WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:09.690 --> 00:00:13.110 Speaker: Welcome everyone to Faith and Purpose podcast. 00:00:13.870 --> 00:00:19.050 Each episode of this podcast contains the personal testimony of an ordinary person 00:00:19.069 --> 00:00:21.810 transformed by an extraordinary God. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:25.640 My name is Kaylin and I'm here to introduce this podcast 00:00:25.650 --> 00:00:27.180 for my friend Jesse Duke. 00:00:27.790 --> 00:00:33.259 Jesse is a husband, father, author, life recovery guide, lay counselor, 00:00:33.740 --> 00:00:37.820 and small group leader, but his most important role is disciple. 00:00:38.260 --> 00:00:39.710 As a disciple of Jesus. 00:00:40.190 --> 00:00:44.280 Jesse created this podcast to help other believers tell their faith stories. 00:00:44.830 --> 00:00:48.629 We'll be hearing the personal testimonies of all sorts of people 00:00:48.629 --> 00:00:52.560 who have one thing in common, Jesus has transformed their lives. 00:00:53.465 --> 00:00:57.555 Jesus used parables because he created us to learn best through story. 00:00:57.985 --> 00:01:02.775 And as we listen to how God has worked in others lives, we find encouragement 00:01:02.785 --> 00:01:05.075 and inspiration for our own faith walk. 00:01:05.564 --> 00:01:09.935 Whether you are already a believer or just a curious seeker, we believe that 00:01:09.955 --> 00:01:14.244 as you listen to these stories, you will be encouraged on your own faith journey. 00:01:14.544 --> 00:01:18.954 We are sure that God can speak to you through one of these episodes and that you 00:01:18.954 --> 00:01:23.044 will see that our Heavenly Father truly works all things together for our good. 00:01:23.380 --> 00:01:25.290 When we simply love and trust him. 00:01:25.990 --> 00:01:29.360 If you are currently going through a trial, we believe that you will come 00:01:29.360 --> 00:01:34.150 to see that your troubles, heartbreaks, and failures are not gravestones, but 00:01:34.180 --> 00:01:36.750 stepping stones into new life in Christ. 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:39.170 Here's Jesse with today's guest. 00:01:54.233 --> 00:01:57.253 Welcome, everybody, to Faith and Purpose Podcast. 00:01:58.033 --> 00:02:01.243 Today, we are very fortunate to have our friend Claudette 00:02:01.263 --> 00:02:03.093 Drummond to tell her story. 00:02:03.833 --> 00:02:07.393 And so I'm really excited to hear it and welcome Claudette. 00:02:07.543 --> 00:02:08.493 How are you doing today? 00:02:08.933 --> 00:02:10.113 Oh, I'm doing great. 00:02:10.233 --> 00:02:11.353 Thank you, Jesse. 00:02:11.883 --> 00:02:14.493 I look forward to hearing your testimony. 00:02:14.493 --> 00:02:17.313 So tell us, start from the beginning. 00:02:17.573 --> 00:02:19.203 From the beginning. 00:02:20.248 --> 00:02:26.698 I guess I'll start when I first was introduced to Jesus. 00:02:27.524 --> 00:02:29.004 It was when I was a little girl. 00:02:29.004 --> 00:02:34.324 My mom and dad did not go to church, but they did listen to a radio program 00:02:34.324 --> 00:02:37.294 called the, Old Fashioned Revival Hour. 00:02:37.724 --> 00:02:45.134 And that lady on that program could play the piano just I just loved it. 00:02:45.934 --> 00:02:49.354 And I don't remember too much what the preacher said, it was good, but 00:02:50.314 --> 00:02:52.934 I sure did the music of the piano. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:55.739 How old were you at that time? 00:02:55.819 --> 00:02:58.179 I think I was about eight or nine. 00:02:58.299 --> 00:03:00.599 Maybe seven, And where did y'all live? 00:03:01.239 --> 00:03:02.559 We lived in Texas. 00:03:02.996 --> 00:03:04.156 Is that where you were born? 00:03:04.576 --> 00:03:07.666 I was born in California, San Francisco. 00:03:07.796 --> 00:03:08.396 Oh, okay. 00:03:09.016 --> 00:03:12.026 And we have moved a lot. 00:03:13.065 --> 00:03:17.775 I was born in San Francisco, but I went to the first grade 00:03:17.795 --> 00:03:20.075 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 00:03:20.362 --> 00:03:22.082 Where my grandparents lived. 00:03:22.502 --> 00:03:23.282 We moved there. 00:03:23.282 --> 00:03:29.232 My dad got a job with my grandfather working on a, an estate there. 00:03:29.558 --> 00:03:35.868 Then the second world war hit and my dad was a four F he had been in the 00:03:35.868 --> 00:03:42.668 Navy, but he was four F because he'd been injured in the service So he was 00:03:42.668 --> 00:03:48.968 transferred to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and he was part of the group that 00:03:48.968 --> 00:03:53.108 worked on the bomb in Oak Ridge. 00:03:53.988 --> 00:03:58.358 And then, when the war was over, his job was over. 00:03:59.608 --> 00:04:04.478 All our family lived in California, except my grandparents. 00:04:04.647 --> 00:04:09.237 And my dad had a job waiting for him in California. 00:04:10.227 --> 00:04:17.980 So we left Oak Ridge in a 1939 Ford on our way to California. 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:21.610 And the car broke down in Texas. 00:04:22.660 --> 00:04:27.107 And you couldn't get car parts because all the auto plants had 00:04:27.107 --> 00:04:29.510 been making stuff for the army. 00:04:29.610 --> 00:04:29.970 Yeah. 00:04:30.530 --> 00:04:33.220 So my dad had three kids. 00:04:34.965 --> 00:04:44.725 to feed, so he found a job in Orange, Texas, and that job was with DuPont. 00:04:44.725 --> 00:04:53.815 I was in the 11th grade, we were in Texas from 1949 to 1952. 00:04:57.465 --> 00:05:03.695 And then Savannah River plant in South Carolina was starting, 00:05:03.805 --> 00:05:05.415 He was in the Power business. 00:05:06.255 --> 00:05:07.975 he could run power plants. 00:05:09.405 --> 00:05:09.765 Wow. 00:05:10.005 --> 00:05:14.245 And anyway, they transferred him out to South Carolina. 00:05:15.085 --> 00:05:18.170 So we moved to Aiken in when I, in the 11th grade. 00:05:18.170 --> 00:05:18.935 Oh, okay, alright. 00:05:18.935 --> 00:05:19.495 Sorry. 00:05:19.565 --> 00:05:21.605 So you met your husband in Aiken? 00:05:21.795 --> 00:05:24.985 Yeah, I graduated from Aiken High School. 00:05:24.985 --> 00:05:25.005 Oh. 00:05:25.715 --> 00:05:29.505 And worked at the Savannah River plant where my dad was. 00:05:30.265 --> 00:05:31.865 And that's where I met my husband. 00:05:32.525 --> 00:05:37.195 we were married for 43 years and he passed away. 00:05:37.548 --> 00:05:43.533 And at the time he passed away, we were in Rock Hill, South Carolina, 00:05:43.533 --> 00:05:44.528 where my daughter was born. 00:05:47.008 --> 00:05:53.808 And up there, at the time, there was a production company called Narrow Way. 00:05:54.101 --> 00:05:58.048 And what they did, they put on passion plays. 00:05:58.381 --> 00:06:02.751 in this big arena where the old PTL club used to be. 00:06:02.791 --> 00:06:03.181 Yeah. 00:06:03.181 --> 00:06:03.561 Yeah. 00:06:04.131 --> 00:06:09.271 they met, they would put on these big, these, passion plays where they asked 00:06:09.271 --> 00:06:11.311 for people who wanted to volunteer. 00:06:11.608 --> 00:06:16.151 So when my husband passed away, I kept asking the Lord. 00:06:16.474 --> 00:06:18.314 what am I supposed to do now? 00:06:18.504 --> 00:06:24.451 because he'd been ill for, he'd been bedridden practically for five years. 00:06:25.451 --> 00:06:31.841 And he'd been up and down, but he'd had some real drastic surgeries. 00:06:32.881 --> 00:06:42.551 And, so I had been his nurse there and when he passed away, my job was gone. 00:06:44.211 --> 00:06:50.081 And you asked him the Lord, what in the world am I doing going to do now? 00:06:50.841 --> 00:06:57.711 But anyway, when I went, then I went to this passion play and they asked, for 00:06:57.711 --> 00:07:04.871 volunteers to, if you wanted to do that, I jumped at the chance and did that. 00:07:04.941 --> 00:07:13.441 But when I first, my first experience there in this big arena, 00:07:15.891 --> 00:07:22.081 when you're immobile in a lot of ways, for five years, you 00:07:22.081 --> 00:07:23.611 don't have all the energy there. 00:07:25.061 --> 00:07:32.821 And I just, I could not, the stage for that passion play was the whole arena. 00:07:33.461 --> 00:07:38.851 It wasn't just the bottom you, you worked throughout the whole arena, 00:07:39.411 --> 00:07:41.561 getting up those steps and everything. 00:07:41.611 --> 00:07:45.901 It was, it took everything I had, but by the end of the 00:07:45.901 --> 00:07:47.611 season, I could get up there. 00:07:47.976 --> 00:07:49.196 with everybody else. 00:07:49.786 --> 00:07:52.936 It was like getting me back to life. 00:07:52.996 --> 00:07:54.486 it was, God had it. 00:07:54.596 --> 00:07:56.306 He'd put it there just for me. 00:07:56.326 --> 00:07:57.836 He had to get you back in shape. 00:07:58.026 --> 00:07:58.696 He did. 00:07:58.816 --> 00:07:59.436 He did. 00:07:59.466 --> 00:08:00.216 And he did it. 00:08:00.841 --> 00:08:08.501 In a way that it was very exciting because not only was I there, 00:08:08.671 --> 00:08:13.351 I had two of my grandsons with me, they were on stage with me. 00:08:14.211 --> 00:08:16.651 And, Tommy, you've met Tommy. 00:08:16.751 --> 00:08:20.181 he was the little boy with the loaves and the fishes. 00:08:20.271 --> 00:08:21.051 Oh man. 00:08:21.161 --> 00:08:29.161 and actually Tommy told me that's when he accepted Christ when he was in that play. 00:08:30.656 --> 00:08:32.576 But he had never been baptized. 00:08:33.506 --> 00:08:37.856 And do you know, it's another miracle, 00:08:38.609 --> 00:08:41.069 Tom, I can give you Tommy's story. 00:08:42.779 --> 00:08:52.879 He was a deep sea diver here on the, in Florida and he's, he just wasn't making 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:55.689 what needed to support his family. 00:08:56.459 --> 00:09:05.629 So he sold everything and was going to get a job up in South Carolina with BMW. 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:09.249 He'd gone through all the preliminaries of getting the job. 00:09:09.249 --> 00:09:14.919 And they said, we will, don't buy you in two weeks, but he hadn't had his physical. 00:09:15.879 --> 00:09:20.559 And they, they get, they took his, got his physical and it came 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:22.539 up that his, he was colorblind. 00:09:23.179 --> 00:09:27.239 So they notified and we said that we can't use you if you're colorblind. 00:09:28.149 --> 00:09:35.029 So he was up there in South Carolina, in a camper, waiting for this. 00:09:36.034 --> 00:09:44.704 notice to come to work, and I was up there when he got the letter, and I 00:09:44.704 --> 00:09:47.024 could tell, it was pretty devastating. 00:09:48.264 --> 00:09:54.624 but I had to come back home, and it was, Monday night, which is the night that I 00:09:54.634 --> 00:10:03.624 had Bible study at CBS, and it's a six hour drive from Woodruff to Fernandina, 00:10:06.274 --> 00:10:08.974 and I was tired. 00:10:09.594 --> 00:10:14.764 I hadn't done my Bible lesson, but Monday night was the day 00:10:14.764 --> 00:10:15.779 I was supposed to get to bed. 00:10:16.069 --> 00:10:19.409 Supposed to go to Bible study Monday night. 00:10:20.949 --> 00:10:27.749 So I, I can't, I was saying, I'm going to, I don't think I'll go tonight when 00:10:27.749 --> 00:10:34.192 I was driving down cause I was going to be late too, but I've been in, in 00:10:34.192 --> 00:10:37.309 Trent, I've been in the, leadership. 00:10:37.589 --> 00:10:42.919 I know the training you tell everybody, even if you don't have your lesson, 00:10:43.709 --> 00:10:46.939 Just come because you're going to get something out of the lesson. 00:10:47.959 --> 00:10:49.899 I drove in, I was tired. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:50.999 I was hungry. 00:10:51.609 --> 00:10:56.409 I didn't have my lesson, but I know God had put it in my mind. 00:10:56.729 --> 00:10:59.759 I came to Bible study. 00:11:00.889 --> 00:11:07.329 Well, Bible study was good, but what happened afterward was even better. 00:11:08.979 --> 00:11:10.119 guess who was in my. 00:11:11.009 --> 00:11:12.399 Bible study class. 00:11:12.579 --> 00:11:13.479 Becky Duke. 00:11:14.059 --> 00:11:14.679 Becky Duke. 00:11:16.469 --> 00:11:19.009 She walked out with me that night. 00:11:20.244 --> 00:11:29.144 And, I told her about the devastation that we just had that Tommy had 00:11:29.244 --> 00:11:31.074 was not able to get his job. 00:11:32.029 --> 00:11:37.519 And, I was telling her where I'd been and I said, you probably 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.089 don't even know that little town. 00:11:39.139 --> 00:11:43.649 it only had one stoplight when I was there. 00:11:44.599 --> 00:11:46.849 She said, Oh, I know that town well. 00:11:48.499 --> 00:11:53.559 and she wrote down this telephone number, on a piece of paper, and she gave it to 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:59.649 me, and she said, you tell Tommy to call this number first thing in the morning. 00:12:01.289 --> 00:12:02.049 And he did. 00:12:03.229 --> 00:12:04.589 And I gather she called. 00:12:05.579 --> 00:12:06.669 the person too. 00:12:07.079 --> 00:12:14.889 Anyway, Tommy got the job with your Kyle Renfro with Kyle Renfro 00:12:15.216 --> 00:12:17.786 and it's a Christian company. 00:12:18.286 --> 00:12:18.646 Yeah. 00:12:18.896 --> 00:12:21.316 And Tommy is so happy. 00:12:21.396 --> 00:12:24.016 He is, he's loved it. 00:12:24.856 --> 00:12:29.526 I don't know how many years he's been there now, but it has been wonderful. 00:12:30.351 --> 00:12:34.661 just for the listeners sake, I'll say Kyle Renfrow tells his testimony 00:12:34.661 --> 00:12:37.131 on another episode on this podcast. 00:12:37.501 --> 00:12:39.121 Oh, does he tell about Tommy? 00:12:39.221 --> 00:12:41.531 I don't, no, he doesn't mention people, but. 00:12:41.611 --> 00:12:49.031 Well, Tommy mentions him because it was really, that was only God. 00:12:50.226 --> 00:12:50.746 Yes. 00:12:51.016 --> 00:12:58.246 If I had not listened to the Lord, and it was a whisper, those whispers 00:12:58.286 --> 00:13:03.531 come through, you don't know That they're from God a lot of times, 00:13:04.311 --> 00:13:10.221 because you're so busy trying to do other things, but they just float in. 00:13:11.131 --> 00:13:19.646 And, if I hadn't come that night, What, it would have been a, yeah, it was just 00:13:19.696 --> 00:13:26.796 so close that I would have missed, my whole family would have missed it anyway. 00:13:26.846 --> 00:13:34.016 God is good and I, I do want to ask you about that because, several years ago, 00:13:34.086 --> 00:13:40.226 probably about six or seven years ago, I stumbled across John 10, 27, where 00:13:40.236 --> 00:13:43.096 Jesus says, my sheep, hear my voice. 00:13:44.001 --> 00:13:50.051 I know them and they follow me and I prayed and I said, Lord, if this is 00:13:50.051 --> 00:13:52.931 true, I really want to hear your voice. 00:13:53.421 --> 00:13:58.041 And he started working with me at that time and, it's taken a long time, but, 00:13:58.081 --> 00:14:00.751 and I have days when I'm more tuned in. 00:14:01.111 --> 00:14:01.391 Oh yeah. 00:14:01.791 --> 00:14:04.071 And days when I just totally forget. 00:14:04.151 --> 00:14:04.241 Yeah. 00:14:05.241 --> 00:14:05.911 Exactly. 00:14:05.911 --> 00:14:06.231 Totally. 00:14:06.781 --> 00:14:07.361 That is. 00:14:07.976 --> 00:14:14.689 You know, that voice, we're so busy doing what we think we should 00:14:14.699 --> 00:14:18.129 be doing or what we want to do. 00:14:18.779 --> 00:14:20.709 You know, I tried. 00:14:21.819 --> 00:14:23.169 That's my whole testament. 00:14:23.229 --> 00:14:24.319 I tried. 00:14:24.779 --> 00:14:29.719 awfully hard to do what I thought I was supposed to be doing. 00:14:29.839 --> 00:14:30.199 Right. 00:14:30.649 --> 00:14:37.116 Because when I got married and had four children, I worked hard 00:14:37.216 --> 00:14:41.976 because, you know, God says train up a child in the way you should go. 00:14:42.316 --> 00:14:43.876 When he's old, he will not. 00:14:45.351 --> 00:14:48.021 The thing is, how old? 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:56.540 I thought old would be the time that they would be going 00:14:56.540 --> 00:14:58.070 off to college on their own. 00:14:59.410 --> 00:15:05.840 Well, anyway, that is where I learned. 00:15:07.989 --> 00:15:14.254 I had been doing what I thought God wanted me to do, but I hadn't 00:15:14.274 --> 00:15:16.224 learned how to listen to the Lord. 00:15:16.936 --> 00:15:18.546 I am so thankful. 00:15:19.103 --> 00:15:25.904 when I first heard, I was nine years old, when my mom and dad would 00:15:25.904 --> 00:15:27.754 play cards every Saturday night. 00:15:28.374 --> 00:15:29.464 with this couple. 00:15:29.674 --> 00:15:34.031 And one day, they didn't play cards. 00:15:34.199 --> 00:15:41.597 And what happened was the couple found the Lord, and instead of my 00:15:41.597 --> 00:15:46.257 dad and mom playing cards, they invited us to go to church with them. 00:15:46.317 --> 00:15:50.507 I was about nine years old then, when I first started playing cards. 00:15:50.657 --> 00:15:51.717 Go into church. 00:15:52.207 --> 00:15:58.797 And it was because of this couple that my parents played cards, Pinochle with. 00:15:59.177 --> 00:16:02.547 And, so they, it was a Baptist church. 00:16:02.940 --> 00:16:06.387 And I am so very thankful for that 00:16:06.680 --> 00:16:13.017 beginning that I had in the Baptist church, because They emphasize the word 00:16:13.017 --> 00:16:18.923 of God, no matter what, not only did they emphasize it, you memorized it, 00:16:18.924 --> 00:16:24.080 you sang it, you, it was, you don't know everything about it, but you're getting 00:16:24.130 --> 00:16:27.337 that word in you, and Bible school. 00:16:27.714 --> 00:16:31.604 I remember, we had all these scriptures we had to memorize. 00:16:31.927 --> 00:16:35.424 They didn't really mean much to me then, it was just memory, but 00:16:35.424 --> 00:16:37.990 I had a mind that could memorize. 00:16:38.227 --> 00:16:40.847 I don't have that mind as well anymore. 00:16:40.907 --> 00:16:43.917 you were planting them in your heart, at least in your mind. 00:16:44.307 --> 00:16:45.127 Yes. 00:16:45.294 --> 00:16:51.920 And I accepted Christ then and, and I tried, like I said before, I didn't, 00:16:52.094 --> 00:16:55.777 I don't know if this was on there, but one of these books that I wrote. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:17:00.729 It was because they let you know that there is a real hell 00:17:00.955 --> 00:17:02.425 and that there's a real heaven. 00:17:02.635 --> 00:17:02.955 Yeah. 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:05.565 And I'm, I appreciate that. 00:17:05.822 --> 00:17:07.492 And I didn't want to go to hell. 00:17:07.822 --> 00:17:11.679 So I learned about heaven and what, how I could get there. 00:17:11.895 --> 00:17:15.165 So anyway, that's my beginning with the Lord. 00:17:15.379 --> 00:17:16.039 And 00:17:20.769 --> 00:17:23.569 I learned the, when I had my children. 00:17:24.604 --> 00:17:26.674 I was a teacher. 00:17:27.164 --> 00:17:30.284 I was a Bible teacher for five year olds. 00:17:30.284 --> 00:17:32.864 I was in the choir. 00:17:32.984 --> 00:17:36.694 I was a Girl Scout leader. 00:17:36.764 --> 00:17:42.434 I was, I would took them to lessons, swimming lessons, 00:17:42.884 --> 00:17:45.604 music lessons, all these things. 00:17:46.234 --> 00:17:50.104 And I did, you know, train up a child in the way to go. 00:17:51.454 --> 00:17:54.484 I had four babies really quick, close together. 00:17:54.994 --> 00:17:58.114 I had four teenagers at one time. 00:17:59.454 --> 00:18:06.304 And it devastated me when they started going away and doing their 00:18:06.304 --> 00:18:08.844 own thing and joining the world. 00:18:09.524 --> 00:18:15.044 And my husband said he was a Christian, but he never went to church. 00:18:15.344 --> 00:18:16.914 he provided for us. 00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:22.912 but didn't give, the Christian background and things, although he'd 00:18:22.912 --> 00:18:25.122 been baptized and all that, which. 00:18:25.622 --> 00:18:30.612 That's what I thought when I got married, he was a Christian, so when my kids 00:18:30.612 --> 00:18:36.402 started going the opposite way, he was not involved in all their activities either. 00:18:36.854 --> 00:18:37.994 he liked to hunt. 00:18:38.215 --> 00:18:41.505 But his main thing was going to work and coming home. 00:18:41.901 --> 00:18:43.261 He worked shift work too. 00:18:43.261 --> 00:18:44.061 So it wasn't. 00:18:44.183 --> 00:18:45.013 easy for him. 00:18:45.258 --> 00:18:51.257 so he hadn't put that much into the kids, but when they got older, 00:18:51.412 --> 00:18:53.262 he would give them everything they wanted. 00:18:53.392 --> 00:18:59.002 And we'd make the side decision to do something and we decide and then 00:18:59.002 --> 00:19:02.049 he'd go and change it behind my back. 00:19:02.142 --> 00:19:06.272 And It really did, cause me to get angry against him. 00:19:06.272 --> 00:19:10.712 And actually it grew into hate and I had never hated anybody 00:19:12.112 --> 00:19:15.757 and I didn't like the way I was. 00:19:16.017 --> 00:19:17.307 I knew it wasn't me. 00:19:18.017 --> 00:19:23.357 I knew, and I prayed to God a lot and I would be in his word and, 00:19:24.537 --> 00:19:32.177 I couldn't think of anything that agreed with the Lord on what to do, 00:19:32.367 --> 00:19:34.697 could I, if I would divorce him. 00:19:35.007 --> 00:19:38.827 But I realized My whole point was my family. 00:19:39.327 --> 00:19:46.187 Family was the most important thing to me, and I felt like that was 00:19:46.187 --> 00:19:50.560 the most important thing to God, but God was really trying to show 00:19:50.560 --> 00:19:53.820 me that my family was God to me. 00:19:54.310 --> 00:19:55.030 An idol. 00:19:55.670 --> 00:19:56.300 Yes. 00:19:56.300 --> 00:19:56.480 Yeah. 00:19:56.540 --> 00:19:58.980 That's what it was. 00:19:59.070 --> 00:20:02.850 And, he was gonna show me that he wasn't first. 00:20:03.870 --> 00:20:04.470 my family was. 00:20:05.115 --> 00:20:09.475 supposed to be up there somewhere, but they weren't supposed to be number one. 00:20:10.585 --> 00:20:13.005 And I had them as number one. 00:20:13.735 --> 00:20:19.755 And I could see that what was happening, it was all just for naught. 00:20:20.285 --> 00:20:23.315 18 years of my life was worthless. 00:20:23.555 --> 00:20:24.405 That's the way I felt. 00:20:24.968 --> 00:20:31.038 so I went to the word and there's a scripture in there that, you 00:20:31.038 --> 00:20:34.098 can remarry if your spouse dies. 00:20:34.878 --> 00:20:36.418 If one of you dies. 00:20:37.078 --> 00:20:40.988 and I said, I know my husband's not going to die. 00:20:42.548 --> 00:20:47.638 But, I was thinking of all the ways to get out of my problems. 00:20:48.108 --> 00:20:51.058 so I did contemplate 00:20:51.742 --> 00:21:01.871 anything, but the one thing that kept me, I held on to life by Romans 8, 28, 00:21:02.151 --> 00:21:09.541 all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called 00:21:09.591 --> 00:21:13.791 according to his purpose and Lord. 00:21:13.791 --> 00:21:14.101 And I. 00:21:14.171 --> 00:21:20.081 I've been called according to your purpose. 00:21:21.001 --> 00:21:28.121 And it was like, that was the thread that held me, that kept me alive. 00:21:28.131 --> 00:21:32.706 But yet again, that was the thread that held me. 00:21:33.451 --> 00:21:43.871 Allowed me to die to myself, I had to die to what I thought And so my prayer 00:21:43.871 --> 00:21:46.768 was, Lord, I'm going to stay here. 00:21:46.778 --> 00:21:50.324 Do what you put in my life, whatever you've called me to 00:21:50.324 --> 00:21:52.424 do, that's what I'm going to do. 00:21:52.838 --> 00:21:59.068 And, uh, so it sounds like you just got to the point where 00:21:59.068 --> 00:22:00.478 you just totally surrendered. 00:22:00.548 --> 00:22:02.052 I totally surrendered. 00:22:03.153 --> 00:22:06.093 I was not in charge of anything. 00:22:07.613 --> 00:22:11.163 I thought I had to be in charge of a lot of things. 00:22:11.193 --> 00:22:18.013 Cause, cause I, you do, you got to function or something, when they'd 00:22:18.013 --> 00:22:20.743 ask you to be a Girl Scout leader, there were a lot of people that. 00:22:21.488 --> 00:22:23.528 their parents will all worked and stuff. 00:22:23.588 --> 00:22:24.998 Their bunk mothers all worked. 00:22:24.998 --> 00:22:30.188 So these people that stayed home, God asked to be a lot of things. 00:22:30.188 --> 00:22:32.858 So you have, you're in charge. 00:22:32.858 --> 00:22:38.278 So I wasn't in charge anymore, but. 00:22:39.028 --> 00:22:44.858 God was in charge, and whatever came, I was ready to do it. 00:22:45.508 --> 00:22:47.038 we were going to have a 00:22:47.471 --> 00:22:53.588 lay renewal weekend at our church, so people were coming from all over. 00:22:54.218 --> 00:22:57.448 It wasn't going to be preaching much. 00:22:57.448 --> 00:23:01.348 What it was, all these people would give their testimonies. 00:23:02.573 --> 00:23:08.743 People from all over, just regular people, and they would all have little 00:23:08.743 --> 00:23:13.263 groups where one of the leaders was one who would give her testimony. 00:23:13.999 --> 00:23:16.029 I was assigned to this lady. 00:23:16.479 --> 00:23:17.589 I was in her group. 00:23:19.079 --> 00:23:24.649 Not only that, I offered my house to, for the group to meet. 00:23:25.794 --> 00:23:31.214 Because I was really, I was, whatever God wanted, he got. 00:23:31.824 --> 00:23:34.224 And all we did was share testimonies. 00:23:35.504 --> 00:23:42.544 my husband, was home that day that I had all the people at my house and he wasn't 00:23:42.544 --> 00:23:45.414 going to, sit in, but he did sit in. 00:23:46.114 --> 00:23:48.504 He didn't participate, but he did sit in. 00:23:49.048 --> 00:23:53.868 And, it was like the devil was working all that week. 00:23:53.888 --> 00:23:58.508 And, my daughter was at Clemson at that time. 00:23:59.188 --> 00:24:05.308 And she had a Christian friend who was. 00:24:05.888 --> 00:24:10.858 Part of the group that came down to give their testimonies because she 00:24:10.858 --> 00:24:15.008 was a teenager and she was going to be working with the young people. 00:24:15.348 --> 00:24:22.468 She was at Clemson and so they came down so I, we had them at the house. 00:24:23.098 --> 00:24:27.528 and I had one daughter that was, she was very abstinent. 00:24:28.071 --> 00:24:30.951 She wouldn't even come to the table to eat lunch. 00:24:31.184 --> 00:24:35.181 She would just sit in her room because she wasn't going to be involved in it. 00:24:35.638 --> 00:24:41.528 so anyway, we went through that whole weekend at the end of the week, end of the 00:24:42.208 --> 00:24:45.898 series, we all met on that Saturday night. 00:24:47.228 --> 00:24:53.518 And the lady, that was my leader, said, can I pray for you? 00:24:53.518 --> 00:24:54.818 And I said, oh yes. 00:24:55.488 --> 00:25:02.608 Well, she prayed for me and she didn't really know what, anything about my family 00:25:03.088 --> 00:25:05.398 and my husband had, he just sat there. 00:25:05.398 --> 00:25:09.538 He didn't say anything, but anyway, she said that that she wouldn't be 00:25:09.538 --> 00:25:12.488 able to do anything like she's doing. 00:25:12.488 --> 00:25:14.628 if she didn't have a husband that supported her. 00:25:15.803 --> 00:25:18.363 and she prayed for me and she prayed for my husband. 00:25:20.063 --> 00:25:23.713 I didn't tell her that my husband hadn't supported me spiritually, 00:25:24.036 --> 00:25:26.869 cause he did sit in the group meeting. 00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:34.133 But anyway, when she prayed for me, it was like God had poured oil 00:25:34.313 --> 00:25:37.199 on my head from a top of the head. 00:25:37.424 --> 00:25:42.158 to the tip of my toes and it was like I could see it dripping down. 00:25:42.158 --> 00:25:49.461 It was lights all dripping down and then I saw a piece of cheese and it melted 00:25:49.848 --> 00:25:55.051 and I had prayed to God you have to take this hate away that I feel for my 00:25:55.051 --> 00:25:58.996 husband because I can't live like this. 00:25:59.389 --> 00:26:04.026 And when that cheese melted, I realized that was my hate. 00:26:04.323 --> 00:26:09.353 And when I walked out of that bit that night, I knew I loved my husband and I 00:26:09.353 --> 00:26:15.576 couldn't wait to get back and tell him how much I loved him, but he was sound asleep. 00:26:16.169 --> 00:26:20.059 So anyway, the next morning now this was the week of 00:26:20.069 --> 00:26:22.299 Valentine's Day, February 14th. 00:26:23.353 --> 00:26:28.459 And he was very mad because I hadn't done the income taxes. 00:26:28.846 --> 00:26:34.376 Now, how many times do you have to have the income taxes done in February 00:26:34.516 --> 00:26:42.046 Because I was a tax preparer and also at that time, and I hadn't done them 00:26:42.046 --> 00:26:44.306 yet, but I didn't usually do them. 00:26:44.306 --> 00:26:51.926 in February, But he got so mad that his face got red and his eyes squinted. 00:26:52.951 --> 00:26:59.874 And it just shocked me because it, I felt like it was a picture of Satan, how 00:26:59.874 --> 00:27:08.994 Satan uses the people closest to you, the people that you love to get to you. 00:27:09.684 --> 00:27:12.984 They didn't know Satan was using them to get to me. 00:27:13.324 --> 00:27:15.901 But, I wasn't going to let that to get to me. 00:27:16.231 --> 00:27:17.321 I was just shocked. 00:27:18.831 --> 00:27:27.281 But I realized that Satan uses the people closest to you to get to you if he can. 00:27:29.301 --> 00:27:34.611 So, that whole week, God didn't just fill me with a love for my husband. 00:27:35.241 --> 00:27:37.501 He filled me with His love. 00:27:38.341 --> 00:27:46.106 It was So full, I couldn't stop telling what he had done for me. 00:27:46.496 --> 00:27:48.086 I just loved everybody. 00:27:48.906 --> 00:27:50.736 and I told the pastor. 00:27:51.209 --> 00:27:54.713 Now, one thing he said he said, it's going to pass. 00:27:55.503 --> 00:27:58.423 And I thought, I don't ever want this to pass. 00:27:59.583 --> 00:28:00.213 But. 00:28:00.568 --> 00:28:04.290 You know, it did, it did calm down. 00:28:05.244 --> 00:28:08.184 did you tell your husband about this experience? 00:28:09.794 --> 00:28:15.324 I tried, but he thought I was crazy or something. 00:28:15.664 --> 00:28:16.784 Yeah, a fanatic. 00:28:17.334 --> 00:28:18.274 That's what I was. 00:28:18.294 --> 00:28:19.364 I was a fanatic. 00:28:20.674 --> 00:28:26.717 But My husband had to go through some very humiliating operations and 00:28:26.717 --> 00:28:29.147 things toward the end of his life. 00:28:29.207 --> 00:28:31.940 And he was a very proud person. 00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:38.810 And, you know, when you pray for somebody, you don't know how God 00:28:38.810 --> 00:28:40.790 is going to answer those prayers. 00:28:41.750 --> 00:28:45.930 But God knew, what it would take to bring him. 00:28:47.490 --> 00:28:55.250 And he had to have, a very rare type of cancer and he had to, have surgery 00:28:55.250 --> 00:28:58.440 that was very difficult for him. 00:28:59.590 --> 00:29:01.590 And and you were the caretaker. 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:02.640 Yeah. 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:03.060 Yeah. 00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:04.285 And it. 00:29:06.575 --> 00:29:10.555 when he died, I know the Lord was there. 00:29:10.625 --> 00:29:12.135 He saw the Lord. 00:29:12.445 --> 00:29:13.775 He spoke to him. 00:29:14.399 --> 00:29:20.919 he was in his right mind, very lucid, and he was speaking to the Lord. 00:29:21.459 --> 00:29:29.079 Actually, it happened twice the night before he died, he got this death rattle 00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:41.604 and When he got that, I knew, it just, it got me, it worried, I was a nervous wreck. 00:29:42.514 --> 00:29:48.464 And the only thing I could think of was, I went and got him a, an antihistamine. 00:29:49.734 --> 00:29:54.854 Anyway, it cleared up and he slept good that night. 00:29:55.184 --> 00:29:59.454 And he told me that day, he thought that he was dying that night. 00:30:00.207 --> 00:30:02.717 And then, the next night it happened again. 00:30:03.314 --> 00:30:07.214 And, That night he did die, but I know he was ready. 00:30:07.224 --> 00:30:09.484 He had asked me to read the Bible to him. 00:30:11.534 --> 00:30:17.080 I know he was ready, God knows what it takes. 00:30:19.630 --> 00:30:22.020 You don't want people to go through those things, but 00:30:23.010 --> 00:30:26.300 sometimes it takes hardship to get. 00:30:28.340 --> 00:30:34.280 your family was so important to you and you poured yourself into raising your kids 00:30:34.280 --> 00:30:37.060 and you tried to pour the word into them. 00:30:37.060 --> 00:30:39.415 you thought you were doing the right thing. 00:30:39.415 --> 00:30:40.535 I thought, yes. 00:30:40.885 --> 00:30:42.415 And I'm, I can relate. 00:30:43.675 --> 00:30:50.415 we think we're doing God's will, but when we try to do it without Him, it doesn't 00:30:50.415 --> 00:30:53.075 quite work out the way we expected. 00:30:53.995 --> 00:30:59.205 So I can see how when your kids are teenagers and they're going the way 00:30:59.205 --> 00:31:06.805 of the world, you get scared and this fear, that's where anger comes from. 00:31:06.845 --> 00:31:08.315 Anger comes from fear. 00:31:08.375 --> 00:31:10.462 we're fearful that we're going to lose something. 00:31:10.892 --> 00:31:13.852 And God says 365 times. 00:31:14.097 --> 00:31:15.557 Do not fear. 00:31:18.367 --> 00:31:23.414 And here we are trying to work things out to keep us from fearing. 00:31:23.777 --> 00:31:24.247 Yeah. 00:31:24.694 --> 00:31:27.254 I just love the way you handled that. 00:31:27.384 --> 00:31:31.759 you just turned it all over and I had to die. 00:31:31.849 --> 00:31:32.439 Yes. 00:31:32.529 --> 00:31:38.622 like the Bible says you can't remarry Until the person dies. 00:31:38.812 --> 00:31:44.122 I was the one who had to die, but guess who I served then? 00:31:44.562 --> 00:31:46.112 My husband was the Lord. 00:31:47.862 --> 00:31:54.682 I, and when my husband was pretty demanding, he grew up in a Southern where 00:31:54.732 --> 00:31:57.112 you know, he wanted his coffee on time. 00:31:57.132 --> 00:31:59.392 He wanted his meals on time. 00:32:00.792 --> 00:32:01.292 And. 00:32:02.857 --> 00:32:07.817 I began to resent doing that when he wasn't helping me raise the kids like 00:32:08.167 --> 00:32:10.387 they should be, you know, doing his part. 00:32:11.297 --> 00:32:16.017 I felt he wasn't doing his part, but he wanted the kids to love him. 00:32:16.107 --> 00:32:19.397 You know, I realize, he would give in to them. 00:32:19.987 --> 00:32:21.267 So they would love him. 00:32:21.317 --> 00:32:23.557 And I know that and they did love him. 00:32:23.647 --> 00:32:30.147 And I didn't want them to not respect their father because. 00:32:30.757 --> 00:32:36.967 You know, we're taught to respect our parents, even though they're not perfect. 00:32:38.337 --> 00:32:40.887 so anyway, I wanted them to respect him. 00:32:42.527 --> 00:32:45.617 but, he wasn't perfect, I'm not perfect. 00:32:45.657 --> 00:32:47.057 None of us are perfect. 00:32:49.909 --> 00:32:53.359 I don't want to divert you from telling your story, but I would like 00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:58.289 to make sure we talk about, some of the ministries you've been involved in. 00:33:00.242 --> 00:33:06.252 at the beginning, I told the Lord when my husband died, what do I do now? 00:33:06.272 --> 00:33:06.862 You know? 00:33:08.014 --> 00:33:09.854 He puts things in front of you. 00:33:11.294 --> 00:33:17.934 he's always put things in front of me, when my husband died, not only did he die 00:33:18.214 --> 00:33:20.834 within a year and a half, My mother died. 00:33:21.084 --> 00:33:22.484 My father died. 00:33:22.967 --> 00:33:27.617 My youngest sister had cancer and she had cancer surgery. 00:33:28.407 --> 00:33:29.997 She was in the hospital. 00:33:30.537 --> 00:33:35.307 My other sister's husband had Lou Gehrig's disease and she 00:33:35.467 --> 00:33:38.017 was tied up with her husband. 00:33:38.527 --> 00:33:39.757 So not only did. 00:33:40.757 --> 00:33:47.187 I have all the, all these people dying, but I had all the legal 00:33:47.187 --> 00:33:51.107 stuff to handle too at one time. 00:33:52.477 --> 00:33:57.977 And my mom and dad had lived in Aiken for 50 years in the same house. 00:33:58.237 --> 00:34:04.697 And they grew up in the days of depression. 00:34:05.097 --> 00:34:06.737 They saved everything. 00:34:08.127 --> 00:34:12.217 Their house was totally stuffed with stuff. 00:34:12.677 --> 00:34:21.217 And It was run down and I had to go to Aiken and just live there until the house 00:34:21.217 --> 00:34:23.767 and all that stuff was taken care of. 00:34:24.934 --> 00:34:28.764 but not only did they die, but then. 00:34:28.904 --> 00:34:33.974 A year after that, we lost our granddaughter, Katie, 00:34:35.194 --> 00:34:38.814 and she, and she lived here. 00:34:38.854 --> 00:34:40.924 They lived, my son lives here. 00:34:41.604 --> 00:34:49.974 And I felt at that time, I was going to be living in Fernandina. 00:34:51.244 --> 00:34:52.864 And my daughter was. 00:34:55.084 --> 00:34:57.384 from when we were in South Carolina. 00:34:57.704 --> 00:35:02.614 She was transferred to Florida and we moved to Fernandina. 00:35:04.224 --> 00:35:08.774 So I thought, what am I going to be involved in here? 00:35:09.634 --> 00:35:15.624 so I, I was asked to be part of the, jail ministry. 00:35:16.614 --> 00:35:21.604 So I was part of that for a good many years until COVID came. 00:35:22.834 --> 00:35:30.714 COVID changed all that because they didn't want any COVID in the jail, of course. 00:35:31.864 --> 00:35:34.754 And they didn't want us to get COVID. 00:35:35.784 --> 00:35:37.374 So that stopped there. 00:35:37.684 --> 00:35:39.394 tell me about the jail ministry. 00:35:39.464 --> 00:35:42.254 how often did you go and What did the Lord teach you there? 00:35:43.004 --> 00:35:46.360 we went every week we would. 00:35:46.810 --> 00:35:51.640 Minister to the women there that wanted to come and we would give testimonies. 00:35:51.640 --> 00:35:52.180 We'd give. 00:35:53.905 --> 00:36:01.965 Bible studies and mainly we'd listen to their prayer requests and pray with them. 00:36:03.135 --> 00:36:06.305 And, I've seen a lot of those girls. 00:36:06.995 --> 00:36:11.525 You see them in the, when you go out to the stores and stuff, 00:36:11.525 --> 00:36:13.500 a lot of them have come out. 00:36:13.740 --> 00:36:14.760 Of, the jail. 00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:20.430 And they recognize me more than I recognize them because when I saw 00:36:20.430 --> 00:36:24.230 them, they were in their orange suits, but now when I see them, they're in 00:36:24.470 --> 00:36:29.800 regular clothes and they look a lot different, but I've had a lot of 00:36:29.810 --> 00:36:33.310 people come up to me and, recognize me. 00:36:33.730 --> 00:36:34.950 So it's really. 00:36:34.980 --> 00:36:39.300 It's been a joy to see that they're doing good. 00:36:39.700 --> 00:36:45.930 Actually, it hasn't been very long since I saw one of the girls who was 00:36:45.930 --> 00:36:52.720 working near where I go to church and we had stopped there for lunch 00:36:53.240 --> 00:36:58.535 and she showed She's working there and her daughter was there with her 00:36:58.535 --> 00:37:00.935 and it was so good to give her a hug. 00:37:02.355 --> 00:37:02.805 And, 00:37:02.855 --> 00:37:05.255 so yeah, I'm 88 now. 00:37:05.775 --> 00:37:10.235 So I don't drive at night if I can avoid it. 00:37:12.315 --> 00:37:14.835 Well, other people have stepped up and you did. 00:37:14.835 --> 00:37:15.095 Yes. 00:37:16.625 --> 00:37:21.155 So I still get requests from the girls that are continuing to 00:37:21.155 --> 00:37:28.005 go in so I was blessed to have that opportunity to do that. 00:37:29.655 --> 00:37:31.695 And right now my mainly. 00:37:32.435 --> 00:37:38.005 I am working at the food pantry two days a week, at The Journey. 00:37:38.075 --> 00:37:44.265 I can remember we'd feed 40 people maybe a day or give something out to 40 people. 00:37:44.665 --> 00:37:52.035 But now we have over a thousand a day and we only serve one day a week. 00:37:52.095 --> 00:37:52.505 Yeah. 00:37:52.745 --> 00:37:56.125 Now on Tuesday, but they're, they give out a. 00:37:57.055 --> 00:37:57.815 that many. 00:37:59.245 --> 00:38:05.705 And they have some people that will pray for them as they drive through. 00:38:06.772 --> 00:38:07.992 you're a busy woman. 00:38:08.162 --> 00:38:10.132 I, you know what? 00:38:11.032 --> 00:38:12.472 You gotta keep going. 00:38:13.592 --> 00:38:17.972 So that brings me to One more question is how do you see your future? 00:38:17.972 --> 00:38:20.422 What do you think god has for you? 00:38:21.622 --> 00:38:27.319 I believe jesus is coming very soon and You look at the signs of his 00:38:27.339 --> 00:38:35.445 return All those signs in the bible are happening and when Hamas said that 00:38:35.445 --> 00:38:43.325 the reason they attacked the Jews on that day in October was because they 00:38:43.325 --> 00:38:46.395 were going to sacrifice the red heifer. 00:38:47.245 --> 00:38:50.555 they did it to stop the sacrifice. 00:38:52.275 --> 00:38:56.325 the Bible is It's happening right before our eyes. 00:38:56.995 --> 00:38:59.365 And if we don't wake up, 00:39:01.568 --> 00:39:08.808 if my people, who are called by my name, would humble themselves, pray, seek my 00:39:08.828 --> 00:39:11.698 face, and turn from their wicked ways, 00:39:12.508 --> 00:39:16.078 I would hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. 00:39:17.212 --> 00:39:18.432 we need a healing. 00:39:19.092 --> 00:39:20.312 we need the Lord. 00:39:20.922 --> 00:39:22.182 We need to go back. 00:39:23.082 --> 00:39:24.792 We need him really badly. 00:39:25.732 --> 00:39:26.682 Absolutely. 00:39:27.462 --> 00:39:29.152 That's my heart right now. 00:39:29.252 --> 00:39:35.158 I know people that are so ignorant of how close Satan is. 00:39:35.437 --> 00:39:43.223 To robbing us and stealing the joy of the Lord, our peace, and, it's just 00:39:43.223 --> 00:39:46.000 hard to hear, to, just see it happen. 00:39:46.870 --> 00:39:51.440 Yeah, I think it was, I heard David Jeremiah, I think it was him, say 00:39:51.440 --> 00:39:56.295 that this, the key characteristic of the end times is deception. 00:39:57.715 --> 00:40:01.345 And, and there's so many people that are, deceived because 00:40:01.395 --> 00:40:02.815 we got away from the Bible. 00:40:03.605 --> 00:40:07.685 And we've gotten, we've allowed our country to make laws. 00:40:08.025 --> 00:40:09.535 against God laws. 00:40:09.545 --> 00:40:09.975 Yeah. 00:40:10.875 --> 00:40:11.405 Yes. 00:40:11.535 --> 00:40:18.485 so many laws of God are, we've gone against them. 00:40:19.055 --> 00:40:19.675 Totally. 00:40:19.715 --> 00:40:23.905 And we think we're wiser than we are. 00:40:23.935 --> 00:40:24.575 Yeah. 00:40:26.355 --> 00:40:30.305 Taking prayer out of the schools was number one. 00:40:30.655 --> 00:40:34.765 When they made that law, that was a real beginning. 00:40:37.085 --> 00:40:39.335 And it's not stopped. 00:40:40.255 --> 00:40:46.425 They're just continuing this LBGT stuff, 00:40:50.025 --> 00:40:55.365 mutilating our children, so they won't be able to have children. 00:40:55.495 --> 00:40:56.683 it's crazy. 00:40:56.683 --> 00:40:57.871 It's insane. 00:40:57.871 --> 00:40:59.565 It's satanic, I think. 00:41:00.005 --> 00:41:00.955 It's crazy. 00:41:00.965 --> 00:41:05.535 But we can see it in the first chapter of Romans, and God tells us this is the 00:41:05.535 --> 00:41:08.385 way it's going to be, in the end days. 00:41:08.435 --> 00:41:11.125 it reminds me of a proverb 00:41:11.125 --> 00:41:14.405 It says that there's a way that seems right to a man, but 00:41:14.755 --> 00:41:17.065 it's really the way to death. 00:41:17.315 --> 00:41:18.495 Exactly, yeah. 00:41:18.575 --> 00:41:21.175 we're just heading down that road. 00:41:21.578 --> 00:41:23.368 And I see Christians. 00:41:23.633 --> 00:41:24.983 Heading down that road. 00:41:26.273 --> 00:41:28.053 people who profess Christ. 00:41:28.173 --> 00:41:32.753 And that, that hurts because I know it hurts God's heart. 00:41:33.243 --> 00:41:33.573 Yeah. 00:41:34.233 --> 00:41:35.553 Because he loves us. 00:41:36.663 --> 00:41:41.893 the enemy is at work but the good news is that God's at work too, and God's at work. 00:41:42.063 --> 00:41:42.713 Amen. 00:41:42.853 --> 00:41:43.193 Yeah. 00:41:43.823 --> 00:41:49.971 Yes, and I've still got the thread that I am holding on to. 00:41:50.451 --> 00:41:56.021 God works all things out for good to those who love the Lord and to those 00:41:56.021 --> 00:41:58.031 who are called according to his purpose. 00:41:58.411 --> 00:42:01.991 His promises are true and we can count on them. 00:42:03.704 --> 00:42:06.364 Well, you may have just answered my next question. 00:42:06.364 --> 00:42:10.774 I was going to say, if there's one bit of wisdom that you could 00:42:10.774 --> 00:42:14.824 pass on to the listeners out there, somewhere in the future. 00:42:15.157 --> 00:42:17.497 What one bit of wisdom would you pass on? 00:42:18.437 --> 00:42:20.027 What bit of wisdom? 00:42:21.267 --> 00:42:24.417 For one thing, they need to ask God for it. 00:42:24.837 --> 00:42:26.497 Just like Solomon did. 00:42:27.637 --> 00:42:28.627 cause he will give. 00:42:28.627 --> 00:42:28.947 it. 00:42:29.260 --> 00:42:30.340 He's our strength. 00:42:30.380 --> 00:42:31.420 He's our peace. 00:42:31.650 --> 00:42:32.820 He's our joy. 00:42:33.600 --> 00:42:37.600 I have never had so much joy, so much. 00:42:37.765 --> 00:42:44.199 Love so much peace since God poured his love into me and I 00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:46.049 wouldn't give it up for anything. 00:42:46.289 --> 00:42:48.159 and he's got it there for everybody. 00:42:48.655 --> 00:42:54.029 Everybody, he wants all of us to know his love, the fruits of the spirit. 00:42:54.552 --> 00:42:56.652 He wants us to experience it. 00:42:56.965 --> 00:42:59.945 If we're not experiencing those fruit. 00:43:00.310 --> 00:43:03.890 we need to look more seriously toward getting them. 00:43:04.184 --> 00:43:09.287 If I'm not, and if I'm not giving out that fruit, then there's something 00:43:09.287 --> 00:43:14.364 that I need to read, I need to do within me, between me and the Lord. 00:43:15.744 --> 00:43:19.894 if I'm not experiencing love, joy, and peace. 00:43:21.029 --> 00:43:21.929 a lot of times. 00:43:21.929 --> 00:43:27.339 That's not the first thing that comes at us when something goes wrong, right? 00:43:27.419 --> 00:43:31.449 we want to blame somebody else, it's their fault. 00:43:32.489 --> 00:43:33.789 No, it's Satan's fault. 00:43:33.799 --> 00:43:40.349 He's the one that wants to rob us of all of our peace and 00:43:40.529 --> 00:43:48.462 our joy But it sounds to me like you have been able to overcome a lot of adversity 00:43:48.462 --> 00:43:54.332 just by surrendering to the Lord and not doing things your own way, but his way. 00:43:54.392 --> 00:43:56.682 That is what it is, surrender. 00:43:57.102 --> 00:44:00.962 Yeah, your life story is a good example of that. 00:44:00.962 --> 00:44:05.057 And just for the listeners information. 00:44:05.057 --> 00:44:08.957 I want to say Claudette has two books that, that are out there, and 00:44:08.957 --> 00:44:10.787 I know they're available on Amazon. 00:44:10.797 --> 00:44:15.237 One of them is Love You from Heaven to Earth and Back. 00:44:15.847 --> 00:44:19.877 And, it's, the subtitle is Who's the God of Abraham? 00:44:20.607 --> 00:44:22.917 And you can find that on Amazon. 00:44:23.534 --> 00:44:26.034 Claudette Drummond is the author. 00:44:26.044 --> 00:44:31.484 And then she has another one called From Time and Space to Eternity. 00:44:32.414 --> 00:44:34.544 And the subtitle is Heaven or Hell. 00:44:35.354 --> 00:44:40.434 You know why I've got Who is the God of Abraham? 00:44:41.074 --> 00:44:41.764 Oh, what is that? 00:44:42.794 --> 00:44:45.444 My daughter married a boy. 00:44:45.684 --> 00:44:54.211 a guy who was at one time the bodyguard of the prince of jordan he while he 00:44:54.211 --> 00:45:02.154 was a student at princeton university and we had the privilege of having 00:45:03.084 --> 00:45:07.149 during the spring break at Princeton. 00:45:07.539 --> 00:45:15.176 Prince Ghazi was our guest at our house for his spring break. 00:45:16.466 --> 00:45:22.626 And it's been such a privilege in my life that I was able to meet him. 00:45:22.636 --> 00:45:24.716 He was a precious young man. 00:45:25.376 --> 00:45:27.566 He was going to Princeton University. 00:45:27.566 --> 00:45:29.906 He's over the religious. 00:45:30.351 --> 00:45:32.877 area of Jordan right now. 00:45:33.124 --> 00:45:37.284 Actually, he's over there over the, Temple Mount. 00:45:37.594 --> 00:45:37.994 Okay. 00:45:38.034 --> 00:45:40.034 They have charge of the Temple Mount. 00:45:40.134 --> 00:45:40.594 Oh, wow. 00:45:41.224 --> 00:45:46.654 A lot of the, a lot of things that happened in the Bible happened over 00:45:46.654 --> 00:45:50.784 there, across from the Jordan River Yeah. 00:45:52.194 --> 00:45:55.824 And I had had my experience with the Lord. 00:45:55.999 --> 00:46:02.809 When he, stayed with us and we talked a lot about differences. 00:46:03.589 --> 00:46:11.449 And in our faith, he thought I believed in three gods, he thought 00:46:11.469 --> 00:46:16.829 Christians believe in three gods, father, son, and Holy spirit. 00:46:17.451 --> 00:46:21.366 And I'm saying, no, it's one it's three in one. 00:46:22.085 --> 00:46:27.926 do you know, and I, when I was first became a Christian, also, 00:46:28.861 --> 00:46:35.091 I was wondering, how can we have, what, how can God be three in one? 00:46:35.141 --> 00:46:40.031 That was, from a child, I couldn't understand the Holy Spirit and 00:46:40.031 --> 00:46:44.571 I used to pray about it, ask God about it many times, And people 00:46:44.571 --> 00:46:47.281 used to say, It's like water. 00:46:47.561 --> 00:46:52.671 It can be ice, it can be steam, and it can be liquid. 00:46:52.961 --> 00:46:54.871 It's three things in one thing. 00:46:55.561 --> 00:46:57.161 Or it can be like an egg. 00:46:57.461 --> 00:47:01.071 It has a shell, it has white, and it has a yolk. 00:47:01.901 --> 00:47:03.601 It could be as three in one. 00:47:04.031 --> 00:47:08.341 But it was hard for me to see God as an egg or water. 00:47:08.891 --> 00:47:10.751 And I used to question him on that. 00:47:12.791 --> 00:47:14.831 God has answered my question. 00:47:15.476 --> 00:47:19.106 Like I said, my brother-in-Law had Lou Gehrig's disease. 00:47:19.566 --> 00:47:21.066 He was a very brilliant. 00:47:21.334 --> 00:47:22.234 engineer 00:47:22.734 --> 00:47:28.034 and he exercised all the time. 00:47:28.034 --> 00:47:34.594 He was physically fit, but when he got Lou Gehrig's disease, he 00:47:34.931 --> 00:47:38.701 started losing all his abilities. 00:47:39.338 --> 00:47:41.328 The last thing he did 00:47:41.608 --> 00:47:47.638 before he would go, he had a rolling chair that he could go out into his. 00:47:49.738 --> 00:47:55.378 And he would get the prayer requests from, one of these ministries 00:47:56.188 --> 00:48:01.608 and he would spend his afternoons out under the trees, praying for 00:48:01.608 --> 00:48:04.648 people, praying these requests. 00:48:06.618 --> 00:48:08.188 that was the, those were the last. 00:48:09.008 --> 00:48:15.401 Moments that he could do, but I watched him, he had a brilliant mind and I 00:48:15.401 --> 00:48:23.284 watched little by little how his body lost all its power to do anything. 00:48:23.424 --> 00:48:30.181 Yeah, but it showed me what three in one was because. 00:48:30.458 --> 00:48:38.778 In the book of Genesis, God said, let us make man in our image. 00:48:39.188 --> 00:48:46.214 And when it says our image, that word is the capital L O R 00:48:46.214 --> 00:48:51.781 D in the Bible, which is plural. 00:48:52.364 --> 00:48:56.224 he is calling himself plural from the very beginning. 00:48:56.453 --> 00:48:59.979 And he's calling us plural from the very beginning. 00:49:00.299 --> 00:49:08.736 my brother in law, had a brilliant mind and that mind created things like 00:49:08.736 --> 00:49:13.855 God, he is the, God is the creator. 00:49:14.300 --> 00:49:21.590 He is the master architect of everything, but without a body, you 00:49:21.590 --> 00:49:23.170 wouldn't be able to do anything. 00:49:23.510 --> 00:49:30.196 And then if that body is Restricted, like my brother in law, that body and 00:49:30.266 --> 00:49:36.563 he had his body, but that body became so that he could not do anything with it. 00:49:36.853 --> 00:49:44.210 The power was gone and the power is the spirit that moves the body. 00:49:44.606 --> 00:49:50.400 if God didn't have the power of the spirit to move, He couldn't have cast all 00:49:50.450 --> 00:49:55.160 those planets and stars into the heavens. 00:49:55.240 --> 00:50:01.463 He couldn't have created it without the body and the spirit all together, 00:50:01.676 --> 00:50:04.286 working together with the mind. 00:50:04.550 --> 00:50:05.630 So I can see him. 00:50:05.940 --> 00:50:07.610 I can see him as one. 00:50:07.923 --> 00:50:09.183 he's everything. 00:50:09.493 --> 00:50:14.710 It just, anyway, that is the way I see the three in one. 00:50:14.910 --> 00:50:19.770 If you look at yourself, if you didn't have a body, nobody could see you. 00:50:20.110 --> 00:50:21.160 You wouldn't be here. 00:50:21.443 --> 00:50:25.343 But you do have a spirit that lives within this body. 00:50:27.523 --> 00:50:28.603 that's really great. 00:50:28.863 --> 00:50:33.210 MacBook Air Microphone: You know, over in, uh, First Thessalonians 5 23. 00:50:33.210 --> 00:50:34.480 I believe Paul says. 00:50:35.080 --> 00:50:38.800 May the very God of peace sanctify you completely. 00:50:39.700 --> 00:50:42.280 And I pray to God that your whole spirit. 00:50:42.610 --> 00:50:46.090 So M body be preserved, blameless. 00:50:46.630 --> 00:50:49.180 And to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:50:49.616 --> 00:50:52.406 So to me, that, that tells me that we are. 00:50:53.396 --> 00:50:55.586 A three-part being, we are spirit. 00:50:56.036 --> 00:50:58.826 So, and body, and I like to think of it this way. 00:50:59.756 --> 00:51:04.736 the soul is really our mind and our will and our emotions. 00:51:05.636 --> 00:51:07.706 And our personality. 00:51:08.426 --> 00:51:11.876 And that's how we interact with the world, through our soul. 00:51:12.446 --> 00:51:15.446 My mind will emotions, personality, and that's what 00:51:15.956 --> 00:51:18.836 Lives on forever when we're, when we're saved. 00:51:19.546 --> 00:51:21.246 but We are spirit. 00:51:21.996 --> 00:51:23.046 In our essence. 00:51:23.526 --> 00:51:28.356 And when we get born again, When we received the Lord. 00:51:29.796 --> 00:51:33.066 Our spirits are United with his spirit. 00:51:34.086 --> 00:51:36.416 And that's really what sets us apart. 00:51:37.166 --> 00:51:38.006 From the world. 00:51:38.696 --> 00:51:39.266 That we are. 00:51:39.416 --> 00:51:43.646 W United with the Lord, you know, Jesus said, Abide in me. 00:51:44.516 --> 00:51:45.776 And all about the news. 00:51:45.776 --> 00:51:47.816 So it's that abiding. 00:51:47.816 --> 00:51:52.226 It's that union that we have with Christ with God. 00:51:52.286 --> 00:51:53.126 Through Christ. 00:51:53.816 --> 00:51:55.556 That sets us apart from the world. 00:51:55.556 --> 00:51:57.746 And that's the difference between. 00:51:58.466 --> 00:52:02.126 It's a true Christian and, and somebody who just, 00:52:02.250 --> 00:52:04.020 MacBook Air Microphone-1: Has an intellectual. 00:52:04.250 --> 00:52:06.033 Understanding our belief. 00:52:06.370 --> 00:52:08.080 We are spirit. 00:52:08.340 --> 00:52:08.930 Yes. 00:52:09.000 --> 00:52:10.530 It's like God's a spirit, right? 00:52:10.530 --> 00:52:11.180 Yes. 00:52:11.840 --> 00:52:14.340 We live in a body and we have a soul. 00:52:15.235 --> 00:52:18.505 So the main part of us is our spirit. 00:52:18.515 --> 00:52:23.775 So when we get born again as human beings, we're all in bodies. 00:52:24.245 --> 00:52:27.575 But the difference is that when we get born again, our spirits 00:52:27.605 --> 00:52:29.685 are united with God's spirit. 00:52:30.325 --> 00:52:35.515 And the only way that you can get to that relationship is through Jesus Christ. 00:52:35.515 --> 00:52:40.881 It's not through any other means what's so important about Jesus's 00:52:41.211 --> 00:52:47.911 resurrection is that he's alive and he's the only one that can make us laugh. 00:52:48.701 --> 00:52:51.561 and so I hope I'm not getting off track here. 00:52:52.061 --> 00:52:58.451 So what you said just clarified that for me more in that, these bodies 00:52:58.451 --> 00:53:02.441 are like the least part of us and yet, these are just going to decay. 00:53:02.491 --> 00:53:08.531 this, we live in here, and we're going to get new ones, God's making new ones 00:53:08.531 --> 00:53:10.901 there for us that are going to be. 00:53:11.531 --> 00:53:15.211 eternal, but these here are just going to waste away. 00:53:15.731 --> 00:53:20.591 But, and it's not, this body isn't me, but what lives in here is me. 00:53:20.701 --> 00:53:21.741 It's my spirit. 00:53:22.081 --> 00:53:25.931 But the funny thing is this body demands so much. 00:53:26.808 --> 00:53:28.058 the flesh wants to. 00:53:28.400 --> 00:53:32.176 To overtake the spirit that lives inside me. 00:53:32.963 --> 00:53:33.383 Yeah. 00:53:33.780 --> 00:53:34.950 And it demands a lot. 00:53:34.970 --> 00:53:39.450 Like you say, we have to feed it, exercise it, take care of it. 00:53:39.450 --> 00:53:45.090 And we're supposed to take good care of it, but it, then it wants what 00:53:45.090 --> 00:53:49.950 it sees, that was one of the things that I felt like the Lord really 00:53:49.970 --> 00:53:55.900 shown me in my spirit what, who he really was, the trinity. 00:53:56.760 --> 00:53:58.570 I don't have to question it anymore. 00:54:01.113 --> 00:54:02.923 anything else you want to add? 00:54:04.580 --> 00:54:10.793 Sometimes, you know, people think that they miss their, purpose in life. 00:54:11.303 --> 00:54:15.203 like, if they married the wrong person or something like that. 00:54:15.713 --> 00:54:23.354 But There was a time I thought I might be a missionary, but you can be a missionary 00:54:23.954 --> 00:54:27.304 where God puts you in your own home. 00:54:27.364 --> 00:54:32.534 And that's where, you're supposed to be a missionary first anyway, is 00:54:32.534 --> 00:54:38.964 in your own home, in your own town, in your own neighborhood, that's 00:54:38.964 --> 00:54:41.364 the beginning and he leads you. 00:54:41.994 --> 00:54:48.664 He will lead you where, I mean, I could have been in California, but 00:54:48.664 --> 00:54:53.674 God has me here on, on the East coast rather than the West coast. 00:54:54.448 --> 00:54:54.748 MacBook Air Microphone-2: Yeah. 00:54:54.748 --> 00:54:55.078 Yeah. 00:54:55.138 --> 00:54:55.318 No. 00:54:55.318 --> 00:54:56.758 What you mean is kind of a. 00:54:57.688 --> 00:55:00.418 A mystery the way God directs our lives. 00:55:00.598 --> 00:55:02.278 You know, when we turn it over to him. 00:55:02.498 --> 00:55:05.438 something I've been thinking about a lot lately too, is that, 00:55:05.498 --> 00:55:07.778 you know, I used to want to be. 00:55:08.198 --> 00:55:09.068 Uh, missionary. 00:55:09.068 --> 00:55:10.238 I wanted to go and. 00:55:10.928 --> 00:55:15.038 Do something big and important and meaningful to God. 00:55:15.038 --> 00:55:18.548 And those are people and, you know, something dramatic that. 00:55:18.998 --> 00:55:22.718 I could look back on and say, I did this. 00:55:23.348 --> 00:55:24.908 I think there's a lot of ego on that. 00:55:25.478 --> 00:55:25.688 But. 00:55:26.348 --> 00:55:31.708 But anyway, everything here, he has a purpose and a mission for everybody. 00:55:31.708 --> 00:55:31.918 And. 00:55:32.818 --> 00:55:38.118 And somehow when we come to accept our place in life and what we have 00:55:38.118 --> 00:55:40.338 done and what we are capable of doing. 00:55:40.634 --> 00:55:44.564 when we turn our lives over to him, it just all seems to work out, you 00:55:44.564 --> 00:55:49.934 know, So, anyway, what I wanted to say is like, The thing that he's 00:55:49.934 --> 00:55:51.764 been teaching me lately is that. 00:55:52.338 --> 00:55:53.898 He is my mission. 00:55:54.258 --> 00:55:58.278 You know, when I can stay my mind on him throughout the day when I can. 00:55:59.628 --> 00:56:04.658 Filter my thoughts through his spirit, when I can just, abide in 00:56:04.658 --> 00:56:09.638 him and, and live my day in the awareness of his presence is like, 00:56:10.178 --> 00:56:12.758 That to me is, is, is prayer. 00:56:12.788 --> 00:56:15.188 It's meditation and it's it's ministry. 00:56:15.728 --> 00:56:18.458 I'm really ministering to the Lord. 00:56:19.388 --> 00:56:22.748 When I do that, I don't know if that makes any sense, but. 00:56:23.408 --> 00:56:25.688 Uh, administers to me. 00:56:26.348 --> 00:56:29.918 And since he lives in me and I live in him, then we. 00:56:30.368 --> 00:56:31.958 We're both benefiting from that. 00:56:32.738 --> 00:56:36.488 And it's something that I can feel I can see in my spirit. 00:56:37.298 --> 00:56:39.038 So anyway. 00:56:39.908 --> 00:56:40.598 That's my. 00:56:41.318 --> 00:56:43.178 Ministry my, my mission. 00:56:43.178 --> 00:56:45.128 And it turns out that he always. 00:56:45.668 --> 00:56:47.378 Puts me where he wants me to be 00:56:47.388 --> 00:56:47.898 Yes. 00:56:47.958 --> 00:56:51.458 and that relationship is the most wonderful thing. 00:56:53.208 --> 00:57:00.438 My mother in law told me that she had prayed for me, she'd been 00:57:00.438 --> 00:57:02.208 praying for me for a long time. 00:57:02.618 --> 00:57:03.608 I didn't know it was me. 00:57:03.608 --> 00:57:09.242 She didn't know it was me, for her son to have a wife like me. 00:57:10.022 --> 00:57:12.422 And you'll never know until you get to heaven. 00:57:12.432 --> 00:57:14.842 Just what you did in his life. 00:57:15.032 --> 00:57:15.502 Yeah. 00:57:15.532 --> 00:57:15.942 Yeah. 00:57:16.062 --> 00:57:16.662 Yeah. 00:57:18.292 --> 00:57:18.892 Yes. 00:57:20.786 --> 00:57:24.396 So Claudette, thank you for doing this today. 00:57:24.526 --> 00:57:27.556 I know that somebody's many, somebody's are going to be 00:57:27.556 --> 00:57:30.926 blessed by your story out there. 00:57:31.157 --> 00:57:36.057 In podcast land, and I just wonder if you'll pray for our listeners today. 00:57:36.427 --> 00:57:37.647 I'd be glad to. 00:57:38.807 --> 00:57:48.827 Heavenly Father, I just thank you that you are our Father, that you 00:57:48.827 --> 00:57:53.935 love us beyond our imagination. 00:57:54.667 --> 00:58:01.463 That you want us to be with you and father, I just thank you that you are 00:58:01.463 --> 00:58:08.293 willing to work with each of us as individuals to bring us closer to you 00:58:08.723 --> 00:58:12.336 as we desire that closeness father. 00:58:12.336 --> 00:58:14.076 We, I just pray for everyone. 00:58:14.818 --> 00:58:19.965 Hearing this testimony, I pray that it will be a blessing. 00:58:20.607 --> 00:58:27.746 I pray for each one of you out there that you will see God in every circumstance, 00:58:28.186 --> 00:58:33.921 that you'll know how much He loves you, that you will experience His 00:58:34.791 --> 00:58:41.031 agape love filling you from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. 00:58:41.951 --> 00:58:43.421 I pray father for that. 00:58:44.262 --> 00:58:48.590 I pray for your healing power to touch everyone out there. 00:58:48.600 --> 00:58:53.939 Lord God, guide them, direct them, be with their families. 00:58:53.939 --> 00:58:56.902 Lord God, be with our families. 00:58:56.902 --> 00:59:02.350 Father, help us to seek you with all our heart, with all our soul, 00:59:02.350 --> 00:59:06.045 with all our strength, with all our mind, guide us and direct us. 00:59:06.145 --> 00:59:09.235 Father, as we do that in Jesus name, I pray. 00:59:09.445 --> 00:59:10.005 Amen. 00:59:10.928 --> 00:59:11.208 Amen. 00:59:12.368 --> 00:59:12.808 Thank you. 00:59:17.308 --> 00:59:19.508 Speaker 2: We hope you've been blessed by today's story. 00:59:19.978 --> 00:59:23.698 In case you haven't noticed, there are no advertisements on this podcast, 00:59:24.058 --> 00:59:25.598 and we hope to keep it that way. 00:59:26.248 --> 00:59:30.388 So if you've heard something that you think could help someone you know, please 00:59:30.388 --> 00:59:32.528 share it using the link in the show notes. 00:59:33.358 --> 00:59:37.708 Also, if you will give Faith and Purpose a positive review on your podcast platform, 00:59:38.158 --> 00:59:39.798 you could help more people find it. 00:59:40.408 --> 00:59:44.473 You will probably never know how that small effort can make a big 00:59:44.473 --> 00:59:48.023 difference in someone's life, but our Heavenly Father knows. 00:59:48.523 --> 00:59:53.323 Speaking of sharing, if you know a Jesus follower with a story to tell, please send 00:59:53.323 --> 00:59:55.253 them a link to Faith and Purpose Podcast. 00:59:56.223 --> 00:59:58.383 It may encourage them to tell their story. 00:59:58.783 --> 01:00:00.383 That person may even be you. 01:00:00.853 --> 01:00:03.983 Our only criteria is that Jesus be glorified. 01:00:04.753 --> 01:00:08.263 Most Christians don't share their faith because they mistakenly think 01:00:08.273 --> 01:00:12.643 their story is not interesting enough, or that it's self centered to talk 01:00:12.653 --> 01:00:17.693 about themselves, or that they are not competent to explain the gospel correctly. 01:00:18.133 --> 01:00:19.393 But none of that is relevant. 01:00:19.783 --> 01:00:23.223 If Jesus has changed your life, you have a story to tell. 01:00:24.168 --> 01:00:26.578 All of our stories are completely unique. 01:00:26.878 --> 01:00:31.648 No one has a story like yours, and you may be the only one who can reach someone 01:00:31.648 --> 01:00:33.428 else through telling your experience. 01:00:33.998 --> 01:00:35.368 So don't be intimidated. 01:00:35.698 --> 01:00:41.118 A story is just that, a true account of your own experience, and no one 01:00:41.128 --> 01:00:43.068 can disagree with your experience. 01:00:44.023 --> 01:00:48.203 When we tell what Jesus has done in our lives, we are being obedient to his 01:00:48.203 --> 01:00:52.423 command to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 01:00:52.823 --> 01:00:56.673 It's not about theology, and it's not about how interesting or special you are. 01:00:57.013 --> 01:00:58.673 It's all about Jesus. 01:00:59.453 --> 01:01:04.163 So when you're ready to tell how Jesus has impacted your life, you can let Jesse 01:01:04.163 --> 01:01:07.283 know at his ministry website, jesseduke. 01:01:07.303 --> 01:01:07.563 net. 01:01:08.193 --> 01:01:11.373 There you can download guidelines that will make it easy to 01:01:11.373 --> 01:01:12.833 prepare to tell your story. 01:01:13.453 --> 01:01:15.893 Thank you for listening today and Shalom.