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A faith-forward podcast for people who love Jesus but also love being honest about how weird and wonderful life can be. Hosts Kerrye and Jill tell stories about the Bible, talk about their faith, and dig into what it looks like to follow God through the ordinary chaos of everyday, imperfect life. Real conversations. Real stories. No pretending to have it all together. Pull up a chair, turn the page, and let's go.
Speaker: Welcome to chapter in
Verse, where people come on and tell
their real stories, faith, failure,
redemption, and the occasional
Lord, what are you doing moment,
Speaker 2: some inspiring, some
messy, and some that probably should
have come with a warning label
because through every chapter of
every story, God is still writing
Speaker: and he's not
afraid of a little chaos.
This is Jill
Speaker 2: and Kerrye Let's turn the page.
well, welcome back and today we have
our good friend, Denise Bradley.
Denise.
Um, tell us just a little
bit about yourself.
Well, let's see.
I'm married to Randy Bradley.
Uh, we've been married 43 years.
Congratulations, Uhhuh.
That's long for this time of life.
I mean, for these, these days.
Yes.
We have two children, Chris
Bradley and Amber Brandon have four
grandchildren and I'm currently working
at No Noah's Art Learning Center.
Yes.
And that's, we know you because
you go to church with us.
Yes.
And you're also director
of girls' ministry Yes.
For the state of Arkansas.
Mm-hmm.
You're a busy woman.
Yes.
Um, and we would just, you know,
very, you're a very great teacher.
I've sat listening to you teach, uh,
women's Bible studies, book studies, and,
and I've heard some of your great stories
about how God has come through for you.
And we just want you to , share
one of those stories with us.
Today.
So what would you like to talk about?
Which chapter?
Oh, well there's a lot of chapters.
Yeah.
Well, mostly people do have tons
where God has come through for them.
If you pay attention, you see 'em.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yes.
Um, well, let's see.
I can probably say one would be if
we wanted to talk about pastor Chris.
Yeah.
Let's talk about him.
Okay.
Talk about Pastor Chris.
Um.
He was raised in a Christian home.
We brought, took him to church
every Sunday, Wednesday night.
Even when there was prom, he knew the next
morning he would get up and go to church.
Me too.
Yes.
Me too.
Mm-hmm.
And we, we lived.
The life in front of them.
I think that's more
important than anything.
You know, a lot of times you can
take your kids to church, but if
they don't see that example at home.
Mm-hmm.
And, um, so there were many times when him
and Amber were growing up that I, uh, you
know, maybe I said something I shouldn't
have said, or my temper kinda Oh, you
mean you know the mama bear come out?
You mean you were human?
Yes, and I would have to go and
apologize to 'em and tell 'em,
Hey, look, we've gotta sit down.
I think one thing with them growing up is
we never went to bed mad at each other.
That's good.
They would always they may
not have understood everything
Randy and I were doing and they
might storm out and go sit down.
And so I would go and sit down on the bed
and we would talk until it was talked out.
Uh, they never went to bed angry.
Uh, what do you think the
longest conversation you had?
Well, you know, they knew it was gonna
happen, so a lot of times they would come,
you know, come in, come in ready to, yes.
To have the dog.
Yes.
They knew it was if, okay, I can make
this longer or shorter if I want, so.
Mm-hmm.
And I think that was a good for us because
it helped us to know each other, you know?
Mm-hmm.
Uh, communicate better.
Business Trust too.
Yes.
Like they know if they can talk to you
about whatever and work through stuff.
You know, the thing about it is, is Randy
and I were consistent in our discipline.
Uh, we were you know, they
knew what the rules were.
There were times where, um,
I know we were talking about.
About this Sunday Chris and Tasha
was at the house and we were
talking and you know, we were, you
know, and I have nothing against
tattoos, but, you know, it's just
one of those things I wouldn't do.
And I can remember a time when he
really wanted one and our, what we
told him was, well, when you were.
Out of this house, then
you can do what you want.
But as long as you're in our
house, there will be none.
Mm-hmm.
And he, he thanked us.
The, uh, you know, he, he understood that.
And I think today he's grateful
that we stuck by our guns.
He took a moment to pause on that.
Yes, yes.
And so I think more than anything
is being the consistent parent.
And they knew what we expected.
They knew what the rules were and
you know, there were times that
those rules, they tried to bend them.
And there, there were, and Mr.
Andy's former military, so I'm sure
that played into how he raised his kids.
Yes.
He was very, uh, he has the authority.
Mm-hmm.
And I know that, um.
I had Chris and Amber when before,
you know, before Randy and I married
because I was married before it wasn't
a good, it was not a good relationship.
It was verbal and physical abuse.
And so I got out of
that because of my kids.
But he, you know, that's one thing I had
to do is step back because, you know,
he, he was the authority and so there
were How, how long were you before,
like how long had it been since you
left your first husband and then Randy
and I dated all through high school.
We were So you knew Randy?
We were high school, yes.
We were high school sweethearts.
Okay.
And then when he graduated, he kinda
went on his way and I went on my way.
Mm-hmm.
Um.
I was married for five years.
Okay.
Before Randy and I got back together.
Okay.
And when we did get back together,
he had joined the military.
He was already in the military.
And so after we married,
we moved off again.
And we were, we, we were stationed at
Blytheville air Force Base for four years.
He was active duty, he
would've stayed active duty.
But I didn't, I had been away
from my parents for a long time.
Mm-hmm.
And so I wanted to get
closer back to home.
So he got out of active duty and he
went into the Air International Guard.
Oh, okay.
And so he ended up, he was he's,
it's 37 years in the military.
And so, um.
How old were Chris and Amber
Chris, when you guys was three.
Okay.
Well, no, Chris was two.
Amber was, she was 11 months old, so Okay.
Chris was, yeah, he was
close to three, so mm-hmm.
Really, both of them.
Only really know Randy as a father.
Yes.
And that's one thing.
After we joined the military and we,
we were stationed at Blytheville.
My ex-husband didn't help me at all.
He didn't pay any child support or
anything in the state of Arkansas.
If you don't hear from him in a year.
They lose their rights.
They lose their rights.
Right.
And so after that year Randy and I
got us a lawyer and we went to court.
Uh, he didn't dispute it.
And Randy adopted, okay, Chris and Amber.
Okay.
And so I mean, that's only dad.
That they know.
I mean, he was their baseball
coach and softball coach.
Mm-hmm.
And basketball coach and, you know.
Yeah.
And so, and I know that when Chris
and Tasha married, you know, we were
talking to them, you know, Chris,
well, who who, who you're gonna get
to be your best man, you know, because
you're talking about all this stuff.
And he said, um, my dad, he's my best man.
Aw.
He's my best friend.
You can tell that they
have a relationship.
Yes.
I mean, you can tell he has
a good relationship with you.
And Randy, can you just tell Yes.
Yes.
Randy is his dad and he raised them both.
I can remember one time I'll
tell on my daughter and this is,
this is his, I mean, he is, he.
He was, he was a wonderful dad.
He is a wonderful dad to them.
And, uh, I can remember when Amber
and Steven, her husband now, uh, were
dating now even when she was in high
school and senior in high school,
she still had to be home by 10 30.
That was her curfew and, um.
So I can remember one time her room
was a mess and Randy called her on
the, well, I called her on the phone.
I said, you better get home.
Your dad is fixing to come unglued.
So she had to come home
and clean her room.
That's just, that was him.
Yeah.
And um, the kids know it.
I know there was one time
we were eating lunch.
Well, it was a Thanksgiving meal and,
um, him, you know, anytime Chris and
Amber together, they kind of bick you,
you know, bicker back and forth, you
know, just aggravating each other.
And they were doing that and Randy
just cleared his throat and they
both just stopped and looked at him.
Now both of them were married, had
kids and everything, so they're
still that fear of dad in there.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, um, that's funny.
Uh, with Pastor Chris, I know that there
was a point in his life where Randy and I
felt like he was at a point, like I said,
he was raised in church all his life.
But there was a point in his life
that we knew in our hearts he was
gonna go down one way or the other.
How old was he at the time?
Uh, he was outta school.
And of course he graduated when he was
young because when we were in Blytheville
he went to a Christian school and so
he kinda, you know, they kind of bumped
him up in the elementary schools.
There was a couple of grades.
I tried to get him to hold him back.
Oh no, he's doing fine.
I wished I would've not listened and held
him back, but he graduated when he is 17.
Okay.
He graduated May.
Then he turned 18 in October,
so he was really young.
Okay.
But he was outta school and we
knew there was, he was at a point
to where we were, you know, he
was gonna go one way or the other.
Randy and I both felt it in our
spirit, so, we began to fast and
pray and we did this for 14 days.
And on the 14th day, that's when we
had a service and, like I said, he
was raised in church all his life.
A lot of times he got was up playing
the drums and doing everything else,
but he was so far away from God.
But he, um.
When he come down that time
I knew there was a change.
And you know, from that point on,
I just sat back and, you know,
I'm at awe with God at the things
that he's doing in his life.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, and where he's, you
know, brought him to.
So, I mean, the one thing I
can say is don't stop praying.
Mm-hmm.
You keep fasting and
praying because God will.
He'll bring him back.
So how old, I mean, how old was
he when this decision was made?
Like, I don't know.
18.
He was 18.
19.
He was between 18 and 19 when.
When that yeah, when that happened.
I don't think he was in his twenties
yet because, uh, Tasha and and Chris
were married when they were in, well,
when Chris was in his early twenties.
So, uh, so was it just you and
Randy who were praying, did you
get from other family members?
No, it was Randy and I most.
Now my sisters, they helped me pray a lot.
There was a lot of times I would
call them and they would help.
You know, I'd tell 'em, my mom, oh my God,
my mom, she was a prayer warrior and she
was, I knew on her needs and anytime I
could call her, and today's her birthday.
Oh, happy birthday.
So shes.
Spending her like probably
ninth birthday in heaven.
Aw, yes.
That's special what you did today.
Yes.
And there's, there's a lot of times
Randy and I will talk on the way
home from church and he'd say,
he'll say, man, if your mama was
here, she would just be loving it.
I said, yeah, she would be.
So I think every once in a while God opens
up those windows, you know, of heaven.
Mm-hmm.
So they can just look down and see.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So going back to your.
Your maybe teenage years after
you graduated Uhhuh and you met
their Uhhuh birth dad or whatever.
Uhhuh.
Did you like walk away?
Yes, there was.
There was a time where, um, I
did, but then I can remember
one time and we were in Texas.
I remember one time Chris
and Amber, I had Amber.
She had just been born.
And I knew that.
I needed to get out of that situation.
Because I, you know, when you have
someone that's, that treats you this
way and then they turn around and start
looking at your son and saying, you
call your mom this and you do this.
Yeah.
And they do that.
You know, the first thing
that went through my mind is
I've gotta get us outta here.
Mm-hmm.
You know?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um.
Because I didn't know how my,
you know, where my kids would be.
Right, right.
Um, and so I started making plans
to, to get out of that situation.
And I can remember one time going to a
church and I just needed somebody to come
up and just, I mean, my grandparents was
there and my aunt and my uncle, and they
helped me a lot, but I just needed that.
You know, help and that support.
And I sat on the back seat of this church.
It was a, not a real big church.
It was a, but not a small one.
And I had Chris and Amber with me.
And as I sat back there and I
cried and wept, there's not one
person come back to me really?
And I turned around and I
walked outta that church.
And when I did, I thought, this isn't it.
You know, I was very discouraged and.
So it just took me a little bit longer
to, but then, you know, when I did and
was able to, my aunt helped me, you
know, get outta that situation and get me
back to Arkansas where my parents were.
Oh, so you weren't around them?
No, I was about 700 miles away.
Oh, goodness, goodness.
Did he even care that you left?
No, I mean, he, he did come back
one time, but I, you know, I
had already made up my line, no.
Mm-hmm.
Because I knew, you know, if I did go
back what the situation would be, right?
Because I'd left before and come
back and, uh, it was always good
for a couple months, but then it.
You know, went right
back to the way it was.
So, people show you who they are.
Yes.
And it's our job to believe them.
Yes.
And they do.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, so talking to mothers now
who may be praying for, or just
anybody, not necessarily moms, but
praying for like a prodigal, right?
Mm-hmm.
Child, friend, spouse, another
family member or whatever.
And they've been praying
longer than two weeks.
Mm-hmm.
Let's just say, because two weeks.
I mean, I'm sure that was the agony,
praying every day and fasting.
Right.
But you know, some people
have been praying a long time.
Right.
You know?
Mm-hmm.
So what would, what would you be,
your advice be not to give up.
God hasn't given up.
Yeah.
And you know, the thing about it is,
is when we pray our prayers go straight
to heaven and they're bottled up.
And God hears every one of them.
Sometimes when we're, you know,
the waiting is the hardest part.
You know, waiting for that to happen.
And that's when, if you even look in
the Bible, anytime there was a period of
wait, it was real easy to get impatient.
And that's when I think a lot of times
we will, we will try to do things on
our own and where God is telling us.
You know, because, you know,
God, he sees the big picture.
All we see is what's
happening around us right now.
Yeah.
But God sees the big picture,
the finished picture.
And the thing about it is when
God takes care of it, it's done.
I mean, when Randy and I
started fasting and praying.
For 24 hours, one of us
was fasting or praying.
I mean, for that 14 days.
Did you notice any like pushback?
Oh, yes.
There was pushback.
Yes.
So like, what was that like?
It was hard because he's, you
know, Chris was still living
in the same house with us.
Mm-hmm.
So I think it a lot of times it was,
he would just do things, you know, that
he knew that would get under our skin
and we would just have to, you know.
But I know that there were times that even
before then that when we would pray for
him you know, I know there was one time
we'd went to Brownsville, we come back.
He wasn't where he
should have been and, um.
I, me and Randy prayed over a
cloth and we put it under his,
his pillow and or his mattress.
And there were times I, when we'd
wake up the next morning, he's on
the couch, he's not in the bed.
So he knew.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And um, you know, I know there were
times where he would walk in and
he could hear me praying for him.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
And so did you walk through
the house and like anoint?
Oh yeah.
We anointed his room.
We anointed doors, we anointed
windows you know, everything that
we could and then just prayed.
And um, like I said, it was a
two week process with me and
Randy and it was a long process.
We were tired and, you know, there
were times in that two weeks,
you know, you, it seemed like the
harder you prayed, the farther it
seemed like he run the other way.
But.
God took care of it and when
he did, he took care of it.
Yeah.
You know, I didn't have
any doubt in my mind.
That's awesome.
Yeah.
That is really good.
And it reminds me of like different
stories in the Bible where people did
try to take it in their own hands.
Mm-hmm.
And well the first pop one that
popped in my head was like, you
know, when Moses left the people
to go on the mountain Right.
And get the 10 Commandments right.
And then they were like, you know,
all kinds of, I thought of Abraham.
In the Hagar.
Mm-hmm.
Oh yeah.
We're still dealing with that
little, still dealing with that.
Yes.
A little bang the list.
Well, and even, you know, um, you
know, I'm reading right now through
the Bible and I'm reading in Samuel,
you know, and it's talking about sa,
you know, God anointed him mm-hmm.
As the king, but because,
you know, number one, pride.
Yeah.
But you know, he didn't obey, he didn't
do what God called him to do or do.
And and so.
I think, you know, more than
anything is when God tells
us to do something, we do it.
And then, you know, and a lot of
times it may seem silly or, you
know, we don't understand, but we
have to do what God calls us to do.
Yeah.
It really is just about obedience.
Yes.
You know.
Well, and like, you know, I think
we've talked about it, I don't know if
we've talked about it on this podcast,
but like with Abraham, you bringing
him up you know, he was counted as.
Faithful like that.
Mm-hmm.
I think in Romans four where
it says, you know, against all
hope Abraham in hope, believe.
Mm-hmm.
And it talks about his unwavering faith.
Mm-hmm.
But then you have, you're
like, but he did waver waiver.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Because we have, right, we have the baby.
Yeah.
Prove that.
But he still counted as faithful, right?
Mm-hmm.
So like, I think that's a like, well.
Even if you feel ragged and
tired and like, I, I'm not
keeping up my prayers Right.
I am praying, but it's not
as hard as it was yesterday.
Right.
I think God still honors your efforts.
Oh yes.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
You know, even when you're
like, I can't do this anymore.
Right.
Yeah.
So, and a lot of times when we do,
when we get to that point, that's
where we have to trust God more
because it's real easy to then.
Think God, well, you're not
even, you can't even hear.
You're not there.
And that's when we start
trying to do things on our own.
Right?
Yeah.
And that's where we're getting a
big, or you think you've misheard
and you're like, maybe I missed it
and I was supposed to do this thing.
Yes.
And this hasn't happened because
I'm not doing this thing right.
And mm-hmm.
No, no, just wait.
Yeah, just wait.
Just wait.
And he still delivers even if you miss it.
Right?
Yeah.
Have the extra baggage now of
like, even if you mess it all up.
Yeah.
But he still is faithful in his promise.
Yes, he is.
Mm-hmm.
So, um, so what, what verses
stick out to you over your life?
I mean, doesn't necessarily have to do
with that, but just that keeps you going
or what, you know, what would you say to
encourage somebody if they came to you?
Were like, I, I wanna quit.
Mm-hmm.
Because this isn't working right.
What would you tell 'em?
Well, if it has to do with your kids, the
one verse that I stood on the whole time I
raised my kid is train in Proverbs, train
up a child in the way they should go.
That doesn't mean that they're not gonna
waver and they're not gonna, it says
just you do your part in training them
and you know God's gonna do his part.
So what would you say to a mom who
maybe is a new Christian and like,
she's like, well, my kids are 18 and 19.
Mm-hmm.
I didn't train them up.
You can still pray for 'em.
I believe that.
You know, prayers are, yes.
Are This is eternal.
This is where it gets a little bit, yeah.
Like I feel like you could pray now.
Like, God, I would, let's just say it.
Let's just say it.
I mean, Jesus, Carrie thinks.
Kerry believes that, um, and I
don't know that you're wrong.
Like I, I like it.
Yeah.
Um, that, uh, your prayers are, your
prayers are time travelers because
it's, god, God's a time travel.
God is not his child.
He's not bound by it.
Mm-hmm.
That's right.
So, like, let's say I just now
became a Christian and I did not
raise my kids in church or, and I
did, but like, let's say I didn't
and I'm like, this is all my fault.
No.
You know, like, and then
I start praying for him.
I believe God can go back in time.
Not that it would change the past, right.
But it would, it would make things,
well, for example, I heard a guy say
once that, you know, he had been in jail.
He had he had a record.
Mm-hmm.
And he was trying to get a job.
He was outta jail.
He had a bad, I don't even remember what
he did, but he had a record and he was
like, I'm not gonna be able to get a job.
So he applied and the guy was
like, have you been in jail?
Yes.
You know, he said he's looking up
his records, he can't find them.
Mm-hmm.
And he's like, you, you don't,
I can't find him anywhere.
And they looked and looked, the
guys, you know, has served his time.
It wasn't like he got out of that, he
served his time, but it is nowhere.
Mm-hmm.
On the computer.
Mm-hmm.
And he went to his mentor and he
is like, I don't understand this.
And he goes, you've been praying for a
job and whatever happened between the
time you got convicted and now God knew
at this moment you would be praying
and probably wouldn't get the job.
If the guy was like, oh no, you got,
you know, this was way back, this is not
recent, but like, no, you have a record
and that, you know, no, we can't do that.
And it wasn't there for
the guy to even see.
He told the truth, but it's not there.
So they hired him.
That guy like eventually
took over the company.
Right.
But I do believe that guy
can take your prayers.
Why couldn't he take up those
vowels that you talked about?
Mm-hmm.
And sprinkle them anywhere
in time where he would.
Right.
Exactly.
You know, and I'm not
saying that would like.
Defy, like bring somebody back to
life because they've been in the
ground 20 years and that's not what
I mean, but just like bless that
season to where they're protected.
And he already knew in 2026,
you were gonna pray this.
He knew that back in 1980, whatever.
Mm-hmm.
And so he applied it because
he is not bound by our time.
Right, right.
That's how I think.
Right.
Well I think also that.
It's incredibly presumptuous of us to
think that just because we did not plant
seeds in our children's lives, that God
did not have anyone else plant seeds.
That's true.
Or, you know, I mean, the Bible
talks about casting seeds even.
Mm-hmm.
Like where you didn't plant 'em, you just
threw 'em down the ground and some of
them took root and some of them didn't.
But you know, we're not supposed to be
careless with our seeds, but that happens.
So.
In your hypothetical situation, I
would probably just be like, Hey,
listen, there's no telling where
they would've heard about God.
Right.
Heard any, been exposed to God's goodness.
Right.
And mercy and glory through
any number of things, you know?
Right.
The Bible talks about
like nature will testify.
Okay.
So that that will come to fruition.
Right.
Just because you didn't train them in.
The way that you're thinking about
it, very concrete sequentially about
this is what training looks like.
That's okay.
Right?
Yeah.
That's okay.
You trust now and God
will handle it right.
And in your situation right now,
you're working with young kids Littles?
I don't know.
You know, I don't know their parents.
I don't know who the kids are.
Right.
But, you know, some may not serve God,
their parents and, but they're, they put
their kids in a Christian environment.
Right.
And you sow seeds every day.
Yes.
Those kids.
Mm-hmm.
And the Bible story time is our best time.
Yeah.
That's when they listen to me the most.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Do they ask a lot of like, well,
they do sometimes, you know, because
I think, you know, I know we were
talking about, oh, I can't remember.
We were talking about Noah the other
day and the rainbow, you know, when
the promises that God makes and.
You know, we got on the subject of
well you know, he dis he destroyed
the, the earth and I could ask
him, you know, and they'd tell
me with the flood and I said, no.
So what was the promise
that, you know, God made?
And they'd say, the rainbow.
I said, do we still see rainbows today?
Yes.
So God still make, has
that promise, you know?
Mm-hmm.
And I asked him, I said, and I've
talked about it before, how is
he gonna destroy the earth again?
And they said, with fire.
And I said, will we be here?
And they said, no.
When that trumpet sounds
we're out of here.
I said, yes.
And you probably taught 'em that.
'cause what?
They're four and five years old?
Yes.
Three, three and four.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah.
And they said, no, when that
trumpet sounds, we're outta here.
I said, yes.
That's so cute.
That is very cute.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, um, let's talk about the Bible and
maybe favorite stories of yours, which.
Story.
Would you like to go back?
We always say excluding, you know,
the crucifixion and resurrection.
Mm-hmm.
Because I assume everybody, I
mean, everybody would wanna sit
there and watch that as hard as it
would be, but as glorious as it is.
Would you want to go back and
sit in, watch in real time?
Probably in real time.
His very first miracle oh yeah.
When he turned the water into wine.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Because I think when you
see that, you think, wow.
What is he gonna be doing?
Yeah, yeah.
You know, because, uh, especially if
you were not the, you know, if you
were part of the ones that were giving
the wine out and you knew it was
all gone, and then when he tells you
just to fill the pots up with water.
Then when he starts, you know, when
they start serving it, it's wine.
You're, no, I think that would
be the, yeah, the event staff.
At that party venue, yeah.
Yes.
For certain what was happening.
So what do you think about what
Mary did in that whole thing?
Like, I think about her a lot
because I'm like, she was like.
Went to him and he was
like, it's not my time.
Yeah.
And she's like, but really I need this.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, it sounds like
listen to your mother.
Yeah.
Yes.
It sounds like something you would say,
what I would say, what Jill would say.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Like, yeah.
You know, you just do what he says.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
But kind of pushed him to, to that place.
Place, yes.
Uhhuh like.
That was kind of bold of her.
Yes, it was.
But she's mama.
Yep.
Yeah.
We know how mama bears can be.
Jesus conveyed his mama.
Yeah, he did.
Yes.
Oh, that, yeah.
That's funny.
Okay.
Any, any other like, words of
wisdom that you can give to anyone?
Just, um.
Let's see.
I, I think, you know, if it has to
do with children, don't, don't stop.
Even though they mess up, you, you
still pray, you still love them.
You know, because we're all human.
We all make mistakes.
We all do things that if we
could go back and undo, we could
go, we would go back and undo.
Mm-hmm.
But there's not.
And so I think, you know,
more than anything is.
We've gotta understand how
to love because God is love.
And a lot of times I, I guess we get
this picture in our mind of what love
is and it's just a human picture.
It's not really godly love, right?
Uh, because when you really get in
God's word and you see, you know his
love, and I mean, he loves everybody.
And, uh, it doesn't matter what
they've done, where they've been,
you know, or even where they're
going, he still loves them.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
And I think more than anything, especially
now in the culture that we live in
and everything we just have to love.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
And forgive.
Yes.
And forgive, I think, like I
thought about your dad while you
were sitting there talking at
one point, 'cause you came from.
Very godly parents.
Yes.
And your upbringing was very,
you know, Christian focused.
Mm-hmm.
And all but I'm, I'm not kidding.
Like his funeral was one of the
best ones I've ever been to.
Yeah.
Like the best.
Well, I know that even well I was present
with when my mom and dad both passed away.
Um, it was a sad time, but.
I mean, you could, you
could feel a presence there.
I know when my mom passed away we were
all there and we were praying, there
was tongues and interpretation went out.
Wow.
We were praying and my aunt was behind her
and she told us later that when we were
praying and, and you know, because we knew
it was time and we were praying for mom.
She said, she looked at the door and there
were two angels, and she said they stood
there until mom took her last breath.
Wow.
And then when they took the last breath,
they come in and they carried her out.
That's awesome.
Yes.
What a great memory.
Yes.
Yes.
And my dad, I think probably the
sweetest memory I have of him in fact
it was probably the day before he
passed away, was Amber, and every time
they sing this song at church, I cry.
But she sang to him.
Now I can't even, the, the
words have already left my mind.
But, you know, she was singing to
him and he, he didn't hardly have any
strength, but he was lifting his hands.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
So I mean that, I mean,
I miss them both dearly.
There are days I go by the, you know, the
cemetery and I'll say, it's not gonna be
long, and we're all gonna be together.
Yeah.
But one thing I can say for my mom
and dad is all of their kids and their
grandkids and even their great grandkids.
All serving the Lord.
That's a legacy.
And that's a legacy.
Yes.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
That is, and he, I was it, I think it
was him pastor was talking about, and
that he read that the Bible still read
through the Bible every single year.
Yes.
Uhhuh and you know, even was always
making sure that he had forgiven people.
Mm-hmm.
And made things right.
Yes.
Even, even when, well, even when
it was probably two or three days
before he passed away, I mean, he
could still talk to us and he told
us he needed to talk to someone.
You know, we didn't know why.
And so.
My brother-in-law went and found this
man, brought him back to him, and he
said, I just wanna ask you to forgive me.
Well, the man didn't even know
what he was talking about, but he
knew in his heart he wanted to make
sure everything was right because.
He knew.
Yeah.
And so, he said, sure, you know,
I don't have no problem at all.
Mm-hmm.
And, um, so I think that too showed all
of us the importance of forgiveness.
Yeah.
You know, you know, not,
you can't harbor anything.
No, you can't.
You gotta let it go.
Because that book that we did
in that bible study, I can't
remember what it's called now.
The bait.
Oh.
Don't, uh, give the Enemy.
Oh yes, that one.
And then also the beta Satan.
Yes.
Can we do that one?
And both of those don't give
the enemy a seat at your table.
And then the bait of Satan,
were just talking about Yes.
The importance of yes, you have to.
Mm-hmm.
You have to.
Yes.
But yeah.
Well, that's a, I mean, when I
started thinking about him, I was
like that and I didn't know your mom.
Mm-hmm.
But I assumed she's just as
fantastic, but, and I didn't
really know him just right.
Looking at y'all and that,
how, how the funeral felt.
Yes.
That day just anointed and Yes, yes.
It was sad, but it was also like.
It was a homecoming.
Yeah.
I sad I missed it.
Yes, it's really good.
I'm sure y'all recorded it, but
I was just like, this doesn't
even feel like a funeral.
Yes.
It feels like a celebration of his life.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
You knew where he was.
Yes.
We, I have no doubt in my
mind where my mom and dad are.
Yeah.
They're just waiting for us.
Yeah.
One day soon hopefully.
One day soon.
Get us out.
Yeah.
Okay.
One more funny question.
Mm-hmm.
Um, go ahead.
What we ask everybody about,
you already answered that.
No, the funny one.
About the superpower?
Yeah.
Okay.
If you could have any
superpower, which would it be?
And what?
Yeah.
A superpower.
It could be anything.
If you need to think about it,
we'll edit out the pause because
we sprung that one on you for sure.
Um, should play the music.
Yeah.
Let's see.
What would it be?
We can name some.
Okay.
Tell me 'cause I don't watch this stuff.
There's like invisibility, there's
super strength teleportation,
flying telekinesis where you can
like move objects with your mind.
No.
Um, you know what people are
thinking, you can hear their thoughts.
Oh gosh.
I mean, anything that God could
do, you know, basically, oh,
let's see, what could I do?
Um, I guess going from one
place to another without.
Teleport teleporting.
Yeah.
That's a, that's a popular one.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
A lot of people say that, which I didn't
even say that 'cause I didn't think about
that, and I was like, yeah, that is,
it's like once you think of it, you're
like, why would I want anything else?
Yeah.
If I don't like this situation,
I'm getting out of it.
Exactly.
I don't need super straight going
somewhere else if I can teleport out.
Yeah.
Somebody did that in the Bible.
Who was it?
Who?
Teleported?
Yeah.
Somebody, A Euch?
No, it was Philip.
Philip, yes.
I did not say Euch.
That's right.
Yes.
He was with a euch.
That's why I I said that.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Yep.
I mean, it happens.
Have to.
Oh, yeah.
Well, you know, you've got
Enoch who took off out here.
Yes.
You know, there's, mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
So we could, Elijah, why
don't we pray for it?
I don't know.
Why don't we pray for it?
Yeah.
Well, we wanna have you back
to with maybe Randy next time.
Okay.
And listen to some more
chapters of your life.
But thank you so much
for joining us today.
Welcome.
. Hi everybody.
This is Future Jill and Future Care coming
at you because we might've made a little
bit of a mistake, jury's out a little bit.
It's, it's my mistake and I like
being a time traveler right now.
'cause you said we are from the future.
I love it too.
Well, we were talking about Abraham at
the end of this episode, and I would, I
just wanna clarify, we, we don't think
that the Bible contradicted itself.
Like when we were saying that he
didn't, Abraham did not waiver.
He did and he didn't, but we wanna
clarify it in true, in true biblical form.
Yes and no.
Yes.
So I'm gonna look up this verse.
Jill, you talk while I'm looking this up
'cause I had it pulled up and now, so it
was in reference to when Abraham decided
that he was gonna, you know, help got
out a little bit and follow his wife's.
Suggestion.
Mm-hmm.
To go and lay with her little maid
servant there and have Ishmael.
So, you know, we were discussing
whether or not that was Abraham
wavering in his faith in the
promise that God had given him.
And so we're just gonna provide
a little bit of clarification.
So Carrie, go ahead, read the verse.
Okay.
So this is actually one of my favorite
verses and has been for a long
passages, has been for a long time.
And it's, where did we find it?
Romans four.
I'll start at 18.
And I'm reading the new King James.
Just 'cause that was what was pulled up.
So, let's find 18.
And he's talking about Abraham, who
contrary to hope, in hope, believed so
that he became the father of many nations
according to what was spoken from God.
I added that part.
So shall your descendants be.
And not being weak in faith.
He did not consider his own own
body already dead since he was
about a hundred years old, and
the deadness of Sarah's womb.
He did not waver at the promise of God
through unbelief, but was strengthened in
faith, giving glory to God, being fully
convinced that what he, and that's God
had promised, he was also able to perform.
So.
He, this is what we wanna talk about
in my opinion and how I've read this
scripture and Jill had it in the message,
which was, do you want me to read it?
Sure.
Okay.
Let me pull it up.
But in my opinion, it's not talking
about him, how we all do like,
oh, let me help God out with this.
This is what was promised to me.
Let me try to make this happen,
is what I felt like Abraham did.
So he wasn't perfect, but he
still was counted as faithful.
Even though that's how God deals
with us, we're not perfect.
Uh, we do have moments of
like, I'm just gonna fix this
'cause I'm tired of waiting.
And so I'm gonna handle it on my own.
So he did do something wrong, but he still
was not, he didn't give up on the promise.
Right.
Joe, what is your version say?
So this one is Romans four, and
I'm gonna start in verse 17.
'cause you know how the
message likes to, it's weird.
Yeah.
Break 'em up into like
paragraphs and stuff.
Um, so it says we call Abraham
father, not because he got God's
attention by living like a saint,
but because God made something out
of Abraham when he was a nobody.
Isn't that what we've
always read in scripture?
God's saying to Abraham, quote, I set
you up as father of many people's.
Abraham was Na first named father and
then became a father because he dared to
trust God to do what only God could do.
Raise the dead to life without, or I'm
sorry, with a word, making something out
of nothing when everything was hopeless.
Abraham believed, anyway, deciding to
live not on the basis of what he saw.
He couldn't do but on what God said
he would do, and so he was made.
Father of a multitude of
peoples, God himself said to him.
Quote, you're going to have a
big family, Abraham unquote.
And then 19 says, Abraham didn't focus on
his own impotence and say it's hopeless.
This a hundred year old body could never
father a child, nor did he survey Sarah's
decades of infertility and give up.
He didn't tiptoe around God's promise
asking cautiously skeptical questions.
Hello?
Mm-hmm.
Like, I just stepped all over my toes.
Okay.
He plunged into the promise and came up
strong, ready for God sure that God would
make good on what he s what he had said.
That's why it is said.
Abraham was declared fit before God,
by trusting God to set him right, but
it's not just Abraham, it's also us.
The same thing gets said about us
when we embrace and believe the one
who brought Jesus to life, when the
conditions were equally hopeless,
the sacrifice to Jesus made us fit
for God and set us right with God.
Okay, so we just wanted to clarify
that we were not saying that
the Bible was contradictory.
Mm-hmm.
You know, it was, it's
nuanced is what it is.
So that's all really I
wanted to say, is like, yes.
He, he did not waver in his faith
and the problem is that he knew
God was going to come through.
But he did.
You weren't his.
He was human.
You weren't his.
He was it good on the way over here.
You said something about him.
No, he was human.
He, he wavered in his patience.
That's what you said, not his faith.
Yeah.
He was just like wanting this done.
Because we all are, and then, you
know, he kinda has that characteristic
because you like, or he's a little, I
don't even know the word, but basically
when he was like, impulsive or like,
tell him, tell him you're my sister.
You know, don't tell him you're mom.
Oh yeah.
He, he sometimes has a little bit like,
let's skirt around how to do this.
It seems like if we, if we just
kind of like, which I'm not saying
I wouldn't have done the same
thing, but he, he's not perfect.
He's a human just like everybody else.
And even though we consider him a.
You know, a pillar of faith,
a pillar of the faith.
He's still just a human being.
Yeah.
Or was, and now he's,
we'll get to talk to him.
We'll get to talk to him later.
But yeah.
Anyway, that's it.
Now I was chilling.
That's, that's all we wanted to say.
Yep.
So this is future Jill and
future Carrie Care saying peace.
Yeah.
Is there anything you wanna tell yourself?
Like in the future?
Um, in the future?
Yeah.
Because Or from the future?
From the future to our past self.
Hmm.
I can't think of one thing, but there's
probably a million things steer clear of
Cajun cream sauce, if you know, you know.
All right.
Signing off.
Bye bye.