 So when I started the Sabbath School class, 38:43 I was praying and I remembered, 38:45 okay God, the biggest issue, 38:46 the biggest challenge with the pandemic of 2020 38:49 was that everyone felt isolated. 38:52 Everyone was separate. 38:53 You're at home, you can't be around each other at church. 38:56 So I said, "Okay God, the main thing 38:57 is to make it feel interactive, 38:59 to make us feel like we are together 39:02 even though we are physically apart." 39:04 So again, I reverted back 39:06 to what I do for my English students, 39:07 when I do live English classes. 39:09 I include their comments as much as possible. 39:12 So the structure of the classes, 39:14 it starts off again, 39:15 with the opening that we just watched. 39:17 I ask for testimonies. 39:18 Again, I want everyone to feel like 39:20 you are what makes this class special. 39:22 It's not about Tiffani. 39:23 Yes, I'm the one on the camera, but it's about you. 39:26 So I try to speak to the individuals 39:28 looking at them as much as possible in the camera. 39:31 And then we start off with testimonies, 39:32 then we move immediately 39:34 to a thought-provoking question. 39:36 And this again goes back to the idea 39:39 that your thoughts matter. 39:41 Your ideas are important 39:43 and I connected with the lesson. 39:46 So it's a lot of prayer that goes into the week 39:48 before I teach a class. 39:50 A lot of prayer, asking the Holy Spirit 39:51 to please lead and guide me 39:53 what questions can be connected to the lesson, 39:55 so I ask real life questions. 39:57 For example, we were talking about, 40:00 a few months back, one of my favorite lessons. 40:03 The Sabbath School lesson was talking about 40:04 I think it was Elijah. 40:06 And he was running away from Jezebel. 40:08 And there was this period 40:09 he was going through where he said, 40:11 "God, please just let me die." 40:12 Yeah. 40:14 "I'm done." 40:15 The reality is... 40:16 And this was after he had all 40:18 that made you a success on the mountain 40:20 where he calls fire down, 40:22 and all the prophets of Baal were killed. 40:24 Exactly. 40:26 So you'd think he'd be on a spiritual high 40:27 and here he is depressed. 40:29 Spiritual high. 40:30 The thing is that situation, that story showed me, 40:33 he was depressed. 40:35 Yeah. 40:36 And depression is a big issue right now mental health issue. 40:38 So I said, "God, how can we connect this lesson 40:41 with depression and mental health issues?" 40:43 And again, these are the things 40:44 that the Holy Spirit is taking me through. 40:46 So I asked a question, 40:47 what do people normally do when they're depressed? 40:49 Or things like that 40:51 connect the audience immediately with the topic 40:53 and then we go to look at the story of Elijah. 40:55 And it's able to show us, wait a minute, 40:58 God even cares when someone's going through depression. 41:00 And we see how God send the angel two times. 41:03 First time I understand, 41:05 I realize you're not feeling good. 41:07 I acknowledged that you are depressed, 41:08 take this food and take your rest. 41:11 Then he comes back the second time. 41:12 "Okay, I need you to get up. 41:14 I understand you were feeling down, 41:16 but I need you to move and work for me." 41:17 So we were able to see that God acknowledges 41:20 when you are depressed, but He also says, "Okay, 41:22 My child, I love you, I'm comforting you, 41:24 I need you to get up and move for Me." 41:27 So things like that, 41:28 making the Bible real right now in your life. 41:32 And that's kind of how the class goes 41:34 throughout the entire lesson. 41:35 So there's constant questions back and forth. 41:39 We have a lot of fun. 41:40 We laugh. 41:42 There are times people cry, we cry together. 41:44 And again, 41:45 I want people to feel like their words matter. 41:48 So every comment, it's a lot of, you know, moving parts. 41:52 Every comment, I put it on the screen. 41:54 I want people to feel like it's about you. 41:56 It's not just about my thoughts. 41:58 And what, we're not going to show you the comments 42:01 on the screen because they have the tie. 42:04 I mean, the name of the person who's making the comments, 42:08 but we want to give you just another little sample. 42:11 Here's Tiffani reading the Bible. 42:14 What do we need to do to make sure Jesus comes back? 42:17 But I want us to jump into this verse 42:19 before we get into the three angels' messages. 42:21 Matthew 24:14, 42:24 we're going to read it one more time, family. 42:26 It says, "And this gospel, this gospel of the kingdom 42:32 shall be preached in all the world 42:34 as a witness for a witness unto all nations..." 42:37 And then we'll be able to see our loved ones 42:41 that have passed away. 42:42 And then we'll be able to see our Savior Jesus face to face. 42:46 And then we'll stop experiencing 42:48 pain, heartache, challenges, bills. 42:52 When this message is preached the entire world, 42:56 the end will come and Jesus will return. 42:59 Family, we have the key. 43:01 God says, "Preach this Word 43:05 and I will send My Son again." 43:10 You know, you may be wondering 43:12 how can I get on her Sabbath School class? 43:16 If you just go to Facebook.com 43:20 and then a forward slash and her name Tiffani Claiborne. 43:25 You can see what she's doing. 43:28 And you know what's so exciting to me 43:31 is that you with your art gift, 43:35 you are making this visually appealing. 43:39 Tell us about how you develop those? 43:43 So with the visuals, it goes back to a promise 43:45 I made that made to God. 43:47 The same effort I give my students 43:49 to teach them English is the same effort 43:51 I'll give to God. 43:52 But how many visual program do you have? 43:56 As far as the number that I produced for them. 43:57 Yeah. 43:58 So I'll be honest with you. 44:00 My business keeps me quite busy. 44:02 So to create the visuals, again, throughout the week, 44:05 I'm drawing and sketching them out 44:06 and studying the lesson. 44:08 But I get up usually on Sabbath morning 44:09 at about 4 am. 44:11 And from 4 am to about, 44:13 the class starts at 9:45 am, Eastern Standard Time. 44:17 So about 4 am to usually 8:30 am or 9 am, 44:21 I'm designing and creating the presentations 44:23 on my computers 44:24 because I can't do it during the week. 44:25 So I do it Sabbath morning, 44:27 I create the layout and the presentation. 44:29 Sister, that's dedication. 44:31 And I think it goes back to, 44:33 you know, looking at all that God has done for me. 44:36 Yeah. 44:37 And I'm like God, you know, 44:39 if I can give 110% for my English students, 44:41 I can do this for you. 44:42 And I know the power of visuals to keep people engaged, 44:47 changing the visuals, whether it be the comments 44:50 or going back and forth. 44:51 So, yes, I try to make them visually appealing the colors, 44:53 again, going back to my time at NASA, 44:56 the practice I got there with the web development 44:58 and web design and then just my natural affinity for art, 45:01 it helps to make the visuals look nice, so. 45:04 All right, so tell us some of the results 45:08 already of what God is, how He's using. 45:11 And once again, you just go to 45:13 Facebook.com/TiffaniClaiborne. 45:18 So what's God doing with this Sabbath School class? 45:21 God has been truly awesome. 45:23 So I've gotten so many private messages. 45:26 I've gotten messages not from the 30 or 40 age group. 45:31 I've gotten message from people that... 45:33 One lady that really sticks out in my mind. 45:35 She was in her late 60s, if not early 70s. 45:39 And she said, "Tiffani, 45:41 my daughter told me about your program." 45:43 I said, "Praise God, I'm so glad you joined us." 45:45 I want to make everyone feel they're a part of our family. 45:47 You are only a guest one time, 45:48 after that you're automatically a part of the family. 45:51 She said, "But I need you to understand something." 45:53 She said "I've been 45:54 a Seventh-day Adventist Christian my entire life. 45:56 Never have I studied the Bible in such depth 45:59 until I came to your class." 46:01 Praise God. 46:02 And it just reminded me, God, this is all about You. 46:05 Amen. 46:06 So that was one blessing. 46:07 Then I've had a lot of my friends. 46:10 I've had a couple of people tell me that, 46:12 prior to this, they had stopped really going to church. 46:15 They had stopped studying the Sabbath School lesson. 46:17 They really weren't in tune with God. 46:19 And they said, "But there's something about 46:20 coming to the class on Sabbath morning. 46:22 And feeling like I'm a part and I'm learning so much." 46:25 So people have told me that 46:27 it's reignited their love for God's Word. 46:30 And I also have a student, he's a Muslim. 46:34 So a lot of my students have actually joined the class 46:36 and I have a few students 46:37 that aren't Seventh-day Adventists. 46:39 When you say your students, 46:40 you're talking about your business, 46:41 your English class? 46:43 Yes. 46:44 Students are joining now the Sabbath School class. 46:45 Yes. 46:47 So my English students have started to join. 46:48 And again, they're from around the world. 46:50 One of my students, he is Muslim. 46:52 And he's joined quite a few times 46:55 and he'll message me privately and say, "Tiff, 46:58 you know, this is a really deep Bible class." 47:00 And all God needs is for us to plant a seed. 47:03 It's not my job to convert. 47:05 But when those seeds are planted and I'm saying, 47:07 okay, God, now it's Your turn, You do the rest. 47:09 So God has really been blessing. 47:11 And there have been many other testimonies, 47:13 but God has really been good. 47:15 All right, so here's my question to you. 47:20 I know God's going to have you continue this for the future. 47:23 You've obviously got a love for it. 47:25 You've got, you are sold on the idea of the value 47:30 in our lives of God's work. 47:33 How has doing this has an impact in your life 47:38 other than getting up at 4 o'clock 47:39 on Sabbath morning and working that long? 47:43 How is God changing you as the Christian? 47:48 Because you said something and I believe this. 47:52 We learn to teach, but you teach to learn. 47:57 You know, you can, I can do a deep Bible study 48:01 and just come and awake all. 48:02 Oh, Lord, that was so wonderful. 48:05 If I don't turn around and teach it, six months later, 48:08 I'm going through the same thing going, 48:10 oh, Lord, I forgot, You taught me that. 48:14 So it's like, when God teaches us something, 48:18 if we turn around, teach it, it really gets anchored. 48:24 It really gets seeded, I should say. 48:26 How's God changing you through this? 48:29 So three things. 48:31 First, my faith in God has increased exponentially, 48:36 seeing how the Holy Spirit leads 48:39 and hearing the Holy Spirit's voice, 48:41 because the Sabbath School lesson is very deep. 48:44 And there are moments when I study something 48:46 multiple times, but it's still not clear. 48:49 And in those moments, I'll stop and say, listen, God, 48:52 I need Your Holy Spirit to speak right now. 48:54 Amen. 48:55 If You want me to teach this, I need to understand it. 48:57 Amen. 48:59 And feeling the Holy Spirit's presence come in 49:01 and hearing His voice, say, 49:03 "My child, I need you to do this, this and this, 49:04 go to this verse study this." 49:07 You study like I... 49:08 That's how I studied, like, 49:09 I'll say, Lord, I don't understand this 49:11 and how can I teach like that. 49:13 You got to show me and He does. 49:15 He does. 49:16 Now see this is interesting. 49:18 Because you're making it sound immediately, 49:20 I just have to confess. 49:22 There are times in the past 49:23 when I was studying major concepts 49:25 that it was like, Lord, you got to show me 49:27 and sometimes it'd be a week or two, 49:29 but you'd be, I'd be reading through a different section. 49:32 And it was like a flashing neon sign. 49:35 And it was like, that's your answer to this, 49:38 you know, He always leads 49:40 You know, to touch on that, 49:42 we talked about this in our Sabbath School class. 49:44 When God responds immediately and then 49:46 when He takes what seems to be a little bit longer. 49:48 Yeah. 49:49 It was one Sabbath School lesson 49:51 we're talking about this. 49:52 And through the different stories in the Bible, 49:54 God responds immediately 49:56 when His authority is in question, 49:58 when His glory is in question. 50:00 Yes. 50:01 So and He encourages us to go boldly before His throne. 50:04 So in those moments when I can't understand, 50:07 I go boldly, respectfully, but boldly and I say, 50:10 God, here's the deal. 50:11 I'm doing this for you. 50:13 This is Your Word 50:14 and your people need to hear Your Word. 50:16 And right now, You've chosen me to be Your mouthpiece, 50:19 but I can't explain something I don't understand. 50:22 So if you want Your glory to be revealed, 50:24 I need you to explain it to me as Your child. 50:26 That's the bold aspect. 50:28 And I feel like in those moments, 50:29 that's the main reason 50:31 why I do hear the Holy Spirit speak to me. 50:32 Amen. 50:34 It's not about Tiff. 50:35 It's literally about God, this is You, God. 50:37 This is about Your glory. 50:38 And we should ever, I mean, 50:40 we can't even understand this Word 50:41 without the Holy Spirit. 50:43 Every time you open the Bible, 50:44 you ought to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit. 50:46 Because these are spiritual words, 50:49 they are spiritually discerned. 50:51 Amen. Amen. 50:53 Amen. 50:54 The other two things, the first thing again, 50:56 hearing the Holy Spirit's voice. 50:57 The second thing is, God still does miracles. 51:01 Amen. 51:03 And it's increased my faith 51:04 in God's willingness to do miracles for His children. 51:07 And I think last is just realizing 51:10 that God wants to be co-laborers with us. 51:14 And I see it more and more. 51:16 He has a work that needs to be done before Jesus can return. 51:19 Absolutely. 51:21 And every week, just seeing God, 51:22 you know, people giving their testimonies, 51:24 people talking about what God has done in their life 51:26 and then seeing how we all respond to God's Word. 51:29 It's helped me realize even more God, 51:32 we're working together with You. 51:34 This work needs to get done. 51:36 So again, those three things, it's helped me to remember 51:38 how good God is and that He still has a work 51:41 that needs to be done. 51:42 And He can still use us no matter 51:43 what's going on around us, He can still use us. 51:46 And, you know, the bottom line that we all need to remember 51:50 is that He doesn't choose to use us 51:53 because we know everything, 51:55 He chooses the weak things to minister to the world, 52:00 but He empowers us. 52:02 He fills us with the Holy Spirit. 52:03 Amen. 52:05 Okay, we're going to, you think in your mind a closing thought 52:09 that you're going to want to share in a second right now. 52:11 We need to take a quick... 52:13 I told you, this program has gotten so fast. 52:16 I knew it was going to be exciting, 52:18 but we're going to take a quick break 52:19 and see our news break and we'll be right back 52:22 with a closing thought from Tiffani. |
Revised 2021-11-04