Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Rebekah Willis
Series Code: UBR
Program Code: UBR000031
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00:01 Stay tuned to meet a young woman who has overcome
00:03 many obstacles and challenges to share the gospel 00:07 and serve Jesus... 00:08 My name is Yvonne Lewis and you're watching 00:11 Urban Report... 00:32 Hello and welcome to Urban Report... 00:35 Today our guest is Rebekah Willis, 00:37 Author, Vocalist and Founder of Katy Records... 00:40 Rebekah, welcome to Urban Report... 00:43 Thank you for having me... 00:45 Oh, it's so great to have you you know we had you on 00:48 Magnify Him... our Music Program 00:51 and we didn't get to really talk in depth 00:55 about you and your ministry 00:57 and all that... because Magnify Him is a music program 01:00 with a brief interview, so, I wanted to bring you back 01:03 to talk on Urban Report more about... 01:07 some of the challenges that you faced 01:10 and how the Lord has used those 01:13 to really inspire and encourage you 01:15 to press forward into his divine plan for you... 01:18 so, let's take a look at your background... 01:22 Tell us who is Rebekah Willis? 01:24 Okay, who is Rebekah Willis in a short amount of time... 01:28 How do we do it? Fifty words or less... 01:32 Well, listen... I am a pastor's daughter 01:36 and I grew up in an evangelistic family... 01:39 we did "Living Waters Crusades" all throughout America 01:43 and in Europe and grew up singing 01:46 and was taught from a very early age 01:49 to give everything that we had, all of our talents 01:52 belonged to God and we needed to make sure 01:54 that we didn't use it for anything else because, 01:56 you know, that's not why He gave it to us, 02:00 I'm the youngest of five and enjoy that... 02:04 So you were the baby... 02:07 I've been called the baby all my life... 02:11 but thankfully, my parents were not the type 02:15 to spoil... they were very disciplined 02:18 and made sure that we were disciplined... 02:21 taught respect and love and the fact that we all 02:25 are responsible for each other, 02:28 so, that's pretty much who I am 02:30 I grew up in Michigan and spent most of my time 02:34 in the Detroit area... 02:35 I graduated from Peterson-Warren Academy 02:36 All right... shout-out to them, yes, yes, yes... 02:41 okay... so you grew up as a PK pastor's kid... 02:44 and many times when you grow up as a PK 02:49 and also, in a strict family or a religious family, 02:54 many times, that message is not necessarily 02:59 you don't really take it on as your own... 03:03 at what point did you develop 03:06 your own relationship with Jesus Christ? 03:08 You know, my parents gave me the best gift possible... 03:15 as I said, we were involved... 03:18 we were a part of the ministry team 03:20 we didn't just kind of hang out at Church 03:23 while daddy did his job, 03:25 we were actually involved in the ministry... 03:28 and I was blessed to hear the full gospel 03:32 all of the doctrines and tenets 03:34 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 03:35 lifestyle messages 03:36 and everything... in evangelistic meetings 03:39 repeatedly... so, I fell in love with the Lord 03:42 very early... I fell in love with him early on 03:45 and had a longing in my heart and I was begging... 03:48 to be baptized... and my parents 03:50 had a rule in our house that you had to be six... 03:53 you had to be at least six-years-old 03:54 before you were baptized... 03:55 so, when I was finally baptized 03:58 at six... it was the happiest day of my life... 04:00 and I thought that I was a Christian... 04:03 I loved Jesus... and I wanted to be like Him... 04:06 and I thought that I was a Christian 04:07 but unfortunately that wasn't exactly the case 04:10 because you can do the best that you can do in life 04:13 and still not be where Jesus wants you to be 04:17 because He's really looking for that full commitment 04:20 and that relationship... He's not just looking for us to 04:24 follow certain things 04:27 and to love each other 04:29 and all of this... He's actually trying to perfect 04:31 our character... so gratefully the Lord 04:35 has been working on me... and, you know, like I said 04:39 I went to Peterson-Warren Academy 04:40 and my friends used to challenge me... you know, my classmates, 04:43 we were like family... God blessed me in that way too 04:46 and they used to challenge me and say, you know, 04:49 "You're just an Adventist 04:50 because your father is an Adventist 04:52 and you did this because 04:53 this is the way you were raised... 04:55 and how do you know that it's true?" 04:56 and because I was always a person... that... 04:59 I'm curious... and I questioned 05:02 and research is one of my passions... 05:05 I decided that I would not be caught dead... 05:08 doing anything that just happened to me... 05:10 I didn't want to let anything to just happen to me... 05:12 I wanted to be a complete responsible person... 05:15 taking the talent of my intellect and my life 05:19 and my soul... seriously... Hmmm... 05:24 so, what I began to do is... 05:26 I began to study religion 05:28 I studied all different religions 05:30 How old were you at this point? 05:32 I was about 17... Okay... 05:36 and I said, you know, this is... I'm moving into adulthood 05:40 and I need to really be certain 05:42 that... what I'm going to do with the rest of my life 05:45 is what I need to be doing with the rest of my life... 05:48 Ah... and has there been any kind of spiritual crisis 05:51 that precipitated this or just the challenge 05:54 from your classmates? 05:56 When you grow up in an evangelistic family, 06:00 that is a serious evangelistic family... 06:04 my parents were human beings but there was one thing 06:08 that always was doubtless in our home 06:11 and that was the reality of the Creator God 06:14 and the fact that what He required of us was real 06:19 it wasn't imaginary... it wasn't fake... 06:21 you know, you didn't see one person outside the home 06:23 and another person inside the home... 06:25 we were dealing with something that was real 06:28 and you could see it I mean, we saw miracles... 06:30 in tent meetings... there were demons that attacked 06:34 the family... and... 06:36 things were very clear 06:39 so, when it comes to a spiritual crisis... type thing 06:44 we were kind of living on the front lines... 06:46 Hmmm... okay... I was living on the front lines 06:49 growing up I had a very tough time... 06:51 in High School... dealing with spiritual attacks 06:56 but I approached it intellectually... 06:59 I was more concerned with being a responsible human being 07:03 for my life on the planet... than coming from a place where 07:08 I actually needed something, a lot of people think seekers 07:12 spiritual seekers... have a loss... 07:15 that's why they like to call religion a crutch... 07:18 and things like this but you actually can just seek God 07:22 and seek an understanding of creation... 07:25 because you can see things around you... 07:27 "The heavens declare the glory of God; 07:29 and the firmament shows His handiwork... " 07:30 and the fact is... 07:32 if you look around you can understand that 07:34 there's more to life than what you see... 07:35 Yes... and so in order to be 07:37 a responsible human being... I decided to go and 07:40 study the different religions and to find out for myself 07:43 if the one that I was taking on was the right one 07:49 or if indeed there was any need at all... for religion 07:52 Yes... so you didn't... and this is an important point 07:54 a lot of people think that Christians are "Sheeple" 07:58 you don't check your intellect at the door... 08:01 when you become a Christian, and, in fact, God gives us 08:05 all around us... in creation... reason to believe in Him 08:09 so, you were like a Berean... you wanted to study everything, 08:14 you wanted to see... and it's... you know 08:16 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God 08:19 so you got in there... you were studying the Word 08:22 but you were also... you were doing some... 08:26 kind of... it's kind of a reinforcement thing 08:30 I guess... because you were reinforcing 08:31 the belief system that you had, but you also were exploring 08:35 not exploring to become 08:39 something different but, I guess it was actually 08:42 reinforcing your own belief system... 08:43 Dr. Lewis, I had no restraints on the discovery... 08:48 you can't be scientific if you go in 08:50 with the pre-conceived notion that you already agreed to... 08:52 Okay... I was completely open... 08:54 I knew who God was... I knew that He existed... 08:59 Hmmm... hmmm... Okay... 09:00 because I had experienced Him first hand... 09:03 Hmmm... hmmm... and I was absolutely in love 09:05 with Jesus... absolutely in love with Him... 09:08 Hmmm... hmmm... so, I told Him... 09:10 "Well, this is what I have to do... " 09:11 I didn't think He'd be proud of me 09:13 if I just kind of wandered around 09:15 and so this is what I need to do... 09:16 so, I mean, I studied Hinduism I studied Islam, 09:20 I studied Judaism, 09:22 I studied Buddhism, I studied just about everything 09:26 that there is out there and shock and all... 09:31 I discovered that the reality of our universe 09:35 can only be found in that one great book... 09:38 the 66 books of the Bible, really... 09:42 if people take a look at it 09:43 and they look at all of it with an open mind... 09:45 it will show them... give them a greater understanding 09:49 that there is some good in most religions... 09:51 Hmmm... hmmm... I say "most religions" 09:53 because there are some religions 09:54 that only lead to disappointment 09:56 some religions that subjugate others... 09:58 there are some religions that are hurtful... 10:01 but if you look at the 66 books of the Bible... 10:05 Hmmm... hmmm... you'll discover that 10:07 everything in there is beautiful 10:09 and glorious and true... and it rings true 10:11 with the spirit and it rings true with day-to-day life 10:15 and I discovered that lo and behold... 10:18 it actually rang true with all of the things 10:22 that were taught in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 10:24 they were all completely found in the Bible... 10:26 Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... so, again your belief system 10:31 though... what you're saying is, you were seeking truth... 10:34 you were just seeking truth but you found that 10:37 that truth was totally in the Word of God 10:40 in the Bible... 100 percent... 10:42 100 percent... so what were some of the challenges 10:46 that you faced... once you had settled in... 10:49 on "this is the way... walk ye therein" 10:52 this is how I'm going to be... 10:53 I'm going to be a Seventh-day Adventist Christian 10:55 because I found that to be true 10:58 Hmmm... hmmm... what were some of the 10:59 challenges that you faced... 11:01 as a result of that decision that determination... 11:04 Well, as the youngest of a big family... 11:09 and it's not just a big family 11:11 in my immediate family, but I have tons and tons 11:14 of cousins and extended family, everywhere... you know... 11:19 I went from... 11:21 had finished this great study 11:23 in my transition into what I consider to be 11:26 "Independent Adulthood" I went from being surrounded by 11:30 a family-like environment in my High School 11:34 to just being isolated and 11:37 particularly unknown... 11:41 without acceptance of... I was engulfed in loneliness 11:45 from my Freshman year of School 11:50 no "thing" can prepare somebody for that type of situation 11:55 when you're the youngest, you believe that 11:58 you're all responsible for each other... 11:59 so this was a huge challenge for me to go through this 12:04 and because the personality that I have... 12:06 I just smiled, "Oh, yes... " you know and went through 12:10 I didn't begin to complain about things... 12:13 I didn't even have words to express it... 12:15 I had people that loved me, friends like Eric Thomas 12:19 when I was down... and his wife, Dee Dee, 12:22 when I was down at Oakwood... 12:23 I used to walk over to their house and they would let me in, 12:26 every time I showed up they would let me in... 12:31 and I'd just sit there on the couch 12:32 to be with some people in a familiar space because 12:36 I was drowning in loneliness... 12:38 Hmmm... didn't you have a roommate? 12:39 I didn't intend to tell this today 12:40 but I'm going to tell you... when I was at Oakwood... 12:44 I used to be so lost and broken, you know, I would get up 12:47 and walk over to the Church 12:51 because there's a Church on the grounds there 12:53 walk up to the Church and sit at night 12:55 and beg God to allow me... to kill myself... 12:57 Oh... because I was so very lonely... 12:59 and the people that I knew, 13:02 were people that were involved in music down at Oakwood 13:06 and they were so kind and loving but they had their own lives 13:10 and their own family and their own friendships 13:13 and I wasn't used to being by myself and so isolated... 13:18 so that was huge for me... and I thought, you know, 13:23 that it was cruel and unusual punishment... 13:27 Hmmm... did you have a roommate there... 13:31 I mean, you had absolutely no support system within the... 13:37 I had 5 different roommates at Oakwood, Dr. Lewis, 13:40 when I was in College, I had 5 different roommates... 13:43 And you didn't bond emotionally with any of them? 13:46 I bonded with all of them... 13:50 in terms of being a friend to them... 13:53 but as I said, they had their own friendships... 13:56 their own lives, their own relationships, 13:59 and as much as I could do... being the youngest... 14:03 is to show love... which you do in a family... 14:07 you show love... and then... either love comes back to you 14:12 or it doesn't... but what I understood 14:15 later in life is that the Lord was separating me 14:19 to teach me some things... and to... 14:22 as I was saying before... 14:25 He's all about character development... 14:26 and He knows more about our characters 14:28 than we know about our characters... 14:30 so, there are things that you may expect to be ordinary 14:34 and necessary for health... that the Lord says, 14:37 "Well, I need to take you away from this so that 14:39 you can see me a little bit closer... " 14:41 because I have a tendency to rely on people... 14:45 Hmmm... for things that I should be 14:47 relying on God for... Okay... 14:49 and I didn't know that... Hmmm... hmmm... 14:51 I had no idea... so the Lord had to separate me 14:55 and to say, you know, "Talk to me... 14:57 if there's a problem, bring it to me... 14:59 talk to me... don't pick up the phone and 15:01 call, you know, this person that you respect... 15:03 pick up and call that person that you respect... 15:05 I'm standing right here with you 15:06 and if you truly want this relationship... 15:09 that you believe I'm able to give you... 15:11 then you need to make the effort to consult me 15:15 instead of going over my head at all cost 15:18 and coming to some kind of intellectual conclusion" 15:22 So, this was the beginning then of this kind of foray 15:26 into the loneliness... and the hurt and the rejection 15:31 that you felt over a period of time... 15:33 I know that you mentioned something to me about Paris... 15:36 What happened in Paris? 15:37 Oh, I've lived in a lot of different places in life and 15:45 when I lived there... I went to a Church... 15:48 it used to take me about two hours 15:52 to do the commute one way... there... on Sabbath morning... 15:55 I'd get up early Sabbath morning... 15:57 get ready... go down the street... 15:58 it's so empty in Paris on a Saturday... 15:59 and I would take the bus and 16:03 change and do all the changes that I needed to... 16:06 to get to Church... and no one ever talked to me... 16:09 six whole months I went to that Church, 16:10 people didn't talk to me... and I'm talking about... 16:12 I mean, if you knew me personally, Dr. Lewis, 16:15 you would know that I speak to people... 16:18 I'm not one of these people that's a wallflower 16:19 standing around and waiting for people to come to them, 16:22 and I'd go to people... and say, 16:25 "Happy Sabbath, good morning" and give them a big smile... 16:27 and, you know, I would get cold stares... 16:30 or it was as just... people couldn't see me... 16:32 at least I thought that they couldn't see me... 16:34 six months into my attendance at this Church... 16:38 I walked in and somebody held out a bulletin 16:40 which I thought they were holding out to me... 16:43 and this was the first time that I saw a bulletin... 16:45 I didn't know they had bulletins there... 16:47 and I reached out to take the bulletin... 16:50 and the individual lifted the bulletin over my head 16:53 I was standing no more than two feet away from her... 16:55 at arm's length... she lifted the bulletin 16:58 over my head and gave it to the person behind me 17:00 Hmmm... and I said, 17:03 "Oh, okay... all right then... " 17:07 So, did this start a... from the time at Oakwood 17:13 through Paris and other experiences... 17:15 did you go into a depression, as a result of this... 17:19 because it seems like you had a series of rejections 17:23 and isolation and that can often send you into depression. 17:27 We have to understand... everyone needs to understand 17:31 their "Love Language" I don't know, you know, 17:33 if people have even thought of it... 17:34 but people need to understand their Love Language 17:37 because a lot of the disappointments 17:38 they experience in life can come directly from the idea 17:43 that their needs... in relation to their love language 17:47 are not being met... my Love Language is "intimacy" 17:50 so I can have a lot of friends that I care about and love 17:52 and would die for and give them the shirt off my back 17:55 but if I can't talk to you... Hmmm... hmmm... 17:58 or if you don't talk to me... Hmmm... hmmm... 18:00 and spend time together... it takes time for these things 18:05 then the need is not met... so, I discovered after years 18:10 of this happening... from my Freshman year up until 18:14 many, many years later... in my travels... 18:18 because I wanted to live my life in that way... 18:22 exploring the world and doing the best that I could 18:26 I was very ambitious... I discovered that 18:29 there is a physical need for the love language to be fulfilled 18:36 to be understood and fulfilled and you can actually 18:39 physically feel a change in your body... 18:42 when you are not receiving love in the way 18:44 that you need to receive it... 18:46 Yes... yes, I agree with that... 18:47 It's a physical thing... 18:49 I agree with that... yes... 18:50 so, there have been times of depression in my life 18:55 times of depression that were situational depression 19:00 because, certain things were not the way that they need to be 19:03 and not because I wanted them to be another way 19:06 but because I literally needed certain things... 19:09 Hmmm... hmmm... that were unavailable to me 19:12 from the body of Christ... I did suffer from depression... 19:17 so, how did you... because I cannot believe that our time 19:21 is winding up... I haven't even... I haven't even 19:24 you know, it's a tip of the iceberg thing 19:27 how did you go from there 19:30 into being the Founder of Katy Records 19:35 how did your experiences... 19:37 first of all, tell us about Katy Records... 19:40 we need to know about that, and then I'll ask you about 19:43 your experiences... opening up the door to that... 19:46 What is Katy Records about? 19:48 Katy Records is a modern media ministry 19:51 the whole purpose of Katy Records is to disseminate 19:55 the truth... the Word of God... in as many different formats 20:00 digital format, digital media, as possible... 20:03 because there are people in the world 20:06 who may never enter a Church yet... 20:08 because they don't feel comfortable 20:11 but who are 20:12 avid media consumers so they'll love to listen to music 20:17 and there are people out there that just want things for free 20:20 so Katy Records offers... 20:22 "Truth Media now, Free or Cheap" 20:23 which is our motto and it's named after 20:28 my grandfather's shop in Chicago and everything that you find 20:31 on the website... is about ministry... 20:33 we want to empower people 20:34 to become and minister in their life 20:37 because we're responsible for our own spiritual welfare... 20:41 you can't look around you... 20:43 and say, "Oh, so-and-so didn't do something for me 20:46 therefore my spiritual life is falling to bits... " 20:48 you know... or 20:50 "You know, I'm lonely and therefore 20:52 I can't talk to God anymore" 20:53 we don't blame our best friends for what our enemy does... 20:56 Hmmm... so, if we're looking at life... 20:58 we need to be able to take responsibility 21:01 in talking about a lifestyle-focused spirituality 21:06 what can I do from day-to-day, to-day, to-day, to-day... so 21:10 you'll find music there... you'll find presentations... 21:14 you'll find books... you'll find all kinds of things 21:18 there... there's Katy Records Radio... 21:20 which is... just actually we're launching this Friday and 21:25 just a way to get the media out there... 21:28 of course, you know, it's also a media production company 21:34 so we do put out CDs... and just this summer... 21:38 for instance, we gave away a hundred free CDs... 21:42 during various Camp Meetings and events that are... 21:46 it was of an album that would come out later... 21:49 and, you know, I want our Viewers to hear you... 21:53 I know you're on Season 2 of Magnify Him 21:56 but you are an artist on Katy Records... 21:59 and I just want our Viewers to hear you sing this song... 22:03 "Nothing Escapes Your View" so let's let them hear that... 22:07 Singing... I was alone... 22:11 and standing in the portal all I was seeking 22:16 was lock to my storeroom... God I had beaten the system 22:21 still had more room... nothing escapes your view... 22:27 what I was doing was trying... to seek in my way 22:32 just like a dragon who took a wider highway... 22:38 there is no secret with you I can't get by... say... 22:43 nothing escapes your view... you're the truth 22:48 and the love that lights up the avenue 22:53 don't let me lose you... all I have... 22:58 only death ends this stubborn, broken path... give me eye salve 23:05 so I can see... 23:09 What is this thing 23:13 that is coming over me now... 23:16 I want to be in the way 23:19 I'll get to know how... it comes by hearing, 23:23 rebuking, changing my style... nothing escapes your view... 23:29 Oh, how I love you... I see all you have given... 23:35 never too much did you ask... 23:38 for you I'm living... 23:40 sought me and saved me 23:42 I won't look back where I've been... 23:45 nothing escapes your view... 23:49 you're the truth... and the love that lights up the avenue 23:56 don't let me lose you 23:58 all I have... only death ends the stubborn broken path 24:05 give me eye salve so I can see... 24:12 I was alone 24:15 and standing in the portal... 24:19 all I was seeking was a lock to my storeroom 24:23 God I have beaten the system still had no room 24:28 nothing escapes your view... 24:32 precious you're awesome 24:35 my foundation is so sound 24:37 gifted you keep me 24:40 I'm sleeping through the night now 24:42 no longer gauging my will from my account now 24:48 nothing escapes your view... 24:54 Wow! what a blessing... 25:00 and did you write that song as well? 25:02 Yes, actually, I'd like to say that the Lord writes the thing 25:07 because sometimes He sends them to you without your asking... 25:11 Yes, yes, yes, well, thank you so much for sharing the music 25:16 now how can others get involved 25:18 in a Katy Records Project 25:22 how can they get involved with that? 25:24 Katy Records is always looking for any kind of media... 25:27 we have several pastors who've given us sermons 25:30 that we are able to... through our little portal 25:33 we are able to distribute to lots of people 25:35 we have about 20,000 visitors a month 25:37 at katyrecords. org 25:39 and if you have something 25:41 that you want to get out there... to the world... 25:43 whether it's a book... whether you're a musician 25:46 or a singer... whether you have presentations 25:48 that... or you have a project that you want to share 25:51 with the rest of the world... all you have to do is 25:54 let me know... e- mail me at live@katyrecords. org 25:58 that's katyrecords. org and we'll get it together... 26:02 That's awesome... thank you so much 26:04 so, what would you say... in 30 seconds... 26:08 what would you say to our Viewers 26:10 to our Viewers who, themselves, are dealing with loneliness 26:15 and isolation... what would you recommend 26:18 to them? Get involved in ministry... 26:21 Hmmm... like this... my good friend 26:24 Derrick Williams... he just preached a sermon about 26:26 how we are born for eternity... 26:28 we don't come into this world to just deal with "Now" 26:32 "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven 26:34 where moth and rust can't destroy... " 26:36 nobody can come and steal it from you... 26:39 that is your future... that is your "Now" 26:42 and put your energy into God's work... 26:45 into His work... put your energy into Him... 26:48 seek His face because He will not fail you... 26:50 everything that you need you can find in Him... 26:53 and trust Him... take the time and trust Him... 26:56 you know, He said, 26:58 "Taste and see that the Lord is good" 26:59 he doesn't ask you to do anything... 27:01 doesn't ask you to do anything blindly... 27:03 He's given you an opportunity to taste the stuff 27:05 and I suggest that that's what you do... 27:07 because human beings will fail you... 27:10 they're doing the best they can many of them... 27:12 people are not intending to reap havoc 27:15 everywhere they go... Right... 27:16 and for some of us... there are more things going on 27:20 every time you try to do something, 27:22 the devil will throw things in your path 27:23 to slow you down or to stop what you're doing 27:26 to change the way that you're able to affect your environment 27:29 but remember... if you are putting your energy 27:32 into God's plan... then you have the whole heavenly 27:34 host there... working with you 27:36 He will remove the loneliness 27:38 and the pain... if you give Him a chance... 27:40 Yes... thank you so much... 27:42 thank you so much for being with us 27:44 and for sharing your testimony with us... 27:46 and for letting us know about Katy Records... 27:49 and your music... 27:50 Well, thanks for tuning in join us next time... 27:54 you know... it just wouldn't be the same 27:57 without you... |
Revised 2015-07-13