Participants: Aaron Chancy (Host), Amanda Scott
Series Code: TNJ
Program Code: TNJ000051
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00:01 The following program discusses sensitive issues.
00:03 Parents are cautioned that some material 00:05 may be too candid for younger children. 00:09 Today, we'll meet a young woman 00:10 who has been through the trials of life, 00:13 but now actively serves Jesus. 00:15 Find out how on today's 00:16 exciting episode of The New journey. 00:53 Welcome back to The New Journey. 00:54 On today's program, we have with us Amanda Scott. 00:57 Amanda, welcome to the program. 00:58 Thank you for having me. 01:00 Okay. 01:01 So those that don't know, 01:03 where are you from, how old are you, 01:04 and give us a little family history information. 01:07 Well, I am from Huntsville, Alabama. 01:09 Okay. 01:11 I am 37 years old, and I am the oldest of 3 siblings. 01:15 I have two other sisters, and no brother, so... 01:17 Okay. 01:18 What was your early childhood like growing up in Huntsville, 01:21 Alabama? 01:22 Well, truthfully to be honest, 01:24 it was like a walking nightmare. 01:26 Okay. Okay. 01:27 And I endured a lot of things 01:30 that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. 01:33 You know, but due to the life I had to live, 01:36 it's just how it was, so... 01:38 Okay. 01:39 Now as a young child you had informed me 01:41 before that you are abused by your stepfather, 01:44 give us a little information about that. 01:47 Well, he was, 01:51 I don't know how to say it 01:53 but, you know, how you are, 01:55 I mean, you know you're not sibling of a sibling. 01:57 Okay. You know what I'm saying? 01:59 That's how I was treated, 02:00 and due to the history behind it, 02:03 you know, which I am still learning to this day. 02:05 Okay. 02:07 Plays a big part in it, you know. 02:10 I don't know, it just seemed like there's 02:11 some type of vengeance towards me or something. 02:13 And I remember him telling me a long time ago that the reason 02:17 why he treated me the way he treated me 02:19 because I remind him of my father. 02:20 Well. 02:22 But I lost my father when he was 27, 02:24 I was almost 2, you know. 02:26 So I never got a chance to know who he really was. 02:28 But due to the stories that I heard, 02:30 he was a great man. 02:31 Okay. 02:33 Now what was it like 02:34 growing up without your biological father in your life, 02:37 how did that make you feel? 02:38 Empty. Okay. 02:40 Because I never knew 02:42 how would it feel to be loved by your own father. 02:46 Yeah. You know what I'm saying? 02:47 So I looked at it as, you know, 02:50 when God called my father's name, 02:52 he just replaced himself with my father. 02:55 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. 02:56 Now at the age of 14, you were raped. 02:59 Yes, I was. 03:01 Give a little information about that, 03:02 and what went on with you emotionally 03:04 as a result of the rape? 03:07 Actually, when I was young and in high school, 03:11 just getting started, I thought I had friends 03:14 that I could trust and I didn't. 03:16 You know, when at school, they'll let you go, 03:19 get you something to eat 03:21 but I tell they want to put you in a whole another place. 03:23 Okay. You know what I'm saying? 03:24 And due to the contrary of what happened, 03:28 you know what I'm saying, that's what it led into. 03:31 You know, so it was horrific. 03:33 Okay. 03:35 And I felt like I was lost, you know what I'm saying, 03:38 like okay, this is not happening to me, 03:40 but actually in turn it did. 03:42 You know what I'm saying? 03:43 So I happen to be there with those type of people 03:47 because it wasn't just one person. 03:49 Okay. You know what I'm saying? 03:50 It was more than one person. 03:51 Now did you know the people? No. 03:53 Or do you know some of them? 03:54 No, I didn't know them at all. Okay. 03:55 They just taught at high school. Okay. 03:57 Now as a result of that, your oldest son was born. 04:01 Have you two ever sat down and talked about the incident? 04:05 And how does he handle it even to this day 04:08 if you have talked about? 04:09 Well, when he was 13, I have prayed about it 04:13 'cause I really wanted him to know how he got here. 04:15 Okay. 04:16 And, but I wanted him to know the meaning of why he is here, 04:19 you know. 04:20 And so when he was 13, I sat him down, 04:22 I told him, you know what I'm saying, 04:24 you know, 'cause he was always asking about his father, 04:26 and I used to always tell him, 04:27 "Well, God's your father, babe," you know. 04:29 And when I told him about what happened, 04:32 you know, he tore my house up. 04:33 I let him do it. 04:34 He was angry, he was mad, he was upset. 04:36 And I told him, I said, 04:37 "You have every right to be upset." 04:39 You know. 04:40 And he told me that he was more angry 04:41 at what they did to me versus how he got here. 04:45 Okay. 04:46 I said, "Well, son, you know, the way, look it at like this, 04:50 you know, I was 14 years old, 04:52 and my mother bought a pill for me to take for my..." 04:56 For the pregnancy. You know. 04:58 Right, to go ahead and abort it, 05:00 but I kept hearing God say, "No, don't do it." 05:02 You know what I'm saying? 05:03 And this at the age of 14, you know. 05:05 And so I told to my son, I said, 05:07 "You know if God is telling me 05:08 not to do this at the age of 14, 05:09 son, you are supposed to be in here." 05:11 Yeah, exactly. 05:12 Despite, however u got here, 05:13 you know, due to the things 05:15 that were going in my household, 05:16 just like I told him, "You saved my life." 05:18 Which he did, you know what I'm saying? 05:20 We have a bond that is never been broken, 05:24 ever, you know what I am saying? 05:25 And I'm so proud of him because now he is 22. 05:27 Okay. 05:28 He's graduated from high school. 05:30 Praise the lord. You know what I'm saying? 05:31 He's getting ready to go college now. 05:32 Okay. 05:34 And he's just a great young man, 05:35 and he's handsome, 05:37 and that's just my baby, you know what I'm saying? 05:38 That's great. 05:39 You know, and it's a joy that, 05:41 you know, he could have taken another route. 05:43 You mentioned that he's in college now, 05:45 graduated at high school. 05:47 And I am sure it could have been easy for him to say, 05:49 "Well, this and this happened." 05:50 So it's this built-up anger within him. 05:52 Yes. 05:53 And took a whole different lifestyle. 05:55 Yeah. 05:56 But it's blessing that he didn't, and he's, 05:58 you know, in school and things like that. 06:01 Talk a little bit about your mother. 06:02 Growing up with your mother, 06:04 her background, and things like that. 06:06 How was that? 06:07 Well, my mom was, she was a hardworking woman. 06:09 Okay. 06:10 And she worked all the days of her life. 06:13 And she wore hard on her sleeve. 06:15 You know what I'm saying? 06:17 And due to the marriages that she was in, 06:21 I see the advantage that was taken over, 06:23 you know what I'm saying? 06:24 And how vulnerable she was, 06:26 so due to her being strung-out in drugs and stuff, 06:29 it never turned me against her, maybe I love her even more 06:31 because I knew who my mother was on the inside, 06:34 you know, so... 06:35 You know, she had a lot of struggles 06:37 that she had to go through 06:38 but through God's help and prayer, 06:40 you know what I'm saying, 06:41 she overcame all of those things 06:43 of being in a marriage for 20 years, 06:45 been abused for almost that along, 06:47 you know what I'm saying. 06:49 Just having to endure the life that she had endure, you know, 06:54 it was really hard on her, but she's a strong women. 06:57 Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, oh, yeah. 06:58 Did you, as a young child, did you look up to your mother? 07:01 Actually, I looked up to God for her. 07:04 Okay. 07:05 Because she wasn't able to be the mother 07:08 that she could have been for us due to the things 07:09 she was going through herself. 07:11 Okay. 07:12 And so that's what helped me to understand her as a mother, 07:16 you know what I'm saying? 07:18 And until this day, I still don't fodder for, 07:20 you know, because I've seen the reason 07:22 why she couldn't, you know what I am saying. 07:26 But to me she taught me 07:28 the inner strength instead of outer strength. 07:29 Okay. 07:30 Now being that your mother was in various things, 07:33 how do you think that affected you for negative 07:36 or positive throughout your life? 07:38 It affected me on the negative side 07:42 to where that people were saying, 07:44 "You're gonna be just like your mom, 07:46 you're gonna be, you're never gonna be nothing," 07:47 you know what I'm saying? 07:49 In my eyes, my mother was like, she's like Super Women, 07:52 but better little bit. 07:54 You know what I'm saying? 07:55 You know, I always looked them like, 07:57 you know what, no I'm not, 07:58 but I hope I have strength, 08:00 you know what I'm saying? 08:01 I hope I have her love 08:03 as she as on her sleeve and I did. 08:04 You know, so I looked up to her 08:07 on the positive aspect of that note, you know. 08:08 Okay. 08:09 Now how did you deal with, 08:11 'cause many young people 08:12 deal with the fact of somebody telling, 08:14 "You ain't gonna be nothing, 08:15 you ain't gonna succeed in life," and for some, 08:18 they accept that, they believed that, 08:20 because it becomes engrained in them. 08:23 But how did that affect your life 08:25 when someone or many people 08:27 whoever said that you're never gonna be anything, 08:29 you're gonna be like your mother. 08:31 How did that affect you 08:33 when people did say those words? 08:34 That was cruel. Okay. 08:36 It was heartbreaking 08:39 because I already knew what the situation was, 08:42 I already knew the reason 08:43 why they were treating me like they were treating me. 08:44 I already knew the reason why anything ever went on, 08:47 but to me I looked them like, "Okay, you are lie." 08:50 You know what I'm saying? 08:51 The devil is a lie, 08:52 you're not gonna to speak to somebody me this way. 08:54 You know, and for me to understand it, 08:57 I had to understand, "Okay, God, 08:59 I'm going through this for a reason." 09:00 Okay. 09:01 "I need you to tell me what the reason is, 09:03 and I got to be your child 09:05 if you want me to be treated me like this." 09:06 You know what I'm saying? 09:08 So I turned to God more than I did anything. 09:09 You know what I'm saying? 09:11 Even as a child, and not knowing that, 09:13 you know, that's what was going on. 09:15 But when he brought me back to it, 09:17 he reminded me he was calling on me every time, you know? 09:20 Okay. 09:22 Now for the other siblings in your household, 09:24 for your siblings in the household, 09:26 how did they process all of this information? 09:29 And how do they process it even today? 09:32 They never actually went through what I went through. 09:35 I thank God for that but due to the history, 09:40 you know, they had a lot of things put in their head. 09:42 You know what I'm saying? 09:43 I wish that me and my sisters relationship 09:45 was tremendously better than what it is, 09:47 but those are my sisters, I love them death. 09:49 You know what I'm saying, 09:51 but due to the things that said to them, 09:55 you know, really, really just put a damper 09:58 in our relationship, 09:59 but to me, 10:00 it was just like I really didn't know the reason why, 10:02 so it just made me a big sister even harder for them. 10:05 Yeah. Okay, praise the Lord. 10:07 Now you eventually withdrew from school. 10:09 What age did you withdraw from school? 10:12 And why did you withdraw? 10:13 Actually, what happened was 10:15 due to that something was going on my home 10:17 my teachers and everybody knew what was going on at home. 10:21 And they tried their best to help me, 10:22 and I thank God for all of them. 10:24 But there just wasn't anything that they could do. 10:26 And my principal, 10:28 who was the principle at the high school 10:29 I went to, had called me to the office. 10:33 And he was crying, I thought I was in trouble, 10:35 he was like, "Well, you know, I never did this before, 10:40 but God has put it on me, 10:42 on my heart to withdraw you from school 10:44 because you need to take care of your kids." 10:47 You know what I'm saying? 10:48 "And I feel like that once you go home, 10:52 and you take care of them, 10:53 that they're gonna turn on just fine, 10:55 you know, and this is what I need you to do. 10:58 And so I know you hit on me son, 11:00 and I know you want to get you education, 11:01 and I know you want to be something and believe me, 11:04 we all know this, but you can't do it in here, 11:07 you're gonna have to go home and take care of your kids." 11:09 Okay. 11:10 Now what age was that when that happened? 11:13 I was 17. Seventeen years old. 11:15 Okay, what part, let's backup a little bit. 11:17 What part of Huntsville are you from? 11:20 Actually, from all over, 11:22 originally from the Northford area. 11:25 Okay. 11:26 And just really I was from all over really. 11:29 Okay, now I am familiar 11:30 with some of the names the Northwood area, 11:32 Butler Harris, Patton Home some of this various areas, 11:34 what is it like growing up in those particular areas? 11:39 Actually, all of them have different worlds in them. 11:41 You know what I'm saying? 11:43 Which you probably know, you know. 11:44 But this is just different worlds. 11:49 I didn't really have too many friends, 11:51 but I knew a lot of people. 11:52 I was like the one that always got picked on 11:54 'cause I didn't have better clothes, 11:55 I didn't have this and the other. 11:57 You know what I'm saying? 11:58 And so due to everybody knowing what's going on at my house, 12:02 you know what I am saying, that really made it worse. 12:04 But other than that, you know, 12:06 they were good people out there too as well. 12:07 Okay. 12:09 How did you deal with being picked one at young age? 12:12 You know the sad thing is that that happens constantly. 12:16 Kids get around, they want to joke one on each other about 12:18 what you have and what you don't have. 12:21 And, you know, you hear so many stories 12:23 with people that commit suicide 12:25 because of the fact that they were bullied 12:27 or because they were picked on consistently 12:29 about not having the finer clothes 12:31 and things like that. 12:32 But how did you process that? 12:34 I processed it as, you know, I must. 12:38 There must be something about me 12:40 for you to do which you do. 12:41 You know what I'm saying? 12:43 But in my eyes, no matter, 12:45 if as long as I am not doing it. 12:46 Yeah. I am fine. You know what I'm saying? 12:47 But it helped me to not to be a materliastic person. 12:50 So even though I didn't have it, 12:52 you know what I'm saying, I appreciated what I had. 12:54 You know, even more, you know, and so it was like, it was hard 13:01 because they know what you do in the situation, 13:04 they know what's going on, they know this, 13:06 but it just wasn't never, 13:08 they would never have me to, 13:09 to try in my life or you think like that. 13:11 Praise the Lord. 13:12 Because I couldn't see it, I couldn't see it. 13:14 Okay. 13:15 Now eventually you are emancipated 13:17 from your mother. 13:18 First of all, what is it mean to be 13:20 emancipated from a family member 13:23 and then what was the emotional effect 13:25 upon your life based on that situation? 13:29 It was very tremendous 13:32 and being emancipated means 13:34 you getting divorce from your parents. 13:35 Wow. You know what I am saying? 13:38 It actually classified me as an adult in early age 13:41 and all this happened at the age of 17. 13:42 Wow. 13:44 And so, there are as you know, 13:46 okay, you're gonna have to take care of yourself. 13:48 It even got to the point to where they were trying to, 13:51 I had sit in front of like 30 women, 13:53 just to see if one of them 13:55 was going to adopt into their family 13:58 so I can take care of my family. 14:00 And I told to my lawyer, I said I can't do this. 14:03 Yeah. 14:04 Just let me do it on my own, you know what I'm saying? 14:06 And I promise you, I make sure 14:09 that I want you to take care of, 14:10 you know what I'm saying, so I want to get my own place 14:12 which was against the law but at the age of 17. 14:15 But due to the law 14:18 classifies me an adult at that time, 14:20 it all worked out. 14:21 Okay. 14:22 Now at 17 years old also you are charged 14:24 with the first-degree assault/manslaughter. 14:28 Yes. 14:30 What caused that, 14:31 what led up to that being charged with that crime? 14:34 Actually, how would it led up to 14:37 was that a family member of mine, 14:41 I love her death, was getting something done to her. 14:45 And the person that was there with us was picking on her. 14:51 And he kept making jokes, and I kept telling him, 14:53 "Look, you have to be quiet, 14:55 and I have my son lying up in lap. 14:57 And so she was really angry at him 15:01 but I am the one that caught the lash of it, 15:02 you know what I'm saying? 15:04 So it was like in a rock and hard place, 15:06 it's I'm like riding between both of them, 15:07 you know what I'm saying? 15:08 And so she pretty much just about to hit me, 15:10 you know what I'm saying? 15:12 And somehow she hit me so hard 15:13 so that the last was 15:14 when she hit she came about like this much 15:17 from hitting my son in his face. 15:18 Wow! 15:19 And I've just snapped, you know what I am saying. 15:21 And I got up and we went fighting. 15:23 And due to the fight, it was so excruciating 15:27 that I could have actually killed her, 15:28 you know what I'm saying? 15:30 Just from fighting, no weapons, no nothing. 15:31 Okay. 15:32 But how, this is how I end up with the charge 15:34 is from someone else's, 15:36 you know what I am saying, actions. 15:39 But they had, I'm in front of the judge he, 15:42 they certified me, he gave me 15 years. 15:45 He said, okay. 15:47 I'll tell you what... 15:48 'Cause he already had my case in front of me anyway. 15:50 Just so everything that's what's going on, 15:52 and so he told me, he said, 15:54 "Well, either this is gonna help you 15:55 or it's gonna hurt you. 15:57 And you need to make sure that no more fights, 16:00 you know what I'm saying? 16:01 And I feel like this is gonna help you 16:03 because what you going through." 16:05 And so he told me if I get into any trouble, 16:08 no matter when, you know, 16:10 I will be looking at 15 years to life. 16:12 You know what I'm saying? 16:14 So no matter if I did 5 years 16:15 no matter, I give up the fighting, 16:17 I'm gonna have to do the same 5 years plus the 15, 16:19 and they are gonna tell me how much lot more 16:20 you know what I'm saying, behind that. 16:22 Because of that extent of what happened in the fight, 16:26 you know, but until this day, 16:27 I apologize to her until this day, you know, so. 16:30 So you didn't have to go prison for the 15 years. 16:33 No. 16:35 And you eventually got put on probation right? 16:37 Okay. 16:39 Now let's talk about after that you eventually got married. 16:43 You're married two different times 16:44 and then divorced both times. 16:47 What was going on in your life 16:48 and how were you feeling emotionally after all this, 16:51 all this turmoil in your life being 16:54 "divorced from your parents", 16:57 the rape situation at a younger age, 16:59 this manslaughter charge, 17:02 now married two different times 17:04 and divorced two different times. 17:06 What was going on emotionally 17:08 and transpiring in these situations? 17:10 It's got to better than this. 17:12 You know, but for all of that was a lesson learned for me. 17:16 You know what I'm saying, for me. 17:18 And when I got divorced the first time, 17:20 you know what I'm saying, I married my children's father, 17:22 my son's father, and it just didn't turn out right, 17:24 you know what I'm saying? 17:26 And so I winded up in a woman's shelter 17:27 and coming back home. 17:29 And then, later on down the line 17:30 I got married again to another gentleman, 17:32 which that didn't turn out right either, 17:34 you know what I'm saying? 17:35 And we winded up getting divorced 17:38 but I took it all as a lesson learned. 17:41 Okay. 17:43 It actually built me instead of destroying me. 17:45 You know what I'm saying? 17:46 Because I don't want to look at it as my downfall. 17:49 I was trying to be a good wife and you know what I'm saying? 17:52 And have a family of my own 17:55 and have better foundation for my children 17:57 but just the people that I was choosing 18:00 wasn't the right one's for me. 18:01 So I had to learn that, okay, 18:03 this is not it, you know what I'm saying? 18:05 But due to I may be a better person 18:07 as a women, as a mother, and as being a wife 18:10 if I ever, ever, ever chose to get married again. 18:13 But it built me instead of destroying me. 18:16 Okay. Praise the Lord. 18:19 Now you mentioned you were in women shelter. 18:21 First, how long you were in that women shelter? 18:24 And what was your experience like being in the shelter? 18:27 When I went into that women shelter, 18:29 it was just like, 18:30 okay, we can tell a lot from here 18:34 and this is me and my children here, 18:35 something ain't right. 18:37 You know what I'm saying? Okay. 18:39 How many children did u have this point? 18:41 I have my boys, three boys. Okay, three boys. Okay. 18:43 This was with my first husband. 18:45 And so it was just like this is not it, 18:49 you know what I'm saying. 18:51 I refused to sit there and have my children, my boys. 18:53 Okay. 18:54 Being in a situation 18:56 to where they would actually turn out this way, 18:57 you know what I'm saying. 18:59 So I used my situation to teach to him 19:01 how to be a better man. 19:03 Okay. 19:04 Because, you know, I couldn't do it in no other kind of way. 19:06 I didn't want them to just, 19:08 I didn't want to show up them for nothing, 19:09 you know what I'm saying. 19:10 I need to them know, look, this is what really goes on 19:12 you know what I'm saying. 19:13 When they ask me questions, 19:15 Momma, this, Momma, that. 19:16 You know I'm giving straight answers 19:17 because they need to know. 19:19 You know what I'm saying. 19:20 And having to raise them up by myself, 19:21 you know what I'm saying, it was even more helpful 19:23 because they learned from me. 19:25 I loved how they paid attention to it, 19:27 and you know what I'm saying? 19:28 And how they grasped the fact that 19:30 "Okay, Momma don't want me to be like this. 19:33 These are my mistakes, 19:35 I have to learn from my mistakes. 19:36 But I need for you all not to be this way." 19:39 You know what I'm saying. 19:40 You're all God's children, 19:41 when I had my children, I gave them to Him. 19:43 Lord, these are you kids, I need your help. 19:45 You know what I'm saying. 19:46 And He did, He helped me them. 19:48 Kept them constructive, kept them into organizations, 19:51 going on trips, they went to a more places 19:52 that I can never imagine, you know. 19:54 Praise the Lord. 19:55 So they had a great time growing up, you know. 19:58 How difficult was it, 20:00 as a young female, raising three boys? 20:04 I mean, you know, it's difficult 20:06 because you are a woman, they are boys, 20:08 and trying to teach them how to be men. 20:09 Right. How difficult was that? 20:12 It wasn't difficult. Okay. 20:14 It was fun. Great. 20:16 Because not only... 20:17 I didn't have a childhood. Okay. 20:19 So I was able to embrace the rest of my childhood 20:22 watching them grow. 20:23 Okay. 20:25 But also I knew how I didn't want to be raised. 20:28 And I knew I heard my momma suffer how I was raised. 20:30 Okay. 20:32 So it helped me to raise them 20:34 the way I didn't wanted to be raised 20:35 or I should have been raised. 20:37 You know what I'm saying. 20:38 And so in the aspect of that, it wasn't difficult at all, 20:44 it was fun, you know, 20:45 they gave me some hard, they gave me little hard times. 20:48 But it wasn't something to were, 20:49 you know, I pull up my hair or, oh, God. 20:51 You know what I'm saying. 20:53 But due to me raising them, 20:56 it was just like, you know, that was fun. 20:58 Okay. 20:59 One of them was funny and silly, 21:00 the other ones, he is serious 21:02 but he could be funny sometimes, 21:03 and the other one, he is quiet, and serious, 21:05 and he can be funny sometimes. 21:07 All of them my care to raise somehow, 21:09 you know what I'm saying. 21:10 But each one of them was their own individual person. 21:12 Okay. 21:13 Now you mentioned 21:15 to the two people that you are married, 21:17 married to, that you were choosing the wrong person. 21:22 And today, you know, a lot of young females, 21:25 they may say, "Wow, I want this, this tall guy," 21:27 you know, they don't want the one that "is a square, 21:30 making good grades in school, and things like that". 21:33 Why do you think you were choosing the wrong guy 21:35 in this two individual? 21:37 Well, actually they weren't like the thug type. 21:40 They went to school, they graduate from high school, 21:42 they, you know, used to play sports. 21:43 They did those things 21:45 but the aspect of what they choose to do was on them. 21:49 Okay. 21:51 But so it wasn't like, you know, 21:53 it didn't turn on like that with me. 21:55 But as far as like, you know, 21:57 I didn't pray about what I needed at that time. 22:00 Just basically acting. Yeah. 22:01 And so then thinking that, 22:03 okay, well, this is it, you know what I'm saying. 22:05 But then when God told me why you didn't ask me for this. 22:08 Okay. You know what I'm saying? 22:10 That's what made me understand them more better. 22:13 'Cause when you try for what you ask for, 22:14 that's what you get what you need is that what you want. 22:16 You know what I'm saying. Oh, yeah. Yes, indeed. 22:18 Yes, indeed. 22:19 Now let's transition a little closer to now. 22:21 You didn't grow up 22:23 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 22:24 What was your religious background? 22:26 Baptist. Baptist. 22:27 Okay, how did you become or how did you come 22:31 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church? 22:32 Talk about that whole the situation. 22:34 Wow. It's actually so exciting. 22:36 Praise the Lord. 22:38 After I got out of my divorce from my last divorce, 22:42 I winded up losing, leaving my home, my car, 22:45 I winded up getting stolen, you know what I'm saying. 22:47 I wind up leaving my job. 22:48 I pretty much has left everything. 22:50 'Cause I wasn't even in the Huntsville area 22:52 at the time I was somewhere else. 22:53 Okay. 22:54 And I've been going for like six, seven years. 22:56 And the church that I was in at the time before that, 23:00 you know, what I'm saying, 23:02 there was lot going on in the church. 23:03 And I am like okay, and I kept hearing the Lord saying 23:05 you're worshiping the wrong God. 23:06 And so I turned to god and said, 23:09 "Well, Lord, put me where exactly 23:11 where I need to be." 23:13 And so I've never been to revival, 23:15 every time I want to go through revival, 23:17 I always had to work on something. 23:19 And so I was like God. 23:21 But people used to always come in and tell me, 23:22 "Well, you know, we had a great time, 23:24 and you know what was the sermon about," 23:25 you know what I'm saying? 23:27 And stuff like that and they used to always 23:28 keep me informed with everything. 23:29 But I've never been. 23:31 So when I got back to 23:32 Huntsville Oakwood Adventist Church 23:34 had a revival going on. 23:36 Okay. 23:37 And that was the first revival I ever got a chance to make. 23:39 Was that you're first time in an Adventist church? 23:42 That's the first time ever. Okay. 23:43 And so I went the first day, went the second day, 23:47 the third day, I went every day that they had. 23:48 Praise the Lord. 23:50 And Pastor Bard 23:54 gave me the word exactly how I needed it. 23:56 Yeah, okay. You know, and I asked the Lord. 23:59 "Lord, please just give me the truth I needed, 24:02 I am asking you for this, 24:03 you know what I'm saying, for me." 24:05 So my children can be saved, 24:06 you know what I am saying, we need to know. 24:08 Okay. 24:09 And due to all the things that I have been through, 24:11 you know, I knew God wasn't through me yet, 24:14 but I wanted to be exactly where I need be 24:16 and I was tired of going from church to church, 24:19 I was tired of, you know what I am saying, 24:20 something wasn't right. 24:21 Yeah, okay. 24:23 And so when he broke it down to me for real, 24:25 my daughter was sitting there with me 24:26 and she is like, "Mama, do you just say that? 24:32 You mean to tell me 24:33 that we been worshiping God on the wrong day." 24:35 I said, yes, baby. 24:36 And we were angry, you know what I am saying. 24:38 And so we hear Pastor Bard say, "Well, if you wanna be baptized 24:43 just write it down on a piece of paper." 24:44 Me and her, I don't know 24:46 if we were the first ones writing, 24:47 but, you know, 24:49 my daughter actually said "Mama, can we do this?" 24:50 I said, yes, we can. 24:51 And right when she asked Pastor Bert said, 24:54 "You know you can be reborn again." 24:56 You know what I'm saying? 24:57 And so to us 24:58 we were coming to the truest form of worship with Lord, 25:02 you know what I am saying? 25:03 Never knew about Sabbath at all, 25:04 never knew about anything about Sabbath. 25:09 I always went to church with my aunts 25:11 and my grandparents and stuff like that. 25:13 And I had that's the only where I knew. 25:16 But then when I came to the truth of it, 25:18 you know what I am saying, 25:19 it actually put me where I wanted to be. 25:21 And I am like okay. 25:22 Then I heard the Lord say, "You're home now." 25:23 Oh, wow, wow. 25:25 So we got baptized on the same day. 25:27 And my daughter and I. 25:30 Actually it was on the day my father died. 25:32 Okay. 25:33 And so that really meant the world to me, 25:35 you know what I'm saying? 25:36 And ever since we got baptized and we've been there, 25:39 God has just opened up another side of me 25:43 that I did not know was there. 25:45 You know what I am saying? 25:46 And due to him helping me with it, 25:49 it's like every day when I go to, 25:50 every time I go to Sabbath and prayer meetings, 25:53 I am actually getting confirmed every time I go. 25:55 Oh, yeah, praise the lord. You know. 25:57 Oh, Lord, thank you, Jesus. 25:58 You know, so I am excited about going 26:00 because it's like it was food for me, 26:02 I was hungry, and I wanted to eat. 26:04 You know what I am saying? Okay. 26:06 But I wanted to eat the right things 26:07 instead of wrong thing. 26:08 Talk briefly about how in about 30 seconds or so, 26:12 how the Sabbath has helped you overcome 26:14 many obstacles in your life and help heal you. 26:17 The Sabbath helped me to overcome 26:19 a lot of obstacles in my life 26:20 by confirming to me that I was still with God, 26:24 I was just in the wrong area. 26:26 Yeah. You know what I am saying? 26:27 And the healing of it all was that 26:32 just to confirm to me that, 26:34 "Okay, now you're in the truest form 26:36 of worshiping with me and for me," 26:38 you know what I am saying. 26:39 And it just changed me completely. 26:42 It was like the closed circle that was open, you now. 26:45 I need the circle closed, you know what I'm saying, 26:47 and it was like just, "Lord, please just help me with this." 26:50 Yeah. I need your help, you know. 26:51 Okay. 26:53 And when I came into Sabbath Seventh-day SDA, 26:56 it was just like, okay, I am where I need to be, 26:58 I am little fine now. 26:59 Praise the Lord. 27:01 Now I want you to look into the camera 27:02 and I want you to talk to the young female briefly, 27:04 that is in your situation even now, 27:07 and that needs a way out, 27:09 give them a word of encouragement. 27:11 My word of encouragement to anyone 27:13 that's going through anything 27:14 that's going on in their life, especially, 27:16 how I had it, remind yourself to keep praying, 27:20 remind yourself that God loves you more than anything, 27:23 and He will bring you through just the same way he did me. 27:25 He could do the same thing for you. 27:27 But you have to trust him in it. 27:28 You know, let Him be your father, understand. 27:31 When I say that He raised me, 27:32 He legitimately raised me, but just trust him. 27:36 Just because the things that you're going through right now, 27:38 these are, just look at it as a lesson to learn, 27:41 to build you and to be someone better 27:43 than what you already are. 27:44 And know that no matter what, you're just special to He. 27:48 You know what I am saying? 27:49 The reason why we suffer is because you're special to He. 27:52 You know what I am saying? 27:53 God went through tremendous things 27:55 about how he wanted to worship his God 27:58 and he wanted to make sure that he did what he had to do. 28:01 So just trust Him, and keep praying, 28:03 and just stay in the word. 28:05 Just stay in the word. 28:06 Praise the lord, praise the Lord. 28:07 Thank you so much, Amanda, for being on the program. 28:09 Thank you for tuning in 28:10 into another exciting episode of The New Journey. |
Revised 2017-02-09