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Cailin: Welcome everyone to
Faith and Purpose podcast.

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Each episode of this podcast contains the
personal testimony of an ordinary person

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transformed by an extraordinary God.

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My name is Kaylin and I'm
here to introduce this podcast

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for my friend Jesse Duke.

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Jesse is a husband, father, author,
life recovery guide, lay counselor,

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and small group leader, but his
most important role is disciple.

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As a disciple of Jesus.

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Jesse created this podcast to help other
believers tell their faith stories.

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We'll be hearing the personal
testimonies of all sorts of people

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who have one thing in common,
Jesus has transformed their lives.

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Jesus used parables because he created
us to learn best through story.

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And as we listen to how God has worked
in others lives, we find encouragement

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and inspiration for our own faith walk.

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Whether you are already a believer or
just a curious seeker, we believe that

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as you listen to these stories, you will
be encouraged on your own faith journey.

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We are sure that God can speak to you
through one of these episodes and that you

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will see that our Heavenly Father truly
works all things together for our good.

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When we simply love and trust him.

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If you are currently going through a
trial, we believe that you will come

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to see that your troubles, heartbreaks,
and failures are not gravestones, but

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stepping stones into new life in Christ.

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Here's Jesse with today's guest.

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MacBook Air Microphone: Hello, and
welcome to faith and purpose podcast.

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My name is John Crow, and
this morning, I'm going to

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interview my friend, Jesse Duke.

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Hey, Jesse, how are
you doing this morning?

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I'm being followed.

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What are you being followed by Jessie?

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Goodness and mercy.

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All the days of your life.

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I've been using that.

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Lately, when people ask me how I'm doing.

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I see I'm being followed.

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And it's funny, you give some looks,
some people who know we're comes from.

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smile and say me too.

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And then other people
that don't have no clue.

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About the Bible or look
at me, what kind of funny?

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Anyway.

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All right, Jesse.

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So what is faith and purpose podcast?

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faith and purpose is just a platform
for ordinary Believers to tell the

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story about how they came to Christ and.

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And how he works in their lives.

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Basically.

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That's the simple version

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What gave you the idea for
faith and purpose podcast?

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actually, I guess about.

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30 years ago.

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I was going to church.

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And my pastor noticed just how intense.

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How focused I was on my spiritual
journey and he suggested that I go up to

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Columbia theological seminary for this.

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spiritual formation week.

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So I did, I went up there
And I was involved in just

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learning about the Bible and.

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Got an hour relates to us
and all that kind of thing.

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But at the end of that week, we
were given a homework assignment.

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They told us to come home and write
a 10 page spiritual autobiography.

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And I've never done that before.

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I wrote my autobiography
and I turned it in.

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But what happened is, during that process.

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I, I learned.

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Some things about myself and what
was true about my spiritual path.

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we got always have a lot of different.

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Ideas about what's going on and
what God is doing in our lives.

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Just thinking about it day
to day, but when you sit down

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and you actually have to.

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Write it out.

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It makes a.

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A huge difference.

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It it's speaks to you that way.

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So.

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I got the idea that, Hey, this is
a really powerful spiritual tool.

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And I think, I'm going to
go ahead and expand on this.

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So I did, I ended up writing a whole
book about my recovery and in my

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Christian experience and all that.

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And  it was really great
for my spiritual growth.

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Anyway.

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I learned a lot by that and I thought,
This would be great if I could get

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other people to write their test.

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Testimonies, and I could publish
their books or I can put a whole

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bunch of stories into one book.

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This would be wonderful.

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And I've seen books like that, there's a.

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A great book.

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cold.

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They found a secret and
it's a collection of.

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Christian.

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Leaders, missionaries pastors.

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Stuff like that.

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Who tell about their.

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adventures.

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With Jesus.

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And, it's a really powerful book.

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So that gave me the idea
that I born to do that too.

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So I started a publishing company.

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And that wasn't easy back
in the, late nineties and.

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Everything was a struggle.

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It has to learn how to make that happen.

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And I, actually did.

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But guess what?

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I could find no one who
wanted to write their story.

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I mean, I looked and looked
and tried and tried, but.

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anyway, I did get my wife, Becky too.

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She was interested in marriage story.

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So she published two books Called
celebrating marriage she's got, I forget

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how many, but maybe about 16 and 20
stories in each book that she just.

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Got people to write their
housing med and what their.

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court ship was liked and
then a little bit about their

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marriage and some marriage tips.

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So that turned out to be a good thing.

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But,

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I could not get anybody to write.

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Our story.

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So.

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Not everybody enjoys riding like I did.

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So.

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What happened is when podcasting
came along, I started listening to

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podcasts cause I really like audio.

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I've always listened
to the radio and yeah.

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Listen to Christian radio and.

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All you books and all
kinds of things like that.

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So when a park has came along,
I started listening to them.

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And then a few about three years ago.

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I was listening to a
podcast and all of a sudden.

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I thought maybe I can start a podcast.

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Oh, that's stupid.

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And then I heard a podcast
about making a podcast and.

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I thought, wow.

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So I started investigating
it and it took me.

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About that long, about three years
to get around, to, to where I could.

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Actually.

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Set aside the time and start
researching and figuring out how to.

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To make it happen.

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And, Yeah.

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I'm glad I was born when I
was so that I could be here.

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When the technology came around so that
I could learn how to do stuff like this.

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yeah.

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the internet and.

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Other people have made it possible.

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So anyway, I thank God for that.

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What a blessing to be able to use
this technology for something good.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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MacBook Air Microphone-22: And
speaking of using it for good.

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What happened and toward the end of that
three years of procrastinating, I was

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listening to a sermon by my friend, Dr.

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Lindsay Powell.

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Who is my guest on the
episode, just after this one.

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Holy spirit spoke to me during his sermon.

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Of course, I can't
remember Lindsay's words.

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Right now, but I, and I don't
want to put words in his mouth.

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But what I got out of that sermon
was a coming together of some truths.

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That I had known for years, but I
didn't really know what to do about it.

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And that is that our
country is in big trouble.

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Because we're going in the
exact opposite direction.

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That God intended for us to go.

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We've gotten so far away
from our founding principles.

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And from the God who led our founders,
that we're actually destroying ourselves.

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MacBook Air Microphone-25:
In the book of Hosea.

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God says my people are
destroyed for lack of knowledge.

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We've got thousands of so-called
professors and universities

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all over this country.

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Who.

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Call themselves educators
and professors and all that.

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And they have no clue.

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They have no knowledge of God's word.

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MacBook Air Microphone-22: Over
in Paul's letter to the Galatians.

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He says it's for freedom.

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That Christ has set us free
stand firm then, and do not let

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yourselves be burdened again by.

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A yoke of slavery.

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Now he wasn't talking to Americans about
America, but the same principle applies.

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America was founded on biblical
principles and that's where we got

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our desire for and our ability to
live up to that freedom that we're

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known for throughout the whole world.

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That's how we became a great country.

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But we've abandoned God and his
word in the name of freedom.

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And we are enslaving ourselves with
this crazy idea that we know best.

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We don't need God.

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And the name of freedom.

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We abandoned the author of freedom.

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So when we took God out of our schools,
our businesses and our government,

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there was a backroom and we turned the
government to supply all our needs.

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We'd build a monster.

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To replace God.

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And now we're, overgoverned,
over-regulated over controlled and so deep

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in debt that we'll never get out of it.

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The only way back is a
return to God and his word.

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It's for freedom that
Christ has set us free.

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He is the author of our faith and
the true founder of our country.

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This isn't political it's reality.

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It's history.

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It doesn't matter what
power party's in power.

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Jesus is the only one who
can make America great again.

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And his greatness is his goodness,
his greatness, his, his love in us.

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Over net, uh, same letter to Galatians.

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Paul said you've been
called to live in freedom.

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My brothers and sisters.

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But don't use your freedom to
satisfy your sinful nature.

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Instead, use your freedom.

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To serve one another in love.

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Back in the 1830s, French author.

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Uh, Alexis de Tocqueville
visited America and broke this.

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Not until I went into the churches
of America and heard her pulpits

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of flame with the righteousness.

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Did I understand the secret
of her genius and power?

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America is great because America is good.

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And if America ever ceases to be
good, America will cease to be great.

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And that's what's happened to us,
John, we ceased to be done because

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we ceased to rely on the source
of goodness, the source of joy.

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Hope and peace.

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The source of our freedom.

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You know, I wrote a book back in 2009,
warning of how this debt is  enslaving us.

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The national debt was a
shocking $9 trillion in 2009.

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And now.

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As of August of 2024,
it's over $35 trillion.

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We're digging our own grave as a nation
because we are depending on the wrong God.

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You know, president John Adams said
that our constitution was made only

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for a moral and religious people.

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It is wholly inadequate for
the government of any other.

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Too many of us stopped sharing our faith
and allowed the culture of the world to

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just take up the space that we abandoned.

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And Tim many churches
stop preaching truth.

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It's all about feel good is.

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It's all about.

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What.

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People want to hear.

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And that's what dark warned about.

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So anyway.

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holy spirit had been telling
me for years that I had to do.

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Um, my part to help fix this problem.

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A book, didn't do it very few
people ever even read my book

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about how we're enslaving
ourselves with this national debt.

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So that day, as I was listening to Dr.

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Powell, that was back
in, um, The summer of 20.

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23.

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As I was listening to him.

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Holy spirit told me it was time to get
off my rear end and start this podcast.

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I know it's not much in light
of the problems we're facing,

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but it's all about Jesus.

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And when Jesus says, then
anything is possible.

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You know, God's word says, do
not despise small beginnings,

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so I'm just going for it.

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and I'm expecting him.

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To send the people he wants
to share their stories.

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And also the ones that
he wants to hear them.

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So.

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Anyway, that's.

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My version of how this podcast came to be.

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MacBook Air Microphone-24:
And that's how I came up with

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the name, faith and purpose.

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My purpose is to turn more
people on to faith in Christ.

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And along with that,
I have other purposes.

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MacBook Air Microphone: I really
want people to be encouraged by

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hearing each other's stories.

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I want nonbelievers to stumble
across it and, then hear a story

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and be able to relate to it.

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And maybe find.

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Yeah, how God is working in their lives.

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Maybe how God is drawing them.

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And, stories are powerful.

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That way.

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Jesus told parables because
that's the way God created us.

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To learn through story.

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I think stories are
probably the most powerful.

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Communication that we have, I
think advertisers have started.

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Figuring that out, because when
they'd want to advertise something,

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they'll tell you a story.

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The story about how this product
came about and the story about how

00:14:02.353 --> 00:14:03.943
great it is and all this stuff.

00:14:05.023 --> 00:14:07.743
And the best sermons that
you hear, when the preacher.

00:14:08.043 --> 00:14:12.633
Tells a story and relates it to
the Bible, So I won't people.

00:14:13.293 --> 00:14:17.673
Just to be able to have fun,
listening to stories, and yet.

00:14:18.190 --> 00:14:19.900
Every Jesus' story is.

00:14:20.150 --> 00:14:22.160
the most important thing in the world.

00:14:22.190 --> 00:14:23.750
the most important story.

00:14:24.140 --> 00:14:28.160
In the universe is how Jesus
relates to us human beings.

00:14:28.210 --> 00:14:28.300
Yeah.

00:14:28.690 --> 00:14:33.130
When I'm listening to somebody's story,
I get more out of it than anybody else.

00:14:34.150 --> 00:14:37.180
And I'm lucky because I get
to hear him about five times.

00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:39.910
Because I hear the story in person.

00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:44.980
And then I go, when I go to edit, I
listened to it at least three times

00:14:45.040 --> 00:14:47.830
while I'm doing the editing process.

00:14:48.550 --> 00:14:52.620
And then, right before I publish,
I get the person who's telling

00:14:52.620 --> 00:14:54.000
the story to listen to it.

00:14:54.030 --> 00:14:54.300
And.

00:14:54.960 --> 00:15:00.080
And then I maybe do some more editing
and then I listened to it One more time

00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.150
before I publish in it, after I published.

00:15:02.150 --> 00:15:06.680
So I hear every story at least
five times and every single time I

00:15:06.680 --> 00:15:08.060
hear it, I get something out of it.

00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:11.240
See, that's the way God
works through story.

00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:11.900
Is that.

00:15:12.453 --> 00:15:14.433
Our spirits pick up.

00:15:14.963 --> 00:15:16.553
On things there.

00:15:17.037 --> 00:15:19.497
We need to hear or when
we need to hear them.

00:15:19.497 --> 00:15:21.387
So we can hear one story.

00:15:22.797 --> 00:15:28.147
One time and pick up on an idea or
something that, strikes or spirit.

00:15:28.657 --> 00:15:30.387
In a way that we need it.

00:15:30.957 --> 00:15:31.707
And then.

00:15:32.577 --> 00:15:36.417
Listen to it another time and get an whole
completely different thing out of it.

00:15:36.867 --> 00:15:38.607
And it's kinda like, you know, reading.

00:15:38.827 --> 00:15:42.217
the Bible, you can read a verse a
thousand times and get something

00:15:42.217 --> 00:15:43.597
different out of it every time

00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:48.112
So, I think it's really a holy spirit
thing because that's how he works.

00:15:48.112 --> 00:15:49.582
he works through everything, but.

00:15:50.152 --> 00:15:53.012
He worldly works powerfully through story.

00:15:53.382 --> 00:15:57.492
another thing is that it's
not just for the listeners.

00:15:58.032 --> 00:15:58.812
of course.

00:15:59.202 --> 00:16:00.132
To the listeners give.

00:16:00.455 --> 00:16:01.445
Hello, lot out of it.

00:16:01.455 --> 00:16:04.025
but the people who are
telling their stories.

00:16:04.925 --> 00:16:09.905
Everybody has told me that the preparation
process, just getting ready to tell

00:16:09.905 --> 00:16:14.135
their story just is really powerful
because you really have to focus on.

00:16:14.792 --> 00:16:15.452
What.

00:16:15.675 --> 00:16:18.825
It's really important and what
God has done in your life.

00:16:18.885 --> 00:16:19.125
And.

00:16:19.495 --> 00:16:23.905
and a lot of times people will
discover what God's done in their life.

00:16:24.685 --> 00:16:27.745
And they hadn't even known it
before, but then by thinking about

00:16:27.745 --> 00:16:29.305
their story, they realize that.

00:16:30.025 --> 00:16:31.375
The gods have been at work.

00:16:32.245 --> 00:16:33.775
and so it's good for the.

00:16:34.435 --> 00:16:39.225
The people who tell their stories and The
thing about it is that when we actually

00:16:39.255 --> 00:16:41.865
get authentic and vulnerable and we just.

00:16:42.495 --> 00:16:44.385
Tell the truth about what happened.

00:16:44.875 --> 00:16:50.065
that opens the door for God to
come in and do another work.

00:16:50.425 --> 00:16:53.275
Yeah, on a level that we
may not even be aware of.

00:16:54.205 --> 00:16:58.645
So people could tell their stories and
then maybe not even realized that God's

00:16:58.645 --> 00:17:02.505
doing something in their lives until, A
month later something happens and they

00:17:02.505 --> 00:17:04.485
realized that they had grown than this.

00:17:05.265 --> 00:17:06.405
Particular area.

00:17:06.685 --> 00:17:10.735
that's one thing that's happened, not
just with me, but with other people.

00:17:11.005 --> 00:17:13.375
God is at work and stories.

00:17:13.915 --> 00:17:18.383
And it's so obvious because
The whole Bible was stories.

00:17:18.623 --> 00:17:23.409
It's a story, but it's full of  stories
and, that's how he relates to us.

00:17:24.399 --> 00:17:26.409
So I hope I answered that question.

00:17:27.639 --> 00:17:30.639
And we have been charged
to tell our stories.

00:17:30.639 --> 00:17:31.209
Yes.

00:17:31.329 --> 00:17:31.599
Yes.

00:17:31.749 --> 00:17:34.389
Which I think is important,
and as you were talking, I

00:17:34.419 --> 00:17:36.339
thought, forget not as benefits.

00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:42.009
It's an opportunity for me to look
at my story and say, Hey, these are

00:17:42.009 --> 00:17:43.869
the ways God has worked in my life.

00:17:43.869 --> 00:17:46.119
It was really powerful for me in that way.

00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:48.008
Thank you for bringing that  up.

00:17:48.409 --> 00:17:48.799
MacBook Air Microphone-1: Because.

00:17:49.579 --> 00:17:50.089
Three.

00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:52.009
It sounds like a commandment to me.

00:17:53.179 --> 00:17:55.009
I think I got some of it memorized.

00:17:55.009 --> 00:17:58.489
Bless the Lord O my soul
and all of his within me.

00:17:58.489 --> 00:17:59.809
Bless his holy name.

00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:04.789
And bless the Lord O my soul
and forget not all his benefits.

00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:10.699
Who forgives all your iniquities, who
heals all your diseases, who redeems your

00:18:10.699 --> 00:18:15.379
life from destruction, who crowns you
with loving kindness and tender mercies.

00:18:15.979 --> 00:18:19.729
Who satisfies your mouth with
good things so that your youth

00:18:19.729 --> 00:18:21.499
is renewed, like the Eagles.

00:18:22.639 --> 00:18:26.269
Now, I don't know what that means
about your youth being renewed,

00:18:26.269 --> 00:18:27.949
like the Eagles, but I'll take it.

00:18:29.149 --> 00:18:29.959
These are all.

00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:32.359
Promises.

00:18:32.449 --> 00:18:36.379
It's not all God's promises,
but it's someone, a three is.

00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:38.599
It's telling us to.

00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:44.389
Remember, forget, not all his
benefits and I need to remember them

00:18:44.389 --> 00:18:46.549
in order to realize them in my life.

00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:47.989
You know, it's easy to forget.

00:18:48.919 --> 00:18:51.109
You know, Throughout scripture.

00:18:51.469 --> 00:18:53.539
You know, God tells his people to build.

00:18:54.109 --> 00:18:58.339
Monuments, you know, they'd power
stones on top of another one another.

00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:58.549
And.

00:18:59.959 --> 00:19:01.639
Kind of build what they
called a Nebuchadnezzar.

00:19:01.669 --> 00:19:03.589
NIESR so that they could.

00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:06.439
Remind themselves.

00:19:06.439 --> 00:19:10.249
And when their children ask what's this
monument for, they can tell them the

00:19:10.249 --> 00:19:13.009
story about what God had done for him.

00:19:13.009 --> 00:19:14.629
They're like, Partying there.

00:19:14.869 --> 00:19:16.429
The water so he could.

00:19:16.939 --> 00:19:20.179
They could walk through and defeating
their enemies and all kinds of.

00:19:20.869 --> 00:19:21.229
Things.

00:19:21.229 --> 00:19:23.329
So it, they needed reminders.

00:19:23.329 --> 00:19:26.719
They needed physical reminders and, um,

00:19:28.459 --> 00:19:33.379
So he knows how it, you know, God
knows how easy it is for us to forget

00:19:33.409 --> 00:19:35.299
even the most miraculous things.

00:19:35.299 --> 00:19:40.009
And, you know, we just get into, we
get busy and we just get ungrateful

00:19:40.009 --> 00:19:41.809
and self centered again, again.

00:19:41.869 --> 00:19:43.639
And it happens throughout scripture.

00:19:44.179 --> 00:19:45.319
You know, his people.

00:19:46.129 --> 00:19:47.239
This kept from getting.

00:19:47.869 --> 00:19:48.739
Kept forgetting.

00:19:48.739 --> 00:19:51.409
And then they came back and
they kept forgetting, and it's

00:19:51.409 --> 00:19:54.409
just amazing how us humans.

00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:55.759
So.

00:19:56.629 --> 00:19:59.689
Anyway, that's what makes it
telling our story so important

00:19:59.689 --> 00:20:01.939
because we need to remind ourselves.

00:20:02.899 --> 00:20:06.919
By telling others and telling
ourselves about the goodness of God.

00:20:07.699 --> 00:20:09.739
You know, Romans.

00:20:10.159 --> 00:20:10.879
Chapter two.

00:20:10.879 --> 00:20:14.719
Paul says, it's the goodness of
God that leads to repentance.

00:20:15.589 --> 00:20:18.949
So, you know, people aren't
drawn to a punishing God they're

00:20:18.949 --> 00:20:20.449
don't to the goodness of God.

00:20:20.449 --> 00:20:22.519
And then if they don't
hear about as goodness.

00:20:22.909 --> 00:20:23.689
Through the Bible.

00:20:23.689 --> 00:20:24.919
They need to hear it through.

00:20:25.699 --> 00:20:27.679
You know, Uh, the real life.

00:20:28.189 --> 00:20:30.289
Stories of the people that.

00:20:31.189 --> 00:20:34.309
They already know are
listening to this podcast.

00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:39.229
So anyway, when Jesus gave the
great commission to go into all

00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:40.849
the world and preach the gospel.

00:20:41.749 --> 00:20:44.239
You know, the gospel is good news.

00:20:44.479 --> 00:20:48.229
The good news is that God has
for you not out to get you.

00:20:48.709 --> 00:20:52.009
God has all these benefits, you
know, he forgives, he heals,

00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:53.659
he redeemed from destruction.

00:20:54.649 --> 00:20:55.789
You know, he did.

00:20:55.999 --> 00:20:56.569
Thank God.

00:20:56.569 --> 00:20:56.839
He res.

00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:59.509
Redeemed me from self-destruction.

00:21:00.190 --> 00:21:00.610
So.

00:21:00.693 --> 00:21:03.483
Anyway, that's that's part of the gospel.

00:21:04.443 --> 00:21:08.913
The good news that he, he just
loads us with benefits and we're, we

00:21:08.913 --> 00:21:10.593
need to remind ourselves about him.

00:21:11.943 --> 00:21:14.193
So, anyway, thank you for bringing.

00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:15.030
That, uh, John.

00:21:15.584 --> 00:21:19.604
Jesse: The most powerful way to
tell about him is to just use

00:21:19.604 --> 00:21:21.374
our own personal experience.

00:21:21.764 --> 00:21:24.884
What he's done in our lives,
because nobody can argue with that.

00:21:25.144 --> 00:21:26.104
that's the truth.

00:21:26.134 --> 00:21:27.274
That's what happened to me.

00:21:27.274 --> 00:21:27.784
And that's.

00:21:28.474 --> 00:21:29.854
Then I'll take it or leave it.

00:21:29.974 --> 00:21:31.444
MacBook Air Microphone: I
actually was going to say that.

00:21:31.954 --> 00:21:37.114
That's one of the most powerful things
about it is we can sit down and debate

00:21:37.144 --> 00:21:39.724
theology and doctrine and all that stuff.

00:21:39.994 --> 00:21:43.064
Nobody can debate your
story, And that's powerful.

00:21:43.694 --> 00:21:51.254
It's an opportunity to not to listen
without that mental back and forth.

00:21:51.674 --> 00:21:53.144
Just to get an opportunity to listen.

00:21:53.174 --> 00:21:54.314
So that's really cool.

00:21:54.820 --> 00:21:59.880
And of course I've known about Jesus's
command to go into all the world.

00:21:59.997 --> 00:22:00.657
for years.

00:22:00.657 --> 00:22:00.687
And.

00:22:00.767 --> 00:22:04.457
I always felt guilty because I
didn't know how I couldn't fit.

00:22:04.487 --> 00:22:05.777
it was not good.

00:22:05.857 --> 00:22:07.147
I'm not a good talker.

00:22:07.147 --> 00:22:07.357
And.

00:22:07.967 --> 00:22:12.429
I know what I believe, but to
translate it from my head to my.

00:22:12.642 --> 00:22:13.122
Hard.

00:22:13.122 --> 00:22:16.542
And then out into a world
is extremely difficult.

00:22:16.542 --> 00:22:20.624
When you're just coming from a
doctrinal perspective,  we've all heard.

00:22:20.711 --> 00:22:21.191
people.

00:22:21.324 --> 00:22:21.834
Trying to.

00:22:22.178 --> 00:22:23.468
Share their faith in a way.

00:22:23.468 --> 00:22:24.908
That's just so off-putting.

00:22:24.958 --> 00:22:25.198
but.

00:22:25.308 --> 00:22:26.088
Stories.

00:22:26.448 --> 00:22:30.978
Everybody can relate to a story, even
if they don't like the Jesus behind it.

00:22:31.731 --> 00:22:32.421
Relate to.

00:22:33.021 --> 00:22:34.521
A story and they'll remember it.

00:22:34.851 --> 00:22:37.101
Yeah, but another thing about obedience.

00:22:37.101 --> 00:22:43.011
when we are obedient to share our
faith, that really opens a door

00:22:43.221 --> 00:22:49.581
and to the spiritual realm that we
can't get any other way, obedience

00:22:49.761 --> 00:22:52.191
doing what God wants us to do.

00:22:52.437 --> 00:22:55.187
From our heart and from their sincere.

00:22:55.187 --> 00:22:56.446
Desire to please him.

00:22:56.773 --> 00:22:59.553
Just opens the door to, so much.

00:22:59.583 --> 00:23:00.243
piece.

00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:03.431
And, a revelation of his presence.

00:23:03.521 --> 00:23:04.611
And his life Yeah.

00:23:04.671 --> 00:23:05.901
So yes.

00:23:08.130 --> 00:23:10.230
do you help people prepare their stories?

00:23:10.537 --> 00:23:13.357
MacBook Air Microphone-2: I do
have some written guidelines

00:23:13.357 --> 00:23:16.417
on my website, Jesse duke.net.

00:23:16.717 --> 00:23:18.717
That, discover structure.

00:23:19.467 --> 00:23:21.417
For preparing to tell your story.

00:23:21.613 --> 00:23:24.913
they're just suggestions to help
you think about it and organize it.

00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:26.960
In a way that you want to tell it.

00:23:27.170 --> 00:23:28.310
It's not a formula.

00:23:28.340 --> 00:23:29.780
It's just a kind of a guide.

00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:31.500
Based on my experience.

00:23:31.693 --> 00:23:35.827
And it makes it really simple, but
basically I just want people to focus on.

00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:40.200
Glorifying Jesus by tilling what their
lives were like before coming to him.

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:40.500
What.

00:23:40.653 --> 00:23:41.313
Happened.

00:23:41.410 --> 00:23:44.870
Bring them to Jesus and what
he's doing in their lives now.

00:23:44.973 --> 00:23:45.423
Kind of.

00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:46.860
Three-part process.

00:23:47.310 --> 00:23:49.740
What it was like, what happened
and what it's like now.

00:23:50.021 --> 00:23:52.001
And you don't even have
to use my guidelines.

00:23:52.001 --> 00:23:52.631
It's a real.

00:23:52.714 --> 00:23:55.267
Good idea to look at them and.

00:23:55.351 --> 00:23:57.961
Get some direction, but
you can just listen to.

00:23:57.987 --> 00:24:01.557
Some of the other episodes on
the podcast and get inspired and.

00:24:01.777 --> 00:24:03.427
Get a sense of how other people.

00:24:03.511 --> 00:24:04.441
Tell their story.

00:24:04.504 --> 00:24:04.804
But.

00:24:05.854 --> 00:24:08.134
Uh, you know, as well as I do, John did.

00:24:08.704 --> 00:24:10.174
No matter how much we plan.

00:24:10.174 --> 00:24:13.054
It never works out the way
we think it will because.

00:24:13.954 --> 00:24:17.074
Holy spirit takes over and he
does what he wants because he

00:24:17.074 --> 00:24:18.754
knows the future and he know.

00:24:19.054 --> 00:24:22.204
It would need to hear whatever
you're saying and whatever

00:24:22.234 --> 00:24:23.344
he's saying through you.

00:24:24.004 --> 00:24:25.204
When you tell your story.

00:24:26.404 --> 00:24:28.024
So, yeah, we just make a plan.

00:24:28.723 --> 00:24:30.013
Get an outline and.

00:24:30.553 --> 00:24:32.323
And then pray and let him take over.

00:24:33.013 --> 00:24:35.293
We just had an example of
that a few minutes ago.

00:24:35.293 --> 00:24:38.323
Didn't really, I had a whole
outline and a lot of notes.

00:24:38.713 --> 00:24:41.293
Because I wanted to get
a lot of information.

00:24:42.043 --> 00:24:45.013
Onto this first episode in a kind of a.

00:24:45.703 --> 00:24:46.603
Concise way.

00:24:46.653 --> 00:24:48.093
So people could understand.

00:24:48.363 --> 00:24:49.413
What it was all about.

00:24:49.413 --> 00:24:51.933
And I had it all in my head
and I had it all planned out,

00:24:51.933 --> 00:24:53.313
but I couldn't make it happen.

00:24:53.343 --> 00:24:54.843
It would just would not come out.

00:24:54.873 --> 00:24:55.233
Right.

00:24:55.953 --> 00:24:58.533
And thank you for saying we need to pray.

00:24:58.953 --> 00:25:04.833
And you, you prayed for us and, uh, holy
spirit came and we're just doing it right.

00:25:05.253 --> 00:25:09.513
So I'm just trusting that all
the information that we need

00:25:09.513 --> 00:25:13.871
to pass along about Faith and
purpose podcast will come out and.

00:25:14.044 --> 00:25:16.254
And if we miss something,
It'll all work out.

00:25:16.381 --> 00:25:19.971
So anyway, the main thing is when you're
preparing to tell your story, Just

00:25:19.971 --> 00:25:22.401
pray and ask holy spirit to take over.

00:25:22.611 --> 00:25:24.411
You know, make some notes because that's.

00:25:24.561 --> 00:25:25.791
Good stewardship.

00:25:25.921 --> 00:25:28.931
And when we get ready to record, will.

00:25:29.861 --> 00:25:30.731
Pray together.

00:25:30.761 --> 00:25:32.111
And we're both.

00:25:32.831 --> 00:25:33.461
For his help.

00:25:34.571 --> 00:25:35.711
And see what he does.

00:25:36.341 --> 00:25:40.211
As the way it's been worked in, I
can't explain it, I guess, do it.

00:25:40.451 --> 00:25:44.501
there's a proper that says a
man's heart plans his way, but

00:25:44.501 --> 00:25:46.061
the Lord directs his steps.

00:25:46.081 --> 00:25:49.981
I think that's Proverbs 16,
nine, or somewhere around there.

00:25:50.358 --> 00:25:51.048
So.

00:25:51.158 --> 00:25:55.268
Uh, all I'm saying is that there's a
difference between just winging it.

00:25:55.718 --> 00:25:59.098
And, Letting the holy spirit
take over when we're winging it

00:25:59.188 --> 00:26:01.078
and just talking from our head.

00:26:01.738 --> 00:26:05.608
It's all about us, you know, trying
to impress ourselves or somebody else.

00:26:05.668 --> 00:26:08.818
But when he takes over
it's about glorifying God.

00:26:09.958 --> 00:26:13.438
And that's true, not just telling
our story better than everyday life.

00:26:13.948 --> 00:26:16.438
You know, when I try to
do things in my own power.

00:26:17.098 --> 00:26:22.518
I usually have a self-centered motive, to
somehow glorify myself rather than him.

00:26:22.791 --> 00:26:26.178
MacBook Air Microphone: I may ask some
questions during the interview to just

00:26:26.208 --> 00:26:29.165
get you to expand on something or clarify.

00:26:29.465 --> 00:26:33.171
Something, or I may make a
comment to just keep it on track.

00:26:33.521 --> 00:26:37.932
and then, towards the end of your telling
your story I'll ask you, if you have

00:26:38.162 --> 00:26:42.092
Maybe one bit of advice that you could
pass along to the listeners out there.

00:26:42.142 --> 00:26:43.222
then I'll ask the.

00:26:44.002 --> 00:26:47.182
Person who's telling their story
to just pray for the listeners.

00:26:47.182 --> 00:26:49.042
And then we wrap it up like that.

00:26:49.432 --> 00:26:49.882
So.

00:26:51.255 --> 00:26:56.235
one thing I've learned in doing
these 23 episodes is that I used to

00:26:56.235 --> 00:27:00.975
want to introduce people and tell
who they were and what they've done

00:27:00.975 --> 00:27:02.355
in their lives and all this stuff.

00:27:02.955 --> 00:27:03.795
But I found this.

00:27:03.845 --> 00:27:05.695
really Diminishes.

00:27:06.365 --> 00:27:11.055
the story, because it's already
setting a picture in the listener's

00:27:11.055 --> 00:27:14.745
mind of what this person is and what
he's gonna say, or she's gonna say.

00:27:15.765 --> 00:27:19.889
And now I just give the person's name
and welcome them and let them start

00:27:19.919 --> 00:27:23.429
just telling their story because who
they are comes out and the story.

00:27:23.639 --> 00:27:23.879
Yeah.

00:27:24.549 --> 00:27:26.919
so that's I've found is just.

00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:29.499
It's just a better way to do it.

00:27:29.829 --> 00:27:30.849
And I don't.

00:27:31.479 --> 00:27:36.319
Even putting a show notes on to describe
the person or what the podcast is about.

00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:37.729
I like it to be a surprise.

00:27:37.755 --> 00:27:38.054
Yeah.

00:27:38.984 --> 00:27:39.374
Okay.

00:27:39.434 --> 00:27:39.734
Yeah.

00:27:40.364 --> 00:27:44.614
one thing I've noticed is, in
listening to a lot of the stories

00:27:45.124 --> 00:27:47.374
is you've got new believers.

00:27:47.374 --> 00:27:49.504
You've got people that have
believed all their life.

00:27:49.504 --> 00:27:52.444
You've got people that believed
and turned away and came back.

00:27:52.444 --> 00:27:52.954
It's just.

00:27:53.364 --> 00:27:55.254
everybody has a story.

00:27:55.764 --> 00:27:58.524
And no story is better than another.

00:27:58.554 --> 00:28:00.974
And, I think that's really important.

00:28:01.944 --> 00:28:06.104
for me, I was like, oh man,
I'm a fairly new believer and

00:28:06.104 --> 00:28:07.874
like, why do I have the towel?

00:28:08.474 --> 00:28:10.784
And then we sat down and it was amazing.

00:28:12.414 --> 00:28:14.724
I just thought that was
important to mention.

00:28:15.434 --> 00:28:15.884
yeah.

00:28:16.064 --> 00:28:20.034
I'm glad you said that because a
lot of people have never had the

00:28:20.034 --> 00:28:22.464
experience of telling their life story.

00:28:22.644 --> 00:28:26.094
And it's so important, I think
it was Socrates or Plato.

00:28:26.124 --> 00:28:30.114
One of them said that the
unexamined life is not worth living.

00:28:30.900 --> 00:28:31.600
And, it's not.

00:28:31.714 --> 00:28:32.734
A biblical quote.

00:28:33.124 --> 00:28:34.144
Thing, but it's true.

00:28:34.224 --> 00:28:34.554
Yeah.

00:28:34.974 --> 00:28:39.114
When we take the time to sit down
and look at our lives and we'll

00:28:39.114 --> 00:28:44.294
look at what's God's done in our
lives and Get our mistakes and sins

00:28:44.294 --> 00:28:49.334
and failures and successes all into
perspective into God's perspective.

00:28:50.114 --> 00:28:51.464
It really makes a.

00:28:51.504 --> 00:28:52.878
huge impact.

00:28:53.064 --> 00:28:58.554
So yes, there's a lot of people that
have maybe been Christians for 50 years.

00:28:58.944 --> 00:29:02.714
And they'll want to tell you what
they know, and I don't really want

00:29:02.894 --> 00:29:07.534
people to just come and give sermons
or teachings or lectures or whatever.

00:29:07.534 --> 00:29:08.284
I don't really want.

00:29:08.854 --> 00:29:09.604
authentic.

00:29:09.731 --> 00:29:13.621
personal stories of how God
is working in their lives.

00:29:14.911 --> 00:29:19.501
The theology will come into it naturally,
but we don't want to call it data.

00:29:20.131 --> 00:29:22.831
We just want to be, let it be real life.

00:29:23.191 --> 00:29:24.841
So then the other people who have.

00:29:25.441 --> 00:29:26.881
Like you say, I have not been.

00:29:27.441 --> 00:29:29.271
Born again for a long time.

00:29:29.311 --> 00:29:30.541
they're new at it.

00:29:30.541 --> 00:29:31.171
And yet.

00:29:31.651 --> 00:29:35.071
Holy spirit works through a new
believer, just as much as he works

00:29:35.071 --> 00:29:36.961
through to the old timer, so to speak.

00:29:37.021 --> 00:29:37.621
Amen.

00:29:37.691 --> 00:29:39.221
and I've found that to be true.

00:29:39.221 --> 00:29:40.481
And as a matter of fact, the.

00:29:40.981 --> 00:29:48.544
people that are newly born again or Really
more open to being led by the steroid and

00:29:48.574 --> 00:29:52.534
telling their stories and the holy spirit,
I think has a whole lot of fun with that.

00:29:52.714 --> 00:29:53.074
Yeah.

00:29:53.854 --> 00:29:54.154
Yeah.

00:29:55.774 --> 00:29:58.054
So, when are you going to tell your story?

00:29:59.884 --> 00:30:00.634
At some point.

00:30:00.724 --> 00:30:03.034
I am going to get somebody
to interview him in out.

00:30:03.724 --> 00:30:05.254
And I'll tell my story.

00:30:05.894 --> 00:30:08.264
I can't ask other people
to do what I haven't done.

00:30:08.924 --> 00:30:14.204
However, there is one caveat that
I tell people in the instructions

00:30:14.234 --> 00:30:18.734
that I give is that if you're going
through a trial, At this time.

00:30:18.844 --> 00:30:23.224
you may want to think about
waiting till you get the victory

00:30:23.344 --> 00:30:25.264
before you tell your story.

00:30:25.924 --> 00:30:27.834
And, so I'm going through a trial.

00:30:27.834 --> 00:30:31.524
I'm going through a long
dark valley right now.

00:30:31.644 --> 00:30:35.734
And, I've just waiting to
come out of the valley.

00:30:36.175 --> 00:30:39.265
before I tell my story,
because when you're in Devalle.

00:30:39.385 --> 00:30:40.585
It can distort.

00:30:41.064 --> 00:30:44.094
Your story in a way that it comes out

00:30:44.334 --> 00:30:45.564
Jesse: maybe sounding kind of.

00:30:46.194 --> 00:30:46.914
Whiny.

00:30:47.184 --> 00:30:48.924
You know, just not, I don't know.

00:30:49.434 --> 00:30:51.384
The ballet just kind of distorts.

00:30:51.384 --> 00:30:52.224
What's real.

00:30:52.754 --> 00:30:55.244
when you're going through
tough stuff, God has.

00:30:55.554 --> 00:30:56.604
Teaching you something.

00:30:56.634 --> 00:30:58.524
that you can't learn in any other way.

00:30:58.524 --> 00:31:01.794
So I wanted to just be able to grab that.

00:31:02.484 --> 00:31:05.934
Growth and learn whatever he's
teaching me and the trial.

00:31:06.814 --> 00:31:09.394
before I tell my story
so I can pass along.

00:31:09.784 --> 00:31:11.104
Whatever I've learned.

00:31:11.674 --> 00:31:14.284
To other people when,
uh, when I tell my story,

00:31:14.654 --> 00:31:16.214
So I'm waiting for that.

00:31:16.214 --> 00:31:18.104
And yet also there's this.

00:31:18.154 --> 00:31:23.494
I am aware that when you're going
through a trial, And you're in pain.

00:31:24.124 --> 00:31:30.454
It can be very, healing to tell how God is
faithful and he's getting you through it.

00:31:30.504 --> 00:31:33.834
Like Paul Stone in the flesh,
his grace is sufficient.

00:31:33.934 --> 00:31:35.164
that's a powerful thing too.

00:31:35.164 --> 00:31:37.164
So I've been going back
and forth with that.

00:31:37.164 --> 00:31:38.964
Should I talk about a story?

00:31:39.744 --> 00:31:43.284
after I get my victory or I shouldn't
talk about it during the valley.

00:31:43.384 --> 00:31:46.534
so God's working with me on that, but.

00:31:46.614 --> 00:31:49.554
yeah, so anyway, at some
point I will, tell my story.

00:31:49.973 --> 00:31:50.603
win.

00:31:51.173 --> 00:31:52.433
He tells me it's time.

00:31:53.033 --> 00:31:54.983
And whether I'm in the deep dark valley.

00:31:55.084 --> 00:31:56.164
Or on the mountain top.

00:31:56.704 --> 00:31:58.564
And I'm just going to trust him.

00:31:58.984 --> 00:32:01.294
So thank you for asking.

00:32:01.864 --> 00:32:03.184
MacBook Air Microphone: Yea
though, I walked through the

00:32:03.184 --> 00:32:04.594
valley of the shadow of death.

00:32:04.804 --> 00:32:05.614
He is with me.

00:32:06.154 --> 00:32:06.304
Yeah.

00:32:07.044 --> 00:32:09.834
MacBook Air Microphone-4: Um, but
you know, I don't want to discourage

00:32:10.104 --> 00:32:13.584
anybody from sharing in the midst
of the trial because you know,

00:32:13.584 --> 00:32:15.474
it can be very encouraging to.

00:32:16.344 --> 00:32:20.814
Yourself and as well as the
people who hear it, To see how

00:32:20.844 --> 00:32:22.584
God is faithful and president.

00:32:22.974 --> 00:32:25.014
You know, he's with you in the trial.

00:32:25.014 --> 00:32:26.394
So anyway,

00:32:26.944 --> 00:32:29.284
That's the real personal decision.

00:32:29.284 --> 00:32:29.704
So.

00:32:30.544 --> 00:32:31.354
Everybody's got it.

00:32:31.654 --> 00:32:33.184
Decide that for themselves.

00:32:33.677 --> 00:32:38.627
Jesse: But for right now, I can say
that, um, As far as my story goes,

00:32:38.627 --> 00:32:40.487
the most important thing in my life.

00:32:41.207 --> 00:32:43.397
Decides Jesus is my family.

00:32:44.087 --> 00:32:49.057
And I just wanted to say that The Lord
really blessed me with my beautiful wife.

00:32:49.477 --> 00:32:49.987
Becky.

00:32:50.343 --> 00:32:52.083
We've been married 40 years now.

00:32:52.113 --> 00:32:54.573
It's hard to believe, but she's been.

00:32:55.143 --> 00:32:56.133
Really a big.

00:32:57.303 --> 00:33:01.793
Influence on my life because she's
such a Deeply spiritual person

00:33:01.833 --> 00:33:06.023
who, God is really worked there
with her, not in, just in my life.

00:33:06.563 --> 00:33:07.583
People's lives too.

00:33:08.273 --> 00:33:08.693
I agree.

00:33:08.753 --> 00:33:11.273
Just seem to come so natural for her,

00:33:11.353 --> 00:33:15.013
I know that's not true because
she got struggles too, but that,

00:33:15.063 --> 00:33:16.383
She was just such a blessing.

00:33:16.413 --> 00:33:17.673
She's absolutely.

00:33:18.243 --> 00:33:19.083
Gorgeous.

00:33:19.203 --> 00:33:20.543
And, I'm just.

00:33:21.170 --> 00:33:24.270
I'm just all Ben that God would put her.

00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:30.340
In my life and to stick with me
for so long, because I certainly

00:33:30.490 --> 00:33:32.470
in my flesh do not deserve.

00:33:33.340 --> 00:33:35.230
That's just, there's
an example right there.

00:33:35.260 --> 00:33:36.610
About the goodness of God.

00:33:37.190 --> 00:33:38.330
MacBook Air Microphone: She is awesome.

00:33:38.486 --> 00:33:39.619
she makes it look easy.

00:33:40.245 --> 00:33:44.685
MacBook Air Microphone-6: And another
benefit that I got my Barry and Becky was.

00:33:45.465 --> 00:33:48.405
I got a huge extended family.

00:33:48.585 --> 00:33:50.805
And here did a whole
bunch of relatives and.

00:33:51.018 --> 00:33:53.298
Of course her parents who were awesome.

00:33:53.298 --> 00:33:56.688
And then brothers and sisters, aunts,
uncles, cousins, and all their.

00:33:56.855 --> 00:33:57.425
Children.

00:33:57.695 --> 00:33:59.195
It's such a, it's a really.

00:33:59.295 --> 00:34:00.435
Wonderful family.

00:34:00.705 --> 00:34:02.415
Most of them in South Carolina.

00:34:02.635 --> 00:34:06.238
And I just  love being with all of them.

00:34:06.328 --> 00:34:07.708
They're just wonderful people.

00:34:08.278 --> 00:34:10.288
When it's a great blessing to me.

00:34:11.188 --> 00:34:14.248
And I still have a brother and sister on.

00:34:14.248 --> 00:34:19.498
Um, my son and family still alive and
their spouses, and I've got nieces and

00:34:19.498 --> 00:34:22.408
nephews and great nieces and nephews.

00:34:22.408 --> 00:34:25.318
And I'm just blessed in that way.

00:34:25.798 --> 00:34:26.938
I have a church family.

00:34:27.448 --> 00:34:28.888
And an AA family and.

00:34:29.818 --> 00:34:31.588
Friends all over the country.

00:34:31.588 --> 00:34:33.798
So I'm just a blessed person.

00:34:34.362 --> 00:34:36.672
MacBook Air Microphone-14: But
my most wonderful blessing.

00:34:37.422 --> 00:34:38.502
Has been my daughter.

00:34:38.788 --> 00:34:40.228
I won't mention her name, but.

00:34:40.891 --> 00:34:43.081
she's a young adult she's out on her own.

00:34:43.411 --> 00:34:44.491
Very independent.

00:34:45.511 --> 00:34:46.591
Very intelligent.

00:34:46.621 --> 00:34:48.091
Very beautiful.

00:34:48.331 --> 00:34:50.011
Everybody just loves her.

00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:51.940
MacBook Air Microphone: God
sent her into our lives.

00:34:51.970 --> 00:34:52.990
We adopted her.

00:34:53.140 --> 00:34:54.940
in 1995.

00:34:55.570 --> 00:34:57.280
She was six and a half months old.

00:34:57.310 --> 00:34:57.520
And.

00:34:57.803 --> 00:35:03.153
when we started praying
for a baby, we ask God for.

00:35:03.243 --> 00:35:09.033
the perfect child for us, We completely
turned it over to him, say, or we don't

00:35:09.033 --> 00:35:11.343
know, we don't know how to do this.

00:35:11.343 --> 00:35:16.263
You bring us the child that you want us
to have, where we can be a blessing to.

00:35:16.743 --> 00:35:17.973
Her or him and.

00:35:18.173 --> 00:35:18.983
and you can work.

00:35:19.553 --> 00:35:22.623
Through us to raise them So we're
just turning it all over to you.

00:35:23.223 --> 00:35:25.203
So we, anyway, we ended up going to China.

00:35:26.193 --> 00:35:27.383
And getting our daughter.

00:35:27.413 --> 00:35:29.063
Oh, I wouldn't go back and say that.

00:35:29.633 --> 00:35:30.173
We.

00:35:31.133 --> 00:35:32.303
I have to tell this story.

00:35:32.543 --> 00:35:32.813
Okay.

00:35:33.383 --> 00:35:34.313
We had.

00:35:34.513 --> 00:35:35.353
Been praying.

00:35:35.566 --> 00:35:36.046
Four.

00:35:36.253 --> 00:35:36.943
a child.

00:35:36.943 --> 00:35:40.713
And we started praying for that
child before it was even born.

00:35:40.743 --> 00:35:43.083
We didn't know where it
was even in the world.

00:35:43.423 --> 00:35:45.763
We didn't know if it would be born yet.

00:35:46.153 --> 00:35:48.613
I say it because we didn't
know if there's a hero.

00:35:48.643 --> 00:35:49.483
She, at the time.

00:35:50.283 --> 00:35:53.253
When we found out it was going
to be a little girl from China.

00:35:53.556 --> 00:35:56.616
Becky ordered this, Asian doll.

00:35:57.126 --> 00:35:58.296
That she had heard about it.

00:35:58.326 --> 00:35:59.676
She'd seen it in a magazine.

00:35:59.676 --> 00:36:01.206
So this will be great.

00:36:01.206 --> 00:36:02.406
We'll have a Chinese baby.

00:36:02.646 --> 00:36:04.416
She'll have an Asian looking dog.

00:36:04.446 --> 00:36:05.736
something that looks like her.

00:36:06.426 --> 00:36:09.266
So we got This doll in the mail and Becky.

00:36:09.716 --> 00:36:10.616
Put it in the crib.

00:36:10.676 --> 00:36:14.096
he had the room all set up in
anticipation of this child.

00:36:14.816 --> 00:36:15.116
So

00:36:15.166 --> 00:36:18.736
When it was time to go to China, we
went over there and we'd spent two

00:36:18.766 --> 00:36:20.416
weeks and we brought her back home, man.

00:36:20.446 --> 00:36:21.526
I was in love.

00:36:21.556 --> 00:36:23.536
I was totally head over heels.

00:36:23.536 --> 00:36:24.916
Totally obsessed.

00:36:25.786 --> 00:36:29.536
We're being the best dad that I
could be in this sort of this child.

00:36:29.996 --> 00:36:31.286
I was turbo dad.

00:36:32.486 --> 00:36:33.716
I went out and bought the pink.

00:36:33.735 --> 00:36:34.334
Cigars.

00:36:34.364 --> 00:36:35.024
It's a girl.

00:36:36.794 --> 00:36:39.584
And I would carry her everywhere.

00:36:39.584 --> 00:36:41.084
I took her to the store with me.

00:36:41.084 --> 00:36:42.434
I took her to work with me.

00:36:42.434 --> 00:36:45.714
I took her, I just, this was my baby.

00:36:46.481 --> 00:36:48.011
And I was just totally in love.

00:36:48.071 --> 00:36:51.781
one day I was playing with her on the
floor and that little dog was there too.

00:36:51.781 --> 00:36:52.501
And I looked at.

00:36:52.667 --> 00:36:57.647
Our daughter, but she had a little
freckle on the side of her neck.

00:36:58.757 --> 00:36:59.177
And.

00:36:59.717 --> 00:37:02.747
Such beautiful skin clear, beautiful scan.

00:37:03.347 --> 00:37:07.007
But that was the only freckle on her
body right there on the side of her neck.

00:37:07.727 --> 00:37:08.807
And just.

00:37:09.557 --> 00:37:12.767
Noticed, and then I looked over
at this doll and it's same.

00:37:13.157 --> 00:37:13.787
Frankel.

00:37:14.087 --> 00:37:16.007
Exact same spot.

00:37:16.217 --> 00:37:16.877
I'll show it to you.

00:37:16.967 --> 00:37:17.237
Yeah.

00:37:17.777 --> 00:37:20.387
and Chills went up and down my body.

00:37:20.437 --> 00:37:21.127
wow.

00:37:21.187 --> 00:37:22.237
What is this?

00:37:22.727 --> 00:37:25.437
and tears started coming to
my eyes because I realized.

00:37:29.517 --> 00:37:30.687
God knew.

00:37:32.217 --> 00:37:33.297
You had a plan.

00:37:34.437 --> 00:37:39.337
it took me back to Psalm 1 39, He knew her
before he formed her in her mother's womb.

00:37:39.397 --> 00:37:42.847
He knew every day for life before
it was written, I can't quote

00:37:42.847 --> 00:37:44.137
it directly right now, but.

00:37:44.837 --> 00:37:50.087
he just formed new this child
before she was even born.

00:37:51.167 --> 00:37:54.317
That we were going to be
her parents that somehow.

00:37:54.857 --> 00:37:58.727
She was going to be our daughter that
somehow he was going to orchestrate

00:37:58.727 --> 00:38:01.347
this whole thing it was such a powerful.

00:38:06.087 --> 00:38:08.067
It was such a powerful experience for me.

00:38:08.457 --> 00:38:10.497
And so from that day on.

00:38:11.737 --> 00:38:13.357
I was going to make sure this child.

00:38:13.387 --> 00:38:13.987
Grew up there.

00:38:14.287 --> 00:38:15.247
Just know the Lord.

00:38:16.267 --> 00:38:21.017
And have everything, but, you know,
life, life goes on and, we, raised.

00:38:21.437 --> 00:38:23.687
Our daughter and it was, I was just such.

00:38:24.407 --> 00:38:25.127
So.

00:38:26.347 --> 00:38:28.207
into being the best dad ever.

00:38:28.207 --> 00:38:29.347
And I was doing this.

00:38:29.887 --> 00:38:31.867
Not just for our daughter, but doing it.

00:38:32.077 --> 00:38:34.507
For God and with God and through God.

00:38:34.507 --> 00:38:36.677
And it was an acquired an experience.

00:38:37.367 --> 00:38:42.737
Being a dad, but I tell you the one thing
that I learned most from being a dad.

00:38:43.727 --> 00:38:44.477
Is that.

00:38:44.807 --> 00:38:50.027
I had never really understood
what it meant that God loves you.

00:38:50.687 --> 00:38:52.307
That God is a father.

00:38:52.787 --> 00:38:54.347
Jesus is the one that brought.

00:38:54.519 --> 00:38:57.609
The fatherhood of God into
the world, before that.

00:38:58.069 --> 00:39:02.699
people were sacrificing their
children to all kinds of different.

00:39:03.102 --> 00:39:04.170
Idols And.

00:39:04.170 --> 00:39:07.170
concepts of God, but
Jesus brought the whole.

00:39:07.860 --> 00:39:10.860
Reality of God being
a father to the world.

00:39:11.610 --> 00:39:14.780
And, He said that if you've
seen me, you've seen the father.

00:39:16.040 --> 00:39:16.520
And.

00:39:16.530 --> 00:39:20.940
having the experience of being
a father and being so totally.

00:39:21.510 --> 00:39:22.500
And love.

00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:28.110
And wanting nothing more than to
provide for and protect his child.

00:39:29.220 --> 00:39:33.420
And it's really taught me just
what God, how God sees us.

00:39:33.450 --> 00:39:33.720
Yeah.

00:39:34.230 --> 00:39:35.220
Where does children.

00:39:35.850 --> 00:39:38.490
We're adopted into this family and.

00:39:39.450 --> 00:39:41.610
He wants to provide everything

00:39:41.620 --> 00:39:44.440
We need, even when we
don't know we needed.

00:39:45.190 --> 00:39:46.720
And I was like this with my daughter.

00:39:46.720 --> 00:39:48.610
I wanted to give her everything.

00:39:48.700 --> 00:39:50.560
I may have gone overboard when that bug.

00:39:51.040 --> 00:39:53.140
he wants to protect us from it.

00:39:53.200 --> 00:39:55.120
He wants to be there for us.

00:39:55.120 --> 00:39:56.140
And that was like that.

00:39:56.140 --> 00:39:59.380
I was out there protecting my
daughter from all kinds of things

00:39:59.380 --> 00:40:00.490
she doesn't even know about.

00:40:01.040 --> 00:40:02.930
I went, I found out who the bullies were.

00:40:02.990 --> 00:40:04.790
And I want to have parents I'm serious.

00:40:05.570 --> 00:40:07.780
And, Ruined some relationships.

00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:11.230
In the process, but I was going to
protect this child no matter what.

00:40:12.010 --> 00:40:13.560
And, just everything.

00:40:13.620 --> 00:40:16.140
I did everything I could do for her.

00:40:16.950 --> 00:40:17.820
Out of this deep.

00:40:18.450 --> 00:40:20.400
Sense of love and.

00:40:21.870 --> 00:40:23.370
That God had given me.

00:40:23.700 --> 00:40:26.020
And so I learned that's the way God is.

00:40:26.020 --> 00:40:27.280
We just don't know.

00:40:27.580 --> 00:40:30.220
How many things that
he's protected us from?

00:40:30.280 --> 00:40:30.790
Yes.

00:40:31.600 --> 00:40:35.380
He's healed us from he's shielded us from.

00:40:36.040 --> 00:40:39.370
He takes us through it when we're
going through, when he can't shield us

00:40:39.370 --> 00:40:43.150
from something or doesn't want to it's
because he has a purpose behind it.

00:40:43.990 --> 00:40:48.400
And so like in my, and my daughter's
case that I there's, of course there's

00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:50.380
things that I can't shield her from.

00:40:50.410 --> 00:40:52.570
I couldn't children from, she had to hurt.

00:40:53.830 --> 00:40:56.290
And that's the way God,
you know, but he's with us.

00:40:56.530 --> 00:40:56.740
Yeah.

00:40:56.830 --> 00:41:00.430
And I'm always available for
my daughter, no matter what.

00:41:00.910 --> 00:41:04.720
And even when she does things
that I don't think are right.

00:41:05.350 --> 00:41:06.820
Or it doesn't do things my way.

00:41:08.590 --> 00:41:11.400
What I think is God's way,
I still it's still there.

00:41:11.400 --> 00:41:15.210
I did nothing that she does
or says or things around.

00:41:15.210 --> 00:41:16.040
Anything can.

00:41:16.940 --> 00:41:18.470
Cause me to not.

00:41:19.310 --> 00:41:20.060
Love her.

00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:26.120
And of course I have, I've had to
discipline and various ways over

00:41:26.120 --> 00:41:28.370
the years, but God does it too.

00:41:28.400 --> 00:41:28.790
Yes.

00:41:28.850 --> 00:41:30.860
he corrects the child that he loves.

00:41:30.890 --> 00:41:32.690
We correct the child that we love.

00:41:32.720 --> 00:41:33.140
Yeah, sure.

00:41:33.710 --> 00:41:36.500
So that's all part of
being in relationship.

00:41:37.040 --> 00:41:39.110
And God created this whole.

00:41:39.770 --> 00:41:40.880
Universe.

00:41:41.360 --> 00:41:46.700
For himself so that he could have these
children so that we could be adopted

00:41:46.700 --> 00:41:48.470
into his family so that he could.

00:41:49.070 --> 00:41:51.560
Express his love because he is low.

00:41:52.061 --> 00:41:56.111
Jesse: And the hardest part about
being a human father is that.

00:41:56.951 --> 00:41:58.241
We don't have the power.

00:41:58.751 --> 00:42:01.241
To protect our child from everything.

00:42:01.811 --> 00:42:03.071
We want so much to.

00:42:03.071 --> 00:42:06.671
Protect them and keep them
from making mistakes So.

00:42:07.141 --> 00:42:09.331
it's painful, but you know, God can't.

00:42:09.544 --> 00:42:13.054
Well, he could, but he doesn't protect
us from everything and he doesn't

00:42:13.104 --> 00:42:16.954
Keep us from making mistakes, but
The plan is of course, that we should

00:42:16.954 --> 00:42:18.934
learn and grow from our mistakes.

00:42:19.444 --> 00:42:20.614
So we got to trust that.

00:42:20.717 --> 00:42:23.057
he doesn't have any grandchildren
and he's going to help.

00:42:23.087 --> 00:42:24.017
Or children.

00:42:24.037 --> 00:42:25.717
Grow through their mistakes.

00:42:25.837 --> 00:42:26.257
So.

00:42:26.393 --> 00:42:27.563
Anyway, he's.

00:42:27.654 --> 00:42:30.744
Dell, very mercifully
with me during my life.

00:42:30.798 --> 00:42:32.423
And I'm sure He'll do the same for.

00:42:32.460 --> 00:42:33.180
Our children.

00:42:34.700 --> 00:42:37.460
by the way, I just gave
everybody permission to cry.

00:42:37.520 --> 00:42:38.840
When you come on the podcast.

00:42:39.230 --> 00:42:40.070
So there you go.

00:42:41.124 --> 00:42:42.984
MacBook Air Microphone: How can
people get in touch with you if

00:42:42.984 --> 00:42:46.524
they wanted to be on the podcast or
if they just need to talk to you?

00:42:47.559 --> 00:42:53.804
I do have a personal, what I call my
ministry website is Jesse duke.net.

00:42:54.614 --> 00:42:58.654
And, anybody can email
me there and then I can.

00:42:58.654 --> 00:43:00.714
give them my phone number and we can talk.

00:43:01.074 --> 00:43:02.994
And that's the way I hear.

00:43:02.994 --> 00:43:07.451
Here's the thing my website
is, life recovery guide.

00:43:07.587 --> 00:43:08.247
Dot net.

00:43:08.277 --> 00:43:10.197
And it's also Jesse duke.net.

00:43:10.247 --> 00:43:11.897
what happened was that.

00:43:11.997 --> 00:43:13.197
You mind if I take a few minutes?

00:43:14.097 --> 00:43:16.107
I actually was going to
ask about your ministry.

00:43:16.107 --> 00:43:17.877
That was the next question
I was going to ask.

00:43:17.877 --> 00:43:18.777
So that's perfect.

00:43:18.927 --> 00:43:19.287
All right.

00:43:19.367 --> 00:43:20.957
so there's a long answer to this.

00:43:21.917 --> 00:43:23.477
I got sober.

00:43:23.957 --> 00:43:26.147
In AA in 1980.

00:43:27.137 --> 00:43:30.717
And that started my, it wasn't a
start, but it was my jumpstart.

00:43:32.077 --> 00:43:35.727
for my spiritual journey
and, Over the years.

00:43:35.757 --> 00:43:38.517
Of course, God has grown me
in a lot of different ways.

00:43:39.357 --> 00:43:40.677
And I've learned a lot.

00:43:41.077 --> 00:43:42.877
So it's been 44 years.

00:43:43.007 --> 00:43:49.537
That I've been continuously sober in
the program and sponsoring people and

00:43:49.537 --> 00:43:53.897
being sponsored and, just doing the
deal, everything that goes with that.

00:43:54.437 --> 00:44:00.093
I guess about 25 years ago,  I really
wanted to get more focused on my

00:44:00.123 --> 00:44:06.283
Christian faith and get away from, this
God, as you understand and concept of.

00:44:06.403 --> 00:44:07.093
Of AA.

00:44:07.693 --> 00:44:11.113
Not that there's anything wrong
with it, but it's just not enough.

00:44:11.163 --> 00:44:12.693
only Jesus is enough.

00:44:13.563 --> 00:44:15.253
And, I found this ministry.

00:44:15.323 --> 00:44:16.673
called life recovery.

00:44:17.123 --> 00:44:18.593
And there's another ministry out there.

00:44:18.623 --> 00:44:19.643
It's called new life.

00:44:20.333 --> 00:44:22.013
And life recovery.

00:44:22.163 --> 00:44:25.583
It was started by these,
Minister's within new life.

00:44:25.763 --> 00:44:32.573
So to make a long story, short
life recovery is a program like a.

00:44:32.873 --> 00:44:34.763
But it's Christian based.

00:44:34.763 --> 00:44:35.783
It's Bible based.

00:44:35.833 --> 00:44:39.523
and there are groups all over the
country, not nearly as many as

00:44:39.523 --> 00:44:41.333
AA, they're few and far between.

00:44:41.633 --> 00:44:43.103
If you compare it to AA.

00:44:43.883 --> 00:44:45.868
So I want to learn more about it.

00:44:45.868 --> 00:44:49.382
I was in school to get my
biblical counseling degree.

00:44:50.132 --> 00:44:54.155
And One of the courses that
I had to take was on life.

00:44:54.155 --> 00:44:54.785
Where he covered.

00:44:54.905 --> 00:44:57.215
So I ended up becoming certified as a.

00:44:57.342 --> 00:44:58.872
Life recovery coach

00:44:59.182 --> 00:45:02.402
I call myself a guide because
coach just doesn't sound right.

00:45:02.462 --> 00:45:03.722
I got people.

00:45:04.002 --> 00:45:09.492
who are in recovery or need recovery or
interested in recovery from all kinds of

00:45:09.492 --> 00:45:11.922
things, not just drugs and alcohol, but.

00:45:12.642 --> 00:45:18.672
You know, gambling, overeating
pornographies sex addictions.

00:45:18.982 --> 00:45:21.772
people get addicted to
all kinds of things and.

00:45:22.312 --> 00:45:26.392
So life recovery is not just
about, Drug and alcohol, Buddhist.

00:45:26.482 --> 00:45:30.772
It's about all kinds of the, all the
idols that we can put up in our lives.

00:45:30.832 --> 00:45:33.672
And helping people to
recover From those things.

00:45:34.652 --> 00:45:38.222
so anyway, I decided to
become a life recovery guide

00:45:38.222 --> 00:45:41.432
And then I got my master's
in biblical counseling.

00:45:42.182 --> 00:45:45.532
And, the Lord has really
led me along those ways.

00:45:45.772 --> 00:45:48.262
And I kept thinking now, what
am I going to do with this?

00:45:48.262 --> 00:45:52.342
Because I was thinking I might become
like a lay counselor at a church.

00:45:53.602 --> 00:45:55.552
And, All of this, Unpaid.

00:45:55.802 --> 00:45:57.952
just volunteer ministry, so.

00:45:58.672 --> 00:46:00.292
that's what the Lord led me to do.

00:46:00.712 --> 00:46:06.262
Now I make my living doing other things
like physical work, like painting and

00:46:06.262 --> 00:46:10.582
carpentry and fixing this and fixing
that I do all kinds of physical.

00:46:11.212 --> 00:46:13.312
Labor cause I really enjoy that.

00:46:13.492 --> 00:46:17.542
But my ministry is in helping other
people recover from various things.

00:46:18.122 --> 00:46:21.742
it's mainly just listening to people
because that's what they need the most.

00:46:22.562 --> 00:46:24.212
And I don't really give it bias.

00:46:24.272 --> 00:46:24.842
I just.

00:46:25.542 --> 00:46:27.852
I guess I do in a way, I would
just say, do you want to know

00:46:27.852 --> 00:46:29.262
what gun it says about that?

00:46:29.510 --> 00:46:34.220
And I'll try to help them find out what
God's word says about their situation.

00:46:34.220 --> 00:46:34.400
And.

00:46:35.270 --> 00:46:36.850
And, Go from there, but.

00:46:37.870 --> 00:46:40.300
I just make myself available to anybody.

00:46:40.420 --> 00:46:41.320
Wants to talk.

00:46:41.492 --> 00:46:45.502
And My bottom line is that
God's word is our authority.

00:46:45.562 --> 00:46:47.362
And when you know that.

00:46:47.812 --> 00:46:49.132
God has the final word.

00:46:49.162 --> 00:46:51.922
And what he says is
your answer that makes.

00:46:52.051 --> 00:46:52.621
counseling.

00:46:52.711 --> 00:46:56.461
Oh a lot easier because you,
when you really know that.

00:46:56.795 --> 00:47:00.385
there's no, second guessing this
is what God says, and this is

00:47:00.385 --> 00:47:02.215
how it applies in this situation.

00:47:03.205 --> 00:47:06.682
And the ego thumps up really
hard against that kind of thing.

00:47:07.042 --> 00:47:07.522
So.

00:47:08.772 --> 00:47:11.352
what what was I talking
to Johnny about ministry?

00:47:11.562 --> 00:47:11.832
Yeah.

00:47:12.432 --> 00:47:13.092
Ministry.

00:47:13.212 --> 00:47:13.692
Yeah.

00:47:13.742 --> 00:47:17.102
Jesse: So I just make
myself available to listen.

00:47:17.522 --> 00:47:20.252
You know it, and it's
super sacred to me that.

00:47:21.332 --> 00:47:25.082
When I listened to anybody it's
in total confidence, complete

00:47:25.082 --> 00:47:26.672
privacy, lack of fifth stiff.

00:47:27.422 --> 00:47:29.702
You know, your business
is between you and God.

00:47:29.702 --> 00:47:34.762
Now I might ask if you want to, if you
want feedback from me and if you do,

00:47:34.762 --> 00:47:36.742
I might make a suggestion as to what.

00:47:37.032 --> 00:47:38.742
You can do to make something right.

00:47:38.772 --> 00:47:40.062
So you can have peace.

00:47:40.752 --> 00:47:43.422
But whether you do it or
not is between you and God.

00:47:44.292 --> 00:47:44.802
So.

00:47:45.702 --> 00:47:48.222
Listening as a whole ministry in itself.

00:47:48.505 --> 00:47:49.705
MacBook Air Microphone-20:
So anyway, I do.

00:47:50.035 --> 00:47:54.275
Really need to explain The
podcast really doesn't have

00:47:54.275 --> 00:47:55.745
anything to do with life recovery.

00:47:55.745 --> 00:47:56.105
Yes.

00:47:56.135 --> 00:48:00.365
There are some guests on it that
are in recovery from various issues.

00:48:00.578 --> 00:48:05.078
And yes, all Christians are in
recovery from their flesh, but

00:48:05.078 --> 00:48:07.488
the podcast is for believers.

00:48:08.058 --> 00:48:10.458
You don't have to be in
recovery from something.

00:48:10.458 --> 00:48:12.048
MacBook Air Microphone-21:
In order to tell your story.

00:48:12.362 --> 00:48:15.602
MacBook Air Microphone-20: So if
you go to my website, don't get

00:48:15.602 --> 00:48:17.762
the idea that the podcast is about.

00:48:18.752 --> 00:48:20.072
Overcoming addictions..

00:48:20.772 --> 00:48:23.772
MacBook Air Microphone: I linked it
to my ministry website because I'm

00:48:23.832 --> 00:48:25.422
not ready to build a new website.

00:48:26.622 --> 00:48:29.112
so I just kinda thought
I'd blend them together.

00:48:29.112 --> 00:48:32.822
And if that, at some point in
the future, if I need a podcast

00:48:32.822 --> 00:48:34.332
website I'll, I'll do that.

00:48:34.932 --> 00:48:35.412
There you go.

00:48:35.412 --> 00:48:37.002
How do people get in touch with me?

00:48:37.152 --> 00:48:37.482
Jesse?

00:48:37.512 --> 00:48:37.902
Do duck.

00:48:38.412 --> 00:48:38.892
Net.

00:48:39.162 --> 00:48:41.802
And I'll put that in the show
notes at the end of every.

00:48:42.662 --> 00:48:45.928
Podcast episode gets to
remind people  Anyway.

00:48:46.258 --> 00:48:46.528
Yeah.

00:48:47.151 --> 00:48:49.971
With being your favorite
part of doing this podcast?

00:48:51.321 --> 00:48:52.971
Oh, definitely meeting.

00:48:53.661 --> 00:48:55.431
People in here in their storage.

00:48:55.701 --> 00:48:58.161
I just fall in love with everybody.

00:48:58.311 --> 00:49:02.361
It tells me their story because
you just can't, you just can't hear

00:49:02.361 --> 00:49:06.201
somebody's deepest experiences in life.

00:49:06.291 --> 00:49:07.401
and not love them.

00:49:07.491 --> 00:49:07.911
Yeah.

00:49:09.081 --> 00:49:12.221
And and because God shows up
when God is love and he's that

00:49:12.311 --> 00:49:15.221
thing in the, in between us,
when I'm hearing your story on.

00:49:15.611 --> 00:49:16.691
I'm feeling God.

00:49:17.621 --> 00:49:18.571
So that's what I like.

00:49:19.171 --> 00:49:19.741
11.

00:49:19.921 --> 00:49:20.011
Yeah.

00:49:20.041 --> 00:49:20.611
And I love it.

00:49:20.671 --> 00:49:21.121
Yeah.

00:49:21.241 --> 00:49:25.651
I, when you were talking about,
the ministry, I thought what a

00:49:25.651 --> 00:49:31.051
benefit it is to know that not only
that God's word is the authority.

00:49:31.471 --> 00:49:34.021
But God wants what's best for us.

00:49:35.071 --> 00:49:37.231
Like it's one thing to
know it's the authority.

00:49:37.261 --> 00:49:42.271
But if, when I truly understood that
God wanted what was best for me.

00:49:43.261 --> 00:49:45.241
His word look completely different.

00:49:45.991 --> 00:49:47.821
Yeah, no, it wasn't a bunch, a.

00:49:48.241 --> 00:49:49.531
No's and don'ts.

00:49:49.981 --> 00:49:53.101
Parameters on my life to
keep me from having fun.

00:49:53.101 --> 00:49:57.381
It was the things he was telling
me, they were for my highest good.

00:49:57.951 --> 00:50:00.161
And that was, it was
really important for me.

00:50:00.581 --> 00:50:04.061
yeah, people, don't really,
a lot of people who have just

00:50:04.091 --> 00:50:06.071
brought up in our culture.

00:50:06.281 --> 00:50:12.641
I think that God is rules and
regulations in church and in

00:50:12.671 --> 00:50:14.201
the law and stuff like that.

00:50:14.231 --> 00:50:15.161
I just don't really.

00:50:15.911 --> 00:50:17.141
Understand grace.

00:50:18.101 --> 00:50:19.990
Or freedom,  freedom.

00:50:20.980 --> 00:50:21.550
Yes.

00:50:22.060 --> 00:50:25.600
The real freedom and freedom
comes from conforming.

00:50:26.230 --> 00:50:28.930
God wants because he wants
to match that's right.

00:50:29.260 --> 00:50:30.010
That's right.

00:50:30.470 --> 00:50:30.890
All right.

00:50:31.310 --> 00:50:34.670
Anything else you want to add
before we pray for the listeners?

00:50:35.510 --> 00:50:35.810
Yeah.

00:50:35.900 --> 00:50:39.920
Just one more time about anybody who's
listening to you, as you listened to

00:50:39.920 --> 00:50:42.080
other people's stories on the podcast.

00:50:42.890 --> 00:50:46.790
Be thinking about your story and
how you would tell your story about

00:50:46.820 --> 00:50:51.050
what God has done for you and how
Jesus is working in your life.

00:50:51.740 --> 00:50:52.790
think about your story.

00:50:52.970 --> 00:50:55.400
What, no matter how long it
takes and get in touch with me.

00:50:55.400 --> 00:50:58.520
And if you need some
direction, I can give you that.

00:50:58.550 --> 00:51:00.770
But, otherwise just, Come on in.

00:51:01.400 --> 00:51:05.190
Tell your story and, You can
always have a do over just do it.

00:51:05.280 --> 00:51:05.730
Just do.

00:51:05.870 --> 00:51:09.230
So come on and tell your
story and glorify the Lord.

00:51:10.220 --> 00:51:10.610
Amen.

00:51:11.180 --> 00:51:11.930
Thank you, John.

00:51:12.380 --> 00:51:13.220
Yes, I will.

00:51:14.150 --> 00:51:15.140
You got anything else?

00:51:16.010 --> 00:51:20.390
No, I just, I thank you for this
opportunity as it's so good to

00:51:20.390 --> 00:51:23.750
sit down and just get to know
you better hear your story.

00:51:24.650 --> 00:51:26.810
I love doing the side.

00:51:26.840 --> 00:51:29.360
I loved doing the podcast.

00:51:29.870 --> 00:51:34.640
When I listened to it
after you had posted it.

00:51:35.600 --> 00:51:38.150
It was just funny how, there was
so much in there that I didn't

00:51:38.150 --> 00:51:43.090
even remember, And there were
parts of that were very healing.

00:51:43.120 --> 00:51:48.910
I listened to it with my wife and
it was just an amazing experience.

00:51:48.970 --> 00:51:52.300
it was truly an amazing experience for me.

00:51:52.900 --> 00:51:54.580
But for her as well.

00:51:54.610 --> 00:51:56.800
We sat down and listened to it together.

00:51:56.800 --> 00:52:00.200
And, just, I highly encourage anyone.

00:52:00.890 --> 00:52:04.220
To jump in, if you haven't
listened to mine, I am.

00:52:04.910 --> 00:52:08.240
A new believer basically,
I'm 50 years old.

00:52:08.570 --> 00:52:10.730
about two years into.

00:52:10.867 --> 00:52:15.217
my faith, but it's been the most
amazing two years of my life.

00:52:15.247 --> 00:52:17.077
And I'm so grateful.

00:52:17.580 --> 00:52:20.760
They you're creating this
opportunity for people to share.

00:52:21.040 --> 00:52:28.170
it's really, just such a, an uplifting
and edifying use of technology.

00:52:29.040 --> 00:52:31.570
And, I think that.

00:52:32.500 --> 00:52:33.610
I know for me.

00:52:33.850 --> 00:52:37.220
Yeah, I probably wouldn't
sit down and write a 10 page.

00:52:37.290 --> 00:52:38.010
testimony.

00:52:38.430 --> 00:52:40.620
But to sit down and just talk.

00:52:41.080 --> 00:52:44.950
it's, Just, I think it's the,
way that the holy spirit is

00:52:44.950 --> 00:52:47.410
using this technology for good.

00:52:48.340 --> 00:52:48.790
Yes.

00:52:49.060 --> 00:52:50.500
And I'm grateful for that.

00:52:51.740 --> 00:52:52.220
All right.

00:52:52.320 --> 00:52:56.190
would you like to pray for the
listeners before we sign off?

00:52:56.619 --> 00:52:57.519
Yeah.

00:52:58.509 --> 00:52:59.919
Holy spirit, you are.

00:53:00.339 --> 00:53:01.089
So good.

00:53:01.329 --> 00:53:03.069
You're so present with us and.

00:53:03.999 --> 00:53:07.689
Lord, I just ask that you would
touch each and every person who's.

00:53:08.439 --> 00:53:13.209
Listen to this, not just this episode,
but any episode on the podcast that

00:53:13.209 --> 00:53:17.499
you would just touch their hearts and
grow them in a way that, that, is best.

00:53:17.799 --> 00:53:23.199
And Laura, we just know that you always
show up and your word never returns void.

00:53:24.009 --> 00:53:24.909
You're always.

00:53:25.096 --> 00:53:26.966
For us, you're always.

00:53:27.589 --> 00:53:28.129
father.

00:53:28.279 --> 00:53:29.779
You're always caring.

00:53:29.779 --> 00:53:32.689
You're always loving and you
want each and every person.

00:53:33.229 --> 00:53:34.669
Who's out there listening to.

00:53:35.329 --> 00:53:38.269
To just come to you and to
know who you really are.

00:53:38.389 --> 00:53:40.579
To just live in truth.

00:53:41.779 --> 00:53:44.989
And so when we do just ask that you
would touch each and every person.

00:53:45.829 --> 00:53:47.409
And, Bring them to yourself.

00:53:47.709 --> 00:53:50.859
And we praise you for this
opportunity in Jesus name.

00:53:51.159 --> 00:53:51.549
Amen.

00:53:52.081 --> 00:53:52.681
Amen.

00:53:57.134 --> 00:53:59.334
Speaker: We hope you've been
blessed by today's story.

00:53:59.804 --> 00:54:03.524
In case you haven't noticed, there
are no advertisements on this podcast,

00:54:03.884 --> 00:54:05.424
and we hope to keep it that way.

00:54:06.074 --> 00:54:10.214
So if you've heard something that you
think could help someone you know, please

00:54:10.214 --> 00:54:12.354
share it using the link in the show notes.

00:54:13.184 --> 00:54:17.534
Also, if you will give Faith and Purpose a
positive review on your podcast platform,

00:54:17.984 --> 00:54:19.624
you could help more people find it.

00:54:20.234 --> 00:54:24.299
You will probably never know how
that small effort can make a big

00:54:24.299 --> 00:54:27.849
difference in someone's life,
but our Heavenly Father knows.

00:54:28.349 --> 00:54:33.149
Speaking of sharing, if you know a Jesus
follower with a story to tell, please send

00:54:33.149 --> 00:54:35.079
them a link to Faith and Purpose Podcast.

00:54:36.049 --> 00:54:38.209
It may encourage them to tell their story.

00:54:38.609 --> 00:54:40.209
That person may even be you.

00:54:40.679 --> 00:54:43.809
Our only criteria is
that Jesus be glorified.

00:54:44.579 --> 00:54:48.089
Most Christians don't share their
faith because they mistakenly think

00:54:48.099 --> 00:54:52.469
their story is not interesting enough,
or that it's self centered to talk

00:54:52.479 --> 00:54:57.519
about themselves, or that they are not
competent to explain the gospel correctly.

00:54:57.959 --> 00:54:59.219
But none of that is relevant.

00:54:59.609 --> 00:55:03.049
If Jesus has changed your
life, you have a story to tell.

00:55:03.994 --> 00:55:06.404
All of our stories are completely unique.

00:55:06.704 --> 00:55:11.474
No one has a story like yours, and you
may be the only one who can reach someone

00:55:11.474 --> 00:55:13.254
else through telling your experience.

00:55:13.824 --> 00:55:15.194
So don't be intimidated.

00:55:15.524 --> 00:55:20.944
A story is just that, a true account
of your own experience, and no one

00:55:20.954 --> 00:55:22.894
can disagree with your experience.

00:55:23.849 --> 00:55:28.029
When we tell what Jesus has done in
our lives, we are being obedient to his

00:55:28.029 --> 00:55:32.249
command to go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature.

00:55:32.649 --> 00:55:36.499
It's not about theology, and it's not
about how interesting or special you are.

00:55:36.839 --> 00:55:38.499
It's all about Jesus.

00:55:39.279 --> 00:55:43.989
So when you're ready to tell how Jesus
has impacted your life, you can let Jesse

00:55:43.989 --> 00:55:47.109
know at his ministry website, jesseduke.

00:55:47.129 --> 00:55:47.389
net.

00:55:48.019 --> 00:55:51.199
There you can download guidelines
that will make it easy to

00:55:51.199 --> 00:55:52.659
prepare to tell your story.

00:55:53.279 --> 00:55:55.719
Thank you for listening today and Shalom.