Harvest Time is a weekly podcast from KHMG. Pastor Gary Walton interviews Harvest Baptist Church members, friends, and special guests.
Welcome to Harvest Time. My name is Chris Harper, and our host on this program is Pastor Gary Walton, the lead pastor of Harvest Baptist Church. Every week, we spend these twenty five minutes together telling you the stories of our church by interviewing our members and other friends of the ministry. We'd like to invite you to join us at Harvest Baptist Church this week. We have two services on Sunday, the first at 08:45AM, the second at 10:45AM.
Chris Harper:We have Japanese and Korean translation available during that 10:45AM service, And that's also when we live stream at hbcguam.org, hbcguam.org. This week, Pastor Larry Nagengast will be preaching in both services. Let's begin today's Harvest Time by welcoming Pastor Gary Walton. Hi, Pastor.
Gary Walton:Hey. Hafa Adai, Chris. We always wanna give you an invitation to come and join us at church. There is such a sweet, sense of fellowship, a sense of God's presence that's there. If you're listening and you don't have a church home, we wanna invite you to come and join us.
Gary Walton:I am very confident that if you come onto our campus and walk into, in the ministry, the auditorium, you're gonna find people that are friendly. I not overwhelmingly, but just friendly. Glad that you're here and I'm confident that you're gonna have a sense that God is present. And, we're we always focus on the word. We want the word to be the center of what we're doing.
Gary Walton:And so just trying to clearly and practically, explain the scriptures, apply them, and I know that that will take the place take place this Sunday. Pastor Larry is gonna be preaching, and I'm confident you're gonna be blessed by his ministry of the word. So we'd like to invite you to join us. Hey, I'm really glad to have, Jamie and Michelle Hyde with us on Harvest Time, here this week. First of all, welcome you guys.
Gary Walton:Thanks for joining me.
Jamie Hyde:Hello. Hi. It's good to be here.
Gary Walton:Yeah. You guys actually have a couple different stints on Guam. You came in 02/2012, left again for some work responsibilities in Japan, and then, and then came back. Let me start, with this. Tell me tell me about jobs, for that.
Gary Walton:Jamie, for you and Michelle, you can tell us.
Jamie Hyde:Yeah. So, we first came to Guam originally in 2012. I was working at a different Lockheed Martin facility. I work for Lockheed Martin as a defense contractor. Michelle and I got married in 2012.
Jamie Hyde:We met at our church there. She might talk more about this. Yeah.
Gary Walton:I wanna ask you about that in a minute.
Jamie Hyde:Yep. But, we were looking to kinda make a change and we had both been in the Northern Virginia area for a long time. It's a very busy, stressful place. And we were really praying hard about after, you know, we got married, what we would do, where we would go. And we prayed a lot.
Jamie Hyde:And, there was a really amazing opportunity in Guam, and we thought that was a crazy thing. Like, we didn't know where Guam was before then. It was. Yeah.
Gary Walton:I know.
Jamie Hyde:That it was a US territory, and, it was out in Pacific Ocean somewhere. Most people we knew didn't know anything about Guam. But I had a coworker who had used to sail around the world and had been all over Micronesia, Pohnpei. Yeah. He was a huge sailor, and he used to sail around the world and stop in certain locations for from time to time and work for a year or two and then save up money and sail on elsewhere.
Gary Walton:Wow. How fascinating is that?
Jamie Hyde:Yeah. He and he was a really good buddy of mine. And he had been lived in Guam a lot. He worked for my company.
Jamie Hyde:And so when I told him about this opportunity, he's like, you absolutely should go. Mhmm. It'll be a really amazing stretch for you. It'll, not a lot of people get the opportunities to move to tropical island and and do really amazing work. So, the mission that I was would have been hired for was just really, really interesting.
Jamie Hyde:And, of course, Michelle and I prayed and talked a lot about it. And there were, you know, some awesome this is so cool. And there were some, like, oh my gosh.
Gary Walton:What are we doing?
Jamie Hyde:Yes. There were some little meltdowns and things like that. But we really prayed hard. And, basically, if God made a way for us to do this, we're gonna do it.
Jamie Hyde:Mhmm. And so it all worked out. Every complicated little detail got all our stuff packed up and moved all the way here. And, we stood up a new facility up in what used to be NCTS. It's now Camp Blas, a marine base.
Gary Walton:Yeah.
Jamie Hyde:And I'm a contractor for the Naval Research Lab. And so I was one of the original 19, team members that built that facility. Mhmm. And just had a good group of friends that we met here. And few of them, I used to work with as well.
Jamie Hyde:So we actually came out here already knowing people.
Gary Walton:Nice.
Jamie Hyde:But on our house hunting trip, this was about a month before we moved here in 2012. We were looking for churches, and, and we found Harvest. And it seemed like they were just a welcoming, you know, bible believing, God loving church. And we had just everything seemed wonderful. So, of course, we visited.
Jamie Hyde:And the very first day, we were, you know, welcomed. Oh, wow. And then we met a lot of the same friends we have now, like the Dongans that are still here and the Marshalls that are still here. And, like, Jared Baldwin, he was here then as well and came back. So
Gary Walton:Yeah.
Jamie Hyde:I guess Harvest has a way of sending people out and then bringing them back home sometimes. So that was we stayed here for three years, and there were some, long term career concerns about staying in Guam permanently. And so that actually got us to Japan where we were in two locations in Japan for seven years. Similar type of work just for a different customer, different type of mission. And then in 2022, a buddy of mine who was getting out of the Air Force in Misawa, Misawa Air Base, was wanting to be hard on my company, Lockheed.
Jamie Hyde:So I was helping him find a job. And at that time, we weren't planning on leaving Misawa and coming back to Guam. But, you know, God has other plans, and he has a way of, you know, taking charge. And, of course, we always have to surrender to him. So when I was helping him find a job, I was looking for he wanted to be international.
Jamie Hyde:And there are my company does have a lot of international positions, but definitely not as many as, like, Continental US. Oh. So during that time, I was helping him look around, and I saw a position in Guam. And when I started reading the job description, I'm like, wait a minute. This is my this looks like my old program.
Jamie Hyde:And, of course, the way they do some of these descriptions is very vague. So if you're not familiar with the work, you would never really like, they didn't say where it was. But when I read the description, I'm like, that is absolutely Guam. And, like, I wonder if my old boss is still the hiring manager. And sure enough, he was.
Jamie Hyde:Wow. So even then, we weren't necessarily, planning on returning to Guam. Yeah. Not that we were wanted to avoid Guam. We actually visited twice
Michelle Hyde:Yeah.
Jamie Hyde:When we were living in Japan, and we came back for two different I think one was a winter trip to get away from the winters of Northern Japan, and one was like a summer trip to visit friends and just catch up with people and just have a break from, you know, the, you know, language difficulties of Japan. And, you know, I'm sure the Lenartz's are feeling feeling that somewhat where sometimes it's good just to get back to familiarity.
Gary Walton:Well, we're so glad that God brought you back. We'll talk about that too. We're thankful for your family together. Michelle, why don't you fill us on from the backstory? I mean, where where did you grow up, bring us up kinda your early life and and how how you and Jamie met.
Gary Walton:Why don't you fill us in on that?
Michelle Hyde:So I was born in California. My dad was in the Navy when I was young and, we ended up in Virginia and it was the one place they were like, we don't wanna stay here and we never left. So that's how it turned out to be. My dad actually worked for Lockheed Martin as well.
Michelle Hyde:Okay. But that was Jamie had just gotten hired when I met him, so it had nothing to do with it. Right. Just the way it worked out and, you know, I always wanted to stop moving around because we were in California, then Texas, then Virginia. Yeah.
Gary Walton:You were military. Correct.
Michelle Hyde:I didn't know that then I would never leave. So we were just there forever, it seemed. And I went to college late at Liberty University. And when I came back, I got hired at a small church as the church secretary.
Gary Walton:Okay.
Michelle Hyde:And that was where Jamie was attending church. So it's a really beautiful story that I don't have time to tell.
Gary Walton:Sure.
Michelle Hyde:But it was a lot of, just surrendering the whole process to God and asking for his direction and not wanting to move forward based on emotions or feelings, but really wanting to be objective and since God's leading in it versus my leading in it or his leading in it. And God just kept confirming it over and over and over and he just made it obvious. So
Gary Walton:Man, I love that.
Michelle Hyde:Yeah.
Gary Walton:Love to hear that. Just following Jesus, letting him lead our paths and how he directs all that. So did your were your parents believers? Tell me about your faith, your personal faith.
Michelle Hyde:So I grew up in a Christian home, always went to church, you know, every service, basically. My parents were involved in youth group eventually, and I got saved when I was five years old. I still remember the day like it was yesterday. I had our pastor had a thing where he wanted even the young kids to attend service, like, once a month to get used to being in big people church and how to behave properly. And I was looking at my children's Bible at home, and I just remembered the words of my pastor talking about sin and how it makes God angry and how because of the wrath that sin brings, Jesus had to die because God loves us and he provided a way.
Michelle Hyde:And so God was just like one after the other, just bringing up my sins to my heart. Like, when I lied to my parents, that was sin that made God angry. When I talked back to them, that was sin that made God angry. When I pushed my sister, that was sin that made God angry. And he was just bringing these up and I was like, I'm the reason that Jesus had to die.
Michelle Hyde:And so I went and asked my parents, like, how can Jesus save me? And so they walked me through it. And it didn't mean that everything just now I'm a perfect person and everything's fine. My life has in this past thirty five, thirty six years since then, I feel like I've been like the Israelites, how I'm like all in. Of course, I'll follow God no matter where he leads, no matter what he says.
Michelle Hyde:And then he blesses me because of my faithfulness. And then I start relying too much on the blessings and not the blessing giver.
Gary Walton:Yes. Michelle, we all experience that. Right? Wow. Yeah.
Michelle Hyde:So then when he threatens to take away the blessing, I'm like, no. And I start clinging to that more than I cling to him. And, of course, he lovingly strips those from my life because he wants me to see that that's not what can be relied on. That's not, faithful. Like, you can't count on that 100%.
Michelle Hyde:And so it reminds me again and again, even if I lose that
Jamie Hyde:Yeah.
Michelle Hyde:I have you and you're enough.
Gary Walton:Yeah.
Michelle Hyde:So it's just been a story of that Yeah. Throughout my life in different cycles.
Gary Walton:Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. I think that's really helpful. Jamie, what about you? Virginia, grew up in Northern Virginia.
Jamie Hyde:So that's where my family still is and sort of where we consider our home. My dad, was a career air force officer. So I did go to high school and college in Virginia, but before that, we were moving every two to three years. So I was born in Virginia, but then we moved to Georgia and then California and then Alabama.
Jamie Hyde:Mhmm. And then we were in Europe and then back to Virginia again. So just everywhere.
Gary Walton:Yeah.
Jamie Hyde:But that is kinda where my dad got out of the military and where we settled down. And then he ended up working for the government. And that's, like I said, that's where I went to high school and college. So, you know, I have memories of just constantly changing churches every few years and but we always found just really just wonderful places to worship. And I got saved when I was 10.
Jamie Hyde:My parents were are Christians. My mom passed away a few years ago. But both sets of grandparents on each side are just really strong Christians, and you can kinda see their, how each generation, because of, how we were raised and just the, accountability and a good example that we had from, and we see it on Michelle's side too, just a lot of just wonderful Christians and that just keeps spreading with each each, you know, new generation. Yeah. So I was saved when I was 10 in Alabama.
Jamie Hyde:And, you know, my whole childhood, I went to every youth group thing and all the just, you know, fun activities. And, but it really wasn't till I was in my mid twenties that I really fully, like, unders like, better understood that it wasn't just, you know, the you needed more than just, like like, I need a lifestyle change. Like, I needed yes. I had my profession of faith, and I believed, but I wasn't acting like I believed. Like, I wasn't I I was attending church, but, there were still a lot of issues in my life that I needed to come to terms with.
Jamie Hyde:And, like, I I would go to church. I would pray when I felt like it. I would go to church when I felt like it. But I really didn't, I really wasn't committed. I was still basically permanently a baby new Christian.
Jamie Hyde:Mhmm. I had never really progressed on the road to discipleship. So I was at Virginia Tech at the time, and this was in twenty 2007. Wow. Makes me feel old.
Jamie Hyde:Where, it was my sophomore year, and that was the that spring, the horrible tragedy, the shooting in at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Oh, yeah. It was I was on campus right then. I was right next door. All of a sudden, a bunch of people came running into our building just shouting, like, hide and or or run or leave the campus if you can.
Jamie Hyde:And we could hear all the gunshots, and all of a sudden, there was campus police everywhere. It was just a really crazy surreal time. And that was a huge shock to me because, you know, Blacksburg is a very it's a college town. It's up in the mountains in this secluded valley. There's no crime.
Jamie Hyde:It's, you know, other than frat parties and stuff like that, it's really just a very peaceful, quiet place, a really good community. And that kinda shocked everybody, myself included. And it it just occurred to me, like, how much sin there was in the world. And
Gary Walton:Yeah. Shocking reality of the depravity of our world that sin affects everything even in what seems to be the most safe, secure environment.
Jamie Hyde:And at that time, that was the most violent horrific shooting and non war period in The entire US history. And I remember praying a whole lot, and a lot of my friends were doing the same. Or those that weren't saved were trying to find answers, like, how could this happen? If there's a God, why would he let it happen? And it it just shows, like you said, the the horror just how bad sin is.
Jamie Hyde:And during that week, right after every church was packed, You could not find a seat anywhere. Every different Christian ministry or fellowship on campus was just inundated with calls and people wanting to, just to get help, whatever that looked like, and to be prayed for and to find comfort and find answers. And it was just this profound event where, yes, it was horrible and tragic. And, you know, I don't have the answers why God let it happen, but he definitely used that event. And, you know, I can't say how many people were saved, but based on how many people and what the campus outreach looked like and just from the people I've talked to and was around, like, it was just an amazing revival of Blacksburg.
Jamie Hyde:And I still think the community has been uplifted from that event and myself included. So for me personally, right then, I'm like, I cannot live like this. I cannot live in sin, especially after seeing something like that. I mean, I didn't witness anything, but I was I heard it, and I was very close by. And so that's when I had this turning point in my life where I need to live like the things that I'm saying
Gary Walton:Yeah.
Jamie Hyde:And I wasn't doing that before.
Gary Walton:You gave, actually, that whole piece, you know, some very important words. And I love the turning point idea. It seems like there are different seasons of our life. The Bible you actually you were you used the word progressing. The Bible talks about this progressing sanctification, that comes from, you know, a believer at 10, but some seasons where maybe you didn't necessarily walk as close with God as you should have and then some turning points.
Gary Walton:I actually like that term. Sometimes it's tragedy. Sometimes it's a change of our situation where we are brought much more, specifically to seeing God and his plan for us. And we got to decide what path we're gonna take, you know, at that time. God is in always in the process for all of us of bringing us to those points in his desire, you know, to allow us to progress in our sanctification, becoming more and more like Jesus.
Gary Walton:Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. Michelle, you you've, have some writing in your background. Right? How did how did you, you do some writing.
Gary Walton:How did you get into that?
Michelle Hyde:So I'd always kind of wanted to start a blog. I started one, like, when my twenties maybe and just kind of fizzled out and, I think part of it is those seasons I talked about. Like, sometimes I was so on fire and, like, of course, everything for you, God. And then other seasons, I became more selfish. And so it was, like, hard to have that consistency.
Michelle Hyde:And, my time on Guam last time was really not a pleasant one. I really tried to get involved. I got a lot of brick walls and, tried to make connections and had a really hard time with that. And it was just constantly reaching out, constantly trying, and just not being met back with anything. And, back then, we didn't have smartphones, so I couldn't really see my family, talk to my family.
Michelle Hyde:He was working all the time, so he wasn't home. And it was just a very lonely time, and then we moved to Hokkaido, Japan, where there's, like, no English. Right. So he had English at work and I didn't have English. And so I was out in the community running errands, you know, all the things.
Michelle Hyde:And it was it got even more isolating. And so I've really struggled through that and God used it in a major way. Hindsight is a good friend Right. Because we can look back and see, oh, that's what you were doing. But I did not see that in the time and I did not handle it well either.
Michelle Hyde:And God really humbled me through that period. And one of the things that was birthed out of that was seeing that even though I'm not enough, even though I don't have all it takes, he is more than sufficient and so gracious and so faithful and so patient and all these things. And he just encouraged me that I'm not the only one who doesn't have fellowship, who doesn't have, people around them, whether they're in a home and they're the only Christian and their maybe their husband says, I don't want you going to church or whether they live in another country and there's not a lot of saved around them and just feeling that isolation that I had felt for, like, six years. And God was like, I want you to speak into their lives where they have the internet. They have someone that can be sharpening them and pointing them back to me and everything that happens in their life.
Michelle Hyde:And one thing I wrestled with was how can I be faithful when I'm so unfaithful so often? And God was like, this is not about you showing yourself to be me. This is about you showing everyone who I am. And even in your failures, even in your shortcomings, even if you feel like your writing is lame that week or whatever it is and you feel like you have nothing to say, point to me. Be consistent in pointing to me.
Michelle Hyde:Show show everyone that no matter what season of life you're in, no matter what your failures look like, I'm worth showing up for. And so that's kind of, I treat it like I'm sitting on my living room couch and I have a friend over and I'm just like, this is what he's teaching me this week or this is kind of what's been on my heart that I've been wrestling with or this is how I majorly failed this last week and God worked through it or just showing up for him, showing that he is worth it no matter what season I'm in. And I've been doing it for seven years this summer, so it's been a while. I used to do live videos every week, but since we moved back to Guam, life was chaotic and that kind of fizzled out. But I did that for four years as well.
Michelle Hyde:And that's kind of just what it is for me is being a living testimony online for people that are searching, maybe don't have the guts to ask someone in person, but, you know, I provide resources. I provide recommendations of things that have, made an impact in my life and I just try to share and be a testimony and hopefully lift them up in their faith. So
Gary Walton:That's so good, Michelle. God has a way of, using our weaknesses, and allowing them to minister out of them and for his strength. Mhmm. And it's amazing when when that happens. But, to be able to share, with others and and we do have some unique mediums now that, you know, weren't always available, God's goodness through the challenges, that he has brought into our lives.
Gary Walton:So I love that. Figuring out what our gifts are, how we can use them for his glory, and at the same time, you know, God's teaching you. There is something about, you know, I I don't know how you view this, but sort of a journal of of my life, of my week. Here's what God's teaching me in that. That's fantastic.
Gary Walton:Well, man, the time goes so fast. You guys thank you for, for being willing to come and and tell us a little bit about your stories, about what God's doing. We are so glad that God brought you back. We're thankful for your faithfulness. Jamie and Michelle are just are just faithful here at church, faithful in the ministries, serving God faithfully, wanting to connect with people, and God uses all of that.
Gary Walton:So thank you guys for that. It's a good encouragement to me.
Jamie Hyde:We're done already. I feel like we just got started.
Gary Walton:I know. It goes so fast. Thank you.
Jamie Hyde:Thank you so much for having us on. Of course.
Chris Harper:And thank you for listening to Harvest Time. Of course, at this point in the program, we wanna personally invite you again to Harvest Baptist Church. Services at 08:45AM and 10:45AM, Sunday morning. And we have Japanese and Korean translation during the 10:45AM service, and that's also the service we broadcast live on 88.1 FM and khmg.org. We hope to see you this Sunday.
Chris Harper:Thanks again for listening to Harvest Time.