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A faith-forward podcast for people who love Jesus but also love being honest about how weird and wonderful life can be. Hosts Kerrye and Jill tell stories about the Bible, talk about their faith, and dig into what it looks like to follow God through the ordinary chaos of everyday, imperfect life. Real conversations. Real stories. No pretending to have it all together. Pull up a chair, turn the page, and let's go.
Welcome to Chapter and Verse, where people
come on and tell their real stories,
faith, failure, redemption, and the
occasional, "Lord, what are you doing?"
moment.
Some inspiring, some messy, and some that
probably should have come with a warning
label, because through every chapter
of every story, God is still writing.
And He's not afraid of a little chaos.
This is Jill.
And Kerrye.
Let's turn the page.
Well, we're here today with our
good friend Maybelle Chandler.
She goes to church with us, and we're
really excited that you're here.
So- So pumped.
Yeah.
So if you wanna just tell us
a little bit about yourself.
Well, uh I was saved the first time when I
was about six, but I had doubts about it.
Mm-hmm.
So when I was a teenager, I reconfirmed,
and I can just look back and see
where the Lord's been there for
me so many times, and sometimes I
didn't realize it till years later.
Mm-hmm.
But He's just been with me through a lot.
Yeah.
And I just wanna give Him the glory.
Yeah.
He is worthy of that.
He is.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Um, and you're married to Kenneth?
Kenneth Chandler.
How long have y'all been married?
Be 54 years 1st of August.
Wow.
Wow, congratulations.
Wow.
Yes.
I, I hope we make it to that long- I
hope so ⦠if Jesus doesn't come back.
And it hasn't all been easy.
No, it's never.
I can't imagine that it would be.
I mean- It never is, no
I'm sitting at 23, and
there are definitely moments
where I'm like, "Cripes."
"What is wrong with you, dude?"
'Cause it's never me.
No, it's never the w- No.
It's never the women, no.
No.
Um, okay, and you have how many kids?
Well, we have four.
One of them's a grandson that we adopted.
Mm-hmm.
So, and he's 22, and the
oldest one's almost 56.
Mm-hmm.
. So yeah, there's, there's an age
span there, but I bet it's-- I bet
Becken felt like he was an only child.
He did, and sometimes he resents
being raised by older parents.
Yeah.
But now he can kinda see
how blessed he's been.
Yes.
Yeah.
So, 'cause some of his
friends haven't had that.
Mm-mm.
Yeah.
Chloe has kind of, I mean, of
course, she was the first of our
children, so she doesn't have the
whole, like, we were young and- Mm
and boneheaded when we were
dealing with her, but I mean, we're
still boneheaded, but in ways.
But she-- I have been very surprised
at the, the fact that she will
let us know, like, "I did not
like this, but I get it now."
And I'm like, "Wow."
I feel like she's ahead
of the curve with that.
Like, I feel like- Oh, definitely
all the kids eventually come to their
parents and are like, "All right.
Yeah, I get it."
Mm-hmm.
But she's- Yeah ⦠ahead
of the curve on that.
But apparently not, 'cause if
Becken's doing it too, then-
Yeah ⦠they're the same age, yeah.
Mm-hmm.
So, but, you know, my oldest child is 56.
Is-- I was married before.
Mm-hmm.
And we divorced, but Kenneth
adopted him and, you know, he's
been a great dad to him, so.
Yeah.
I didn't know that.
I didn't know that either.
Um, yeah, the age span, um, can be
a benefit too because I feel like-
The older can help the younger
with, you know, things and stuff.
I, I haven't seen all that yet, but-
Mm ⦠'cause we have 14 years between
our oldest and youngest, but, and he
definitely feels like an only child.
True.
Yeah.
But yeah.
But okay.
Well, so what chapter of your life d-
would you like to share about today?
Well, I guess, I know Jill's heard
the story, but I guess- It's a good
one ⦠when I was diagnosed with
cancer- Mm-hmm ⦠in, uh, 2020,
six years ago, just as COVID hit.
Wow.
And it took 10 days to get my diagnosis.
Wow.
That's a long time to wait.
Because it was so rare.
Oh, wow.
The hospital here sent it to
UAMS, and they diagnosed it.
Mm-hmm.
Butâ¦
And, you know, at first
I heard thyroid cancer.
Didn't bother me because
my husband had had it.
Mm-hmm.
And several people I know
had had thyroid cancer.
Yeah.
And usually you take it out and that's it.
Yeah.
But mine was a very rare kind.
Mm.
Medullary.
Most people haven't even heard of it.
And when my sister-in-law had
called me that night, and she
said, "Well, what'd the doctor say?
Did you ever get your diagnosis?"
And I told her yes, and she said,
"Oh, thyroid cancer is nothing.
I had it too."
Yeah.
Well, she called her son, who's
an oncologist, and he said, "Mom,
are you sure you heard her right?"
Well, to make a long story short, he
didn't believe her, so he called me.
Mm.
"Are you sure it was
medullary, Aunt Maebell?"
I said, "Yes, that's
what the doctor said."
I said, "Why?"
He said, "Well, it's just rare."
He said, uh, "Here at West
Cancer Clinic, we probably not
had over three or four cases."
Wow.
So he said, "Most people
don't even know what it is."
Mm-hmm.
So anyway, to make a long story
short, COVID hit and everything closed
down, couldn't get into a doctor.
He said, "I'll take care of you here.
Go get your records and-"
Wow "⦠bring 'em down."
I know.
That's awesome.
So he said, "I've got a real good surgeon,
so-" three days after my diagnosis or
two days, whatever it was, three days
maybe, I got my paperwork and took it
to him, and he set me up with a good
surgeon, and they weren't doing surgeries
either at some of the hospitals there
'cause unless it was an emergency.
Mm-hmm.
And he said, "This is an emergency.
We don't want it to go any farther."
Yeah, I would think- So- ⦠cancer
qualifies for- Yeah ⦠uh, uh,
it certainly isn't elective.
Right.
You know?
So he got me in, uh, I think it was St.
Francis Hospital over there.
Nobody could come or anything.
Oh, this was in Memphis?
In Memphis.
Okay.
'Cause that's where his
cancer- Yeah ⦠clinic is.
He got me in at St.
Francis, and nobody could
come, but he could, of course.
Yeah.
And the doctor knew him and knew me,
and also I, I was in the hospital I
think five days with it, four or five.
And nobody but him to visit you.
Or the nurse or the- Yeah ⦠his doctors.
So I mean, we could have phone calls.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But, you know, it really didn't bother
me it, that I didn't have visitors.
Mm-hmm.
It kinda gave me a time to
reflect on everything, you know?
Mm-hmm.
And I was happy when
they said it's a stage I.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
I thought, "Well, maybe this is it."
But my blood work showed different.
Mm.
And he said, "Sometimes it takes a few
days to get it out of your system."
Yeah.
But it still kept showing it, so he said,
"You really need to go to MD Anderson."
Mm-hmm.
He said, "They know more
about it than we do.
They don't know a lot, but
they know more than we do."
But because of COVID, I
decided at that time not to go.
So he, you know, I saw him
for a while, and then he said,
"You know, it's still there."
I s- told him, I said, "Well, I
need to transfer closer to home."
Yeah.
So he got me in with a Dr.
Mendelson at Carti, and he comeâ¦
I had to go to Little Rock the
first few times, but now he
comes to Conway on Wednesdays.
Mm-hmm.
And of course he set me
up with another surgeon.
I had to have more lymph nodes removed.
Mm.
So, but it still showed even after that.
But, you know, I, after that
second surgery, I was beginning to
kinda get a little, I don't know
if you'd call it worried or- Yeah
⦠anxious, but, you know, I justâ¦
I don't know.
I, I would think about
it more than I should.
So I was asleep one night, and I rolled
over on my back, and there was an
angel standing at the foot of my bed.
Oh, wow.
An angel.
That's awesome.
And- She made it very
clear she was for me.
Oh.
It was a female angel.
So there-- And as soon as I saw
her, Psalms 91:11 came to mind.
Mm-hmm.
"I will send my angel to
take charge over you."
Mm-hmm.
And she was gone, but
a peace came over me.
Wow.
I cry when I think about this.
Oh, of course.
The Lord loved me that much.
Yes.
But a peace came over me, and,
uh, I went right back to sleep.
Mm-hmm.
And when I woke up the next day, I
wasn't even really thinking about it.
And I told my husband about
it, and he said, "Are you sure
you didn't just dream that?"
I said, "No, it wasn't a dream."
Mm-hmm.
But, uh, the thing that, that
means the most to me, it was like
a father comforting his child.
Mm-hmm.
He didn't want me to be worried about it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know, He wanted me to know
that He's got this under control.
Yeah.
So anyway, I reallyâ¦
I don't mean to sound like it's not
serious or anything, but- Right ⦠I
don't worry about it like I did.
Yeah.
You know, some days I
hardly ever think about it.
Mm-hmm.
Now, just before I get a scan or
some lab work, sometimes I'll think,
"Well, I hope everything's okay."
Mm-hmm.
But, you know, it has been, and it
was six years this past March, and
usually my primary care doctor told
me about five years is what you have.
Yeah.
And my oncologist didn't just
say that, but he said that
You've been here, it's been over
six years now, and usually if you're
still here at five, you've been in
a lot of pain and you're very sick.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
But he said, "You've not had any of it."
Yeah.
And he looked and smiled at me, and
he says, "We know why, don't we?"
Mm-hmm.
'Cause he is a Christian also.
He was born Jewish.
Mm-hmm.
Married a Christian woman, and for
two years he became a Bible scholar.
Wow.
Wow.
He prays for his patients.
So- Wow ⦠you know, we know it's
because of prayer that I'm here.
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah.
And the people, my friends and-
Mm ⦠at church, and everyone-
Yeah ⦠praying for me, so that's the
reason I'm here, is 'cause the Lord
just saw fit to- Yeah ⦠keep me here.
Now, he, he hasn't taken it all away,
and I think there's a reason for that.
I think it's because maybe I
need that to stay closer to him.
Well, even Paul- Yeah ⦠what'd he say-
Mm-hmm ⦠about his thorn in the flesh?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
We don't reallyâ¦
I mean, I know there's different, um,
opinions about what that was, but he dealt
with something- Mm-hmm ⦠all the time.
Yeah.
Like, never was taken away, you know?
That I know of.
Well, and I can never remember which
disciple it was that had a Well, yeah.
What, who wa-- I can't remember it either.
Ah.
Was it Thaddeus?
No.
Maybe.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I can't remember.
But it had something.
Had something, and Jesus didn't heal him.
Mm-hmm.
You know?
You know he could've.
Uh.
And you know he was aware of it.
Mm-hmm.
But there was some reason.
Yeah.
You know?
Well, and then God says, "Count it all
joy when we go through-" That's right
trials.
Mm-hmm.
And it does bring us closer to God.
Sure.
I had, I had two spots in my chest,
and in the liver, and the spine.
That's what MD Anderson found.
Mm-hmm.
But I decided not to go
to MD Anderson anymore.
Doctorâ¦
I don't think my doctor there was a
Christian, and- Mm-hmm ⦠it kind
of- You just didn't feel at peace.
Yeah.
No, I didn't feel at peace about it.
But, um, the last scan I had, Dr.
Mendelsohn did not see it in my liver.
Nice.
Wow.
Now, radiation and chemo does not work.
But because the two spots were
so small in my chest, he decided
to do 33 radiation treatments.
Didn't do a thing to it, but
it didn't hurt me either.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, you know, but- Yeah ⦠I've
been able to go on with life.
Yeah.
I alwaysâ¦
I stay tired a lot, but I'm older too.
Well, you're realâ¦
You know, you're active and-
Yeah ⦠you know, I see you every
week at church, and you're involved,
and- Mm-hmm ⦠I'm tired too.
I know.
Like, it's a tiring world we live in.
Mm-hmm.
You know?
But I've shared, you know, my
testimony about that with some people.
And I know my, the lady that was my
supervisor at TLC, first Methodist.
You know, I worked there in childcare,
two-year-olds- Yes ⦠for a long time.
Mm-hmm.
She said I was gonna be the poster
person for medullary thyroid.
And I still talk to my nephew some,
and he keeps up with me, and- Yeah
he and Dr.
Mendelsohn have talked,
and- Yeah ⦠and Dr.
Kirkland too, my family doctor, so.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But Lord's just been so good to me.
Well, he's- Yeah ⦠he
worked out even before youâ¦
I mean, it's just amazing that you
have a nephew who specializes in this,
knew what it was during the shutdown.
Mm-hmm.
Could just take it.
Well, and was in a position of
authority enough to make the call
that, "No, you're gonna come here."
You know, 'cause there, there are loads
of people in healthcare who could have
known and been aware of, you know,
what you were dealing with and how,
you know, it's rare and it needs to
be treated, but wouldn't necessarily
have been able to be like, "No, you're
gonna come to my clinic," you know?
Yeah.
Well, and he's a full partner
at West Cancer Clinic too, so.
Yeah.
See, that's what I mean.
So I mean, he knew and- His
mother just couldn't believe it.
She said, "Well, I thought
that's what I had."
And he said, "No, it wasn't."
Mm-hmm.
But, you know, I, I don't know why, you
know, I have that, but I do know the Lord
has been with me every step of the way.
Yeah, clearly.
And I've not, I've not had
any problem with it really.
Mm-hmm.
So, Dr.
Mendelson just smiles when I come in.
He has results.
You're still doing good.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you have to go, what, twice a year?
Uh, right now I do about every six months.
Yeah.
Or every three months for lab
work, but scan every six months.
Yes.
So.
Well, I'm, I'm still expecting every
time to be a good report because- Yeah.
Well, I am too.
Back to the angel, I know people, like me,
are gonna wonder what did she look like.
Like- Yeah.
Well, it was definitely a female angel.
Mm-hmm.
And I can't really tell you
what her face looked like.
She was pretty, but her wings
were outstretched like she was
covering my part of the bed.
Mm-hmm.
You know, and- Mm-hmm.
I don't know.
It was justâ¦
She was just standing
there looking down at me.
Wow.
And it was just for a brief second
after I thought that verse, Psalms-
Mm-hmm ⦠91:11, and she was gone.
Did you feel afraid or anything at all?
No, no.
Just peace.
Just peace.
And it justâ¦
I just turned over and went back to sleep.
That's awesome.
You know.
That's awesome.
That's something I wishâ¦
I mean, I do, uh, just recently,
I'm like, "I wanna see an angel."
You know, when I pray that I'm
like, "Do I wanna see an angel?"
I know.
'Cause it's, you know- They're,
they're described kind of terrifyingly.
It's powerful.
But that- Yeah.
Yeah ⦠that type of
angel right there- Yeah
I could handle that.
Mm-hmm.
And it was amazing to me.
It was a female angel.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
I mean, I never thought about
angels female or male, really.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
I mean, I know they are, but it
was just, it was amazing, you know?
And of course, Psalms 91 is my favorite-
Yeah ⦠chapter and psalm anyway.
Yeah.
But, um, when I went to MD Anderson
once, I'll share this, excuse me.
It's how the Lord, when you get
kinda down sometimes, or when I've
been down a few times, he always
sends someone along to encourage me.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Well, my daughter had taken me there,
and she was waiting out in the hall
while I went into the restroom, and
there was only two stalls in there.
So she wondered what was taking me so
long, but I came out, started washing my
hands, and a woman came out of the other
stall and started washing her hands.
And she looked at me and she saidâ¦
She started talking, and she asked me
what I was there for and where I lived.
Had a good conversation, you know?
And she said, "Can I pray for you?"
Mm.
And I said, "Yes."
And so we stood there and prayed.
And I said, "Now, you know all about me."
Yeah.
"But I don't know who you are."
And she said, "Well, I live in Florida."
She says, "I'm having cancer
surgery on Monday for my stomach,
but everything's gonna be fine."
She s- I said, "Well, what's your name?"
And she said, "Pam Tebow."
I said, "Tim Tebow's mom?"
And she said, "Yes, ma'am."
Wow.
So- Goodness ⦠she's a
good Christian woman- Uh-huh.
Yeah ⦠and she stood
there and prayed for me.
She just said she felt led to pray for me.
Now, that was encouraging.
Yeah, I'll say.
Maebell, you're just,
you're highly favored.
I feel like- I'll say.
Like, all right.
I think it's official.
Yeah.
We have one of God's favorites.
Yes.
Wow.
Well, you know- ⦠you know, something
I've learned through this, and I knew
it, but I never thought about it.
God loves us all.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
And he loves each of us
also individually, uniquely.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So- Well, you know, as a mom,
you, you love your children.
I tell mine, "I love you all the same,"
but each is a different relationship.
That's, that's exactly right.
Yeah.
Soâ¦
And you, you discipline them different,
you talk to them different, 'cause
what works in, in a relationship
with- We're all individuals, yeah
doesn't work with that other.
We are individuals.
Yeah.
And it's just like, like I said
a while ago, it's, it was like
a father comforting his child.
How many times have I comforted one of
my children, or my husband has, you know?
Mm-hmm.
And just seems to make things better.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But, uh- I can see through the years
where he's been there so much for me.
Mm-hmm.
And I remember something, I know y'all
probably don't know him, but he meant
a lot to me growing up 'cause we went
to Bellevue Baptist before we moved
here in Memphis with Adrian Rogers,
Love Worth Finding, that preacher.
He's gone on to glory now, but I've
got his Adrian Rogers Legacy Bible,
and it's quotes he's done in there.
And one thing he says, he says, "When
trouble comes your way, and it will come
your way, if you don't spend time on your
knees, you've wasted a lot of trouble."
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's so true.
Yes.
Yeah.
That, that's a really good quote.
Mm-hmm.
I love that.
Mm-hmm.
So how, how, how did
you meet your husband?
Believe it or not, I was going
through a divorce- Mm-hmm
and, um, I was working at a 7-Eleven.
Okay.
And hadn't been working there
long, and he was a fireman that
just got off duty and came in.
Mm-hmm.
And I, I don't know, he kept
coming in, and three or four weeks
later we started talking and-
Mm-hmm ⦠the rest is history.
He just kept coming in.
Yeah, kept coming in.
Mm-hmm.
That's sweet.
Kept coming in.
That's so sweet.
How did he propose?
Well, he just, um ⦠He
says, he says, "I love you.
I wanna get married."
Oh.
So.
Listen, I'm like- He's not a romantic
⦠I'm sure like at some point we'll have
Ben on and we can talk about it, but
like Ben did not do like a wholeâ¦
He did.
I mean, Ben, there was like
a proposal moment, but we
knew we were getting married.
Like our, our wedding was paid for,
planned, done before he technically
proposed to me with like a ring,
but it was just conversational.
Like- Yeah ⦠he was like, "I, I mean,
like we're getting married, right?"
Well, my husband's not a
romantic, but he's a good
person, but he's not a romantic.
Mm-hmm.
After we got married, you know, we had
two more children real quick together,
'cause he was 30 already- Mm-hmm
and he wanted to go ahead-
Yeah ⦠and have a family, and we did.
And he didn't go to church
with me at that time.
He'd been brought up in
church, but he didn't go.
So Sunday morning was a nightmare.
We had to be at church at 8:00.
We went to the early service at Bellevue.
Mm-hmm.
And getting three kids up- Mm ⦠and
one of them hyperactive and, and- Yeah
you know, it was just, it was hard.
Yeah.
So, uh, just as I was about to walk out
the door, the youngest one pooped all
over himself, just ran down his legs.
Oh.
And I just said, "I can't do this."
Yeah.
You know, and he says, "Well, come
on, I'll help you and I'll go, too."
And so ever since, he's gone to church.
Oh.
Wow.
Oh.
Because of a poopy diaper.
God can use anything.
Yep.
He can.
So how w- how was he during this process
of you having cancer and ⦠Well,
it, he's just kinda ⦠He doesn't
show his emotions- Mm ⦠too
much, but he was all right.
He tried to do everything he could for me.
He even got somebody to help me with
my housework every couple of weeks.
Aw, nice.
Nice.
And, you know, just- That's
one, that's a real one.
Yeah.
That's one who knows how things are.
Mm-hmm.
But he, he's been real good about it,
you know, and just, he just always
expects a good report, and he goes
with me to all the appointments.
Of course, he's been through it, too, so.
Right.
Now he had half his thyroid out- Okay
because of the cancer.
And, um-
After, we just didn't feel like he
was getting the proper checkups and
all after that, so we talked to Dr.
Mendelsohn about taking him as a patient.
So he went over there with him.
Mm-hmm.
But I'll f- never forget, Dr.
Mendelsohn laughed and he told
him, he says, "I'll take you as
a patient if you don't give me
as much trouble as she does."
I
can't even imagine you giving trouble.
Yeah, no.
Yeah.
Yeah, 'cause it's, because
the kind of cancer.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Even at MD Anderson, they said at that
time it's only three people in a million-
Wow ⦠that had this, this cancer.
I mean, look at how special you are.
I tell you, I don't know why, butâ¦
And Dr.
Mendelsohn said, "I think he's had three
medullary patients that I know of."
But he said he's never had one where the
calcitonin, which is a cancer marker-
Mm-hmm ⦠it's just all over the place.
Yeah.
You know, not long ago mine was 6,000.
Wow.
And then it was down to 900.
Wow.
Then it's up to 300, 3,000 or something.
You know, it's back and forth, but
yet he said nothing's changing.
Yeah.
So.
It doesn't sound like the devil's
strategy has worked with you.
Like- Right ⦠trying to scare
you with a different everything-
Mm-hmm ⦠because you've just remained
constant- Yeah ⦠and trusted God.
And I, and I don't do everything
I should, I know, but I do trust
the Lord- Mm-hmm ⦠on things.
And if I get a bad report,
hey, He's watching over me.
Mm-hmm.
It's in the timing.
I'll share one other thing too
that happened to me that, really
a couple of things that has
shown that the Lord's been there.
When I was pregnant with
our third child, I wasâ¦
He was born in August of '74, and
this was probably around April or May.
Mm-hmm.
I had a friend that I wouldâ¦
She babysat, and I would watch
her children if she had a
doctor's appointment, and she
would watch mine if I had one.
So I was out at her place.
She lived in a trailer out at
Redwood Estates in Mississippi.
Mm-hmm.
And I was out there, beautiful day.
Had about five or six kids that I was
watching, plus one of mine and pregnant
again, or two of mine and pregnant.
Beautiful day, and all at
once it got dark outside.
Just dark, you know.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
And the wind started blowing.
And I looked out the window, and
the trailer next to me was picked
up in the air and splintered.
Oh my goodness.
And I said, "Jesus, help me."
And I got all those kids in the closet,
and you know, it's hard to do that- Yeah.
Yes ⦠with that many kids.
Yeah.
But it was a large trailer park,
and the trailer I was in was the
only one that wasn't touched.
I even got a phone call out to my husband.
Oh my goodness.
Now, it was a few trailers that were
still standing, but they- Wereâ¦
They had, yeah ⦠were very damaged.
Been damaged, yeah.
It wasn't even a picture on
the wall that was damaged.
Oh.
I mean- And when I was in nothing.
'Cause Jesus helped you.
Well, we are sitting with
one of Jesus's- No, no.
I'm saying.
No, but I mean, you know, I knew
it was the Lord at that time.
Yes.
But, uhâ¦
And I remember getting a call out to
my husband, and he was on the fire
department in Memphis at that time,
and he was in the gym working out.
And he told the guys,
"Well, I've gotta leave.
There's a thunderstorm.
My wife's kinda upset."
Well, he got so far down the road he
could see all the ambulances and all,
and it was several people killed.
Oh.
In fact, it was a little baby.
Oh.
An infant that wasâ¦
they found across the
interstate in a tree.
Oh my gosh.
But you know what?
The Lord looked out after me.
Mm-hmm.
And I think it's because
I cried out to him.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know.
Yeah.
So.
He's-- I mean, that's what he says to do.
Call to me- Yeah ⦠and I will answer.
And it was just a natural reflex for me.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I think that, mm, this might
be a hot take, but I feel like it
is a natural reflex for everyone.
We're more readily available or
readily willing, I guess, to admit,
like, and to place the credit there
because we are Christian already.
But I think even non-believers,
I mean, in, in just casual things
they'll, they'll say, "Oh my God."
Mm-hmm.
Yes.
You know?
It's, it is an inherent thing that
God puts in us to call out to him.
Mm-hmm.
That's true.
It, it just, it just is.
Yeah.
And you know, I don't know about
y'all, but sometimes I complain to God.
Uh, all the time.
All the time.
Like, I feel like, I feel like
God's like, "Maebell you don't
know who you're talking to."
One time, uh, when our youngest
was about 13, I decided that
I wanted to adopt a child.
Mm-hmm.
I was very specific.
I said, "I want a boy about two,
two and a half, and potty trained."
Didn't tell Kenneth about it
'cause I knew he'd say no.
Mm-hmm.
But, uh, I prayed, and, you know,
after a while nothing happened.
I eventually just forgot it.
And, and my youngest was
about 12 or 13 at that time.
Well, years later, I'm
complaining to God aboutâ¦
I'm on my knees, and
this has been probably-
12, 14, maybe 15 years ago
Mm-hmm ⦠I'm on my knees
complaining to God, "Lord, when is
my youngest son Kenny gonna be saved?
He's wayward.
He's an addict."
Mm.
And I was just praying, "Lord,
why don't you do something?
How long do I have to pray?"
And I just kept complaining.
And all at once, it was like a voice.
It wasn't a voice, but the thought came
to mind, I should say, "I gave you that
child you wanted, a boy two and a half
years old, or two years and five months.
I'll take care of this."
And it was Beckham.
Yeah.
But I'd had him all those years.
Yeah.
He knew that I was gonna
get him in advance, and he
knew Kenneth would want him.
But, you know, it just- Yeah.
After all those years, but I hadn't even
thought that God did answer my prayer.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But it was a lot of years
later, and like I said, I had
Beckham for a long time before.
Mm-hmm.
You know.
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
Yeah, he, he listens.
And I think it's okay to complain.
I meanâ¦
Well, he wants us to tell him our heart.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, even Job complains- Yeah.
Mm-hmm ⦠you know, to God.
I mean, God set him straight,
like he does us, too, but-
Yeah ⦠yeah, that's, that's amazing.
I mean, God wanted relationship.
Like, he created us for that purpose.
Likeâ¦
Yeah.
So- But he knows how we
are ⦠that comes with it.
Yeah.
He created us the way we are.
Yeah.
And I think, you know, nothing surprises
him, so he knew that with the fall
we'd be a complaining species, so.
Well, yeah.
And it's all through the Bible that the-
Yeah ⦠Israelites complained, and-
Yep ⦠he had to put up with that, too.
Yeah.
So.
We don't always recognize it.
Or I don't.
As a complaint?
Well, no, as when God's
answering a prayer.
Oh, yeah.
We don't always recognize
it- Mm-mm ⦠till later.
Yeah.
You know.
But, um, anyway, I'm just
thankful for all he's done for
me and look forward to many more.
So when did you start
really loving Psalm 91?
It was before that, really.
Um, I'd say a couple years
before that, probably.
It just was something that
kinda stuck in my mind.
Yeah.
Was it before Pastor Ronnie didâ¦
Like, 'cause Pastor Ronnie, I feel
like, is a big, key reason that most of
our church really holds onto Psalm 91.
I think so, too.
Like, he made such a campaign on it.
Now, I knew it before then, but
it meant more to me after that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's just like when I
was talking to Pam Tebow.
Mm-hmm.
We were talking about our favorite
verses and chapters in the Bible, and
I told her about Psalm 91, and she
said, "That's good," but she says, "My
favorite one is," I think it's Psalms 136.
And I believe that's what it is.
And I had neverâ¦
I had read it, but I had neverâ¦
That's it.
I had never really thought about it.
Mm-hmm.
But I love it now.
It's all the verses are
about his mercy toward us.
Yeah.
Everything is his mercy.
But when you read it, or when I
read it, before that I didn't really
think about it, I just read it.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
You know, but it means a lot
to me now- Yeah ⦠just when
I dwell on it and think on it.
Mm-hmm.
But, um, anyway.
That's, that's awesome.
Mm-hmm.
I'm gonna have to go read through it now.
I know.
It's a fairly long psalm- I'm like-
⦠but it's good ⦠filing it away.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, we can look it up.
It's good.
What version do you like toâ¦
I usually do the K- Mm-hmm ⦠I
do King James, but- Yeah ⦠it's
all, but it's- Let's look it up
it's all about his mercy,
thanking him for his mercy.
His mercy toward us is great, you know?
Yeah.
Great is his love.
But, um- Yeah, let's look it up.
I like looking it up in Bible Gateway.
Hmm.
I like Bible Gateway.
Oh yeah, I've heard, I mean-
Sponsored, not sponsored
⦠sponsored by Bible Gateway.
Um- If you wanna sponsor us, Bible Gateway
I, I mean, it starts out
what everybody knows.
"Oh give thanks to the
Lord, for He is good.
His mercy endures forever.
Oh give, oh give thanks to the God of
gods, for His mercy endures forever."
And it just ⦠I remember this one, it
repeats, "His mercy endures forever."
Um, that's really good.
It is ki- it's not that long.
It's only 26, but yeah.
That's good.
Very good.
"Who gives food to all flesh,
rescues us from our enemies."
That's good.
But I never really thought about that
Psalm- Yeah ⦠until she said that.
Do you have any other favorite Scripture?
scriptures or?
Well, for years I've used Matthew 6:34.
Mm-hmm.
And it's not really, I mean, not
word for word, but what it's saying
is, "Don't worry about tomorrow.
Each day has got enough
trouble of its own."
Mm-hmm.
One day at a time, and that's
what I try to do, you know?
Yeah.
I thank God for another day.
If I'm not here tomorrow, I've had today.
Mm-hmm.
And I'm not gonna worry about tomorrow.
Mm-hmm, yep.
But, uh, it's several that I like,
but I wrote them down 'cause I
was afraid I would forget them.
But I like Isaiah 40 and 28 and 29.
It says, "Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
the creator of the ends of the
earth, neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak and to those
who have no might, he increases strength."
Wow, that's good.
Mm-hmm.
That's really good.
And one I read every day is on
healing, Isaiah 53, that, "He was
wounded for our transgressions."
But I say he was wounded
for my transgressions.
Right.
Mm-hmm.
"He was myâ¦
He was bruised for my iniquities.
The chastisement for my peace was upon
him, and by his stripes I am healed."
Yeah.
Yeah.
Now I know it by heart, but I was
afraid I'd forget it, so Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
But, uh, I guess that's about it.
And it's, it's hard to
pick out a favorite verse.
It is.
It really is.
It changes from day to day or
through season to season, you know?
I- 'Cause it's living.
It's so applicable all the time.
I've read the Bible through,
I'm on my third time now, butâ¦
And I'm almost ashamed to say
it, but this is three years
reading it through this one time.
I mean- It's okay because- ⦠I
don't think that that's bad
my husband had never read it
through, and he just can't take
more than a couple chapters a day.
No.
So we read it like that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I'll finish it in the next
couple of months with him.
So that's what we do together.
That's- That's good ⦠that's super cool.
Yeah.
That is good.
But- He should have come today.
He wouldn't do that.
But- Next time.
Next time.
We'll get him some.
We'llâ¦
Yeah.
We'll let him listen to
this, see how it's easy.
Yeah.
It's no big deal.
Well, y'all make me feel at ease.
Yeah.
'Cause I was kinda nervous about it too.
Yeah, a lot of people are, but it's noth-
it's just conversation with friends.
Yeah.
So.
Yeah.
But anyway.
Well, so if youâ¦
We always ask our, the people who come
on here, if you could go back and,
like, experience in real life any Bible
story besides the crucifixion and the
resurrection, because everybody wouldâ¦
I feel like everybody would
want to experience that.
Um, what would you want to go experience
or just watch, but you're there, you know?
I don't know that I would wanna
watch it But I would be more like,
I'm fascinated by Abraham and Isaac.
Mm-hmm.
We were just talking about that.
Because I- We were.
Yeah.
Could you take your
child to be slaughtered?
No.
No.
You know, it would be hard.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
But thanks to Jesus, we
don't have to do that.
Yeah.
But it fascinates me because Abraham
had such faith and obedience.
He didn't hesitate.
Yeah.
He was just going.
Yeah.
Could we be that obedient?
No, I'm gonna tell you straight up, nope.
Nope.
Yeah.
Nope.
I couldn't be.
It'd be hard.
But I would like to have faith
and obedience like Abraham.
Yeah.
I mean, it's something we strive for- Yeah
but I'm just gonna be real, like- I
couldn't ⦠I couldn't not hesitate.
Like, there would be- I- ⦠a moment
where I'm like, "Did I hear you right?"
"Are you sure this is what-" Exactly.
You know, but he didn't.
Mm-mm.
Yeah.
So, but that might not be
what you're looking for.
No, that's fine.
Yeah, like I was listening
to, actually yesterday, 'cause
we had been talking about it.
Mm-hmm.
And I was just listening to Jesse
Duplantis, and I haven't finished
listening to it, but he was
talking about going to heaven and
he said the first person I sawâ¦
I thought I would see St.
Peter, 'cause that's what everybody says.
St.
Peter's at- Mm-hmm ⦠the gate.
Um, but he said the first
saint I saw was Abraham, and he
offered to go get me some water.
'Cause he said, "I was not- Mm.
"I was, I was in a moment."
He, he wasn't dreaming.
He, he had been caught.
He felt like he was having a vision.
So he wasn't sick.
There was no, like, he was in
the hospital and he, you know-
Yeah ⦠saw a vision of heaven.
So he said, "I was in my natural body."
And, um, Abraham said, "I'm gonna
go get you some water because you're
not gonna be able to s- to sustain
the glory of God that you're about
to witness without drinking this."
And, um, he's like, "Okay."
But heâ¦
They did talk about what
he had to s- do with Isaac.
Like, they were getting into
that when I had to shut it
off 'cause I was- Oh ⦠busy.
But yeah, I'll send it.
Yeah.
I'm like, you need to send the link, girl.
I will.
And I'll put it in this so
people can listen to it.
Okay.
But, um, but I w- he was like, "I
looked at him," and he was aâ¦
He, he kept saying,
"He's a barrel of a man."
Like, he was just so big.
Like, I didn't know-
Yeah ⦠who he was at first.
But he said, "The fact that he went to
get me water," you know, was like, okay.
Yeah.
What?
Get me some water, you know?
But it was real interesting.
But yeah, we were just talking
about- Mm-hmm ⦠you can share
about what you said about Isaac.
Um, well, I was just reading, I, I don't
even know where I saw it, and so I'm, uh,
apologies, I can't credit who it was, but
it was just on the internet, you know?
And, um, they were talking about how-
When we think about Abraham and Isaac,
we, we tend to consider Isaac as a young,
like toddler- Yeah ⦠young child.
But when you look at the math, he
was probably closer to 35 to 40
years old, like 37-ish years old,
'cause Sarah had him when she was 90.
She died right after that,
and she died at, like, 127.
So that's roughly 37 years old.
So this was not a child.
This was a grown man who understood
sacrifices, understood what was
necessary, was asking thoughtful
questions on the way up there, like,
"Dad, where's, where's the sacrifice?"
You know?
Um, carried the wood, so he was
strong, which means his dad was old.
He definitely could've overpowered him.
Um, this was not something where
Abraham, you know, picked Isaac
up and put him on the altar.
Like, Isaac had to crawl up there himself.
Like, he knew, he knew what he was doing.
So it, it was speaking about, you know,
we, we tend to give a lot of recognition
to Abraham for his obedience and his
faith, but Isaac has just as much.
And- Yeah ⦠it was just really good.
I'm gonna have to find it again.
I'd never thought about Isaac
having that much faith- Yeah
⦠'cause he really didn't know.
He was just going along with what his
dad told him, I guess, his father.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's what, yeah,
that's what we think of.
But, like, if he was, if
he was an adult, then- Yeah
you know that he knew.
He had to be obedient.
Yeah.
But also, that speaks to how
Abraham raised him to be.
Like, it w- there wasn't
a moment where heâ¦
Well, the Bible does not say
that Isaac, you know, questioned
beyond, "Where's the sacrifice?"
Like, "Where's the lamb?"
Mm-hmm.
And then once he was like, "God will
provide it," he's like, "All right."
And then he was good, you know?
So, I mean, I guess- I think that sh-
that should tell even adult children, um-
Trust your parents ⦠trust your parents,
especially- Be obedient ⦠if they're
a godly- Yes ⦠you know, example.
Trust them.
I, I agree.
Yeah.
You know, they've been through
a lot more than Isaac, so.
Yeah.
That's true.
Yeah.
But- That's a really goodâ¦
That's a good one to want
to go back to, I think.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Maybe Dewey will do it next.
Yeah, maybe.
I'll talk to D- I'll talk to
Dewey about it, and we'll see.
Well, is there anything
else that you can think of?
Like, any advice you wanna give to our
listeners about, about a spiritual walk?
What would you say?
I'd say especially to the mothers
that have children at home, teach
them the Word, have them memorize it.
Mm-hmm.
Because with, like with my son that's
away from the Lord- Mm-hmm ⦠I
don't even know where he is.
Mm-hmm.
He's in Addi- Yeah ⦠but I
know he's got the Word in him.
Mm-hmm.
We used to memorize chapters in
the Bible, memory verses, so I know
he's got the Word, and the Lord
promises His word won't return void.
True.
Absolutely true.
So, yeah.
I remember the first one
we memorized was Psalms 1.
Mm-hmm.
And it just, you know, it justâ¦
He was the first one to memorize it.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
So I know he's got the Word in him.
Yeah.
That's what I would say.
Yeah.
Ball games don't matter.
Right.
A lot of extracurricular activities.
Mm-hmm.
They're nice, but the
Bible should come first.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Soâ¦
Yeah.
That's good.
Yeah.
That's convicting, for sure.
So- It is ⦠teach your kids the Word.
That's a good, good advice.
Well, thank you so much-
Yeah ⦠for being here.
This was a- I'm so glad you came.
Yeah.
I'm so glad you agreed to come.
A, a lot of wisdom.
Thank you- Yeah ⦠for that.
But, okay.
Okay.
Well, until next time.
We'll get Kenneth on here.
Yep.
You can come back.
He probably won't.
All right.
Okay.
We'll see you later.
All right.
Bye.