Being Present is Powerful! Vickie Guillory's Story

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Hello friends. Welcome to the Her God Story podcast where you will always hear a good story to build your faith and equip you in your walk with the Lord.

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I'm your host, Jodie Chiricosta, ministry leader at Somebody Cares America and international author and traveler on this journey of faith.

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If you would take a moment to like or follow this podcast on your favorite streaming service so you won't miss an inspiring episode.

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Psalm 89:15 says, Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

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My guest, Vicki Guillory, is a sweet friend with a servant heart of compassion who has learned about the ministry of presence.

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Whether it's reaching out to neighbors, opening her home to exchange students, ministering to a family with a health crisis, providing chaplaincy support for law enforcement deputies, or being a tangible expression of God's love to those in prison,

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Vicki is always tuned in to how she can meet a need by her presence.

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And in serving, the Lord has met her with his presence.

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Welcome Vicki.

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Thank you, Jody. Thanks for having me here.

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You grew up in a strong Christian family, but found yourself struggling with a variety of issues in your teens, as many of us do, because Christianity was just doctrine to you at that point.

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Give us some background on that.

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My parents gave me a good foundation as far as biblical foundation.

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We went to church every week and sometimes several times during the week.

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So we had a really good foundation.

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I did not really connect with the Spirit of God until a little bit later on.

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So with that being said, I think I was more into just doing what was right versus that relationship with the Lord.

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Kind of the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law.

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Exactly.

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Exactly. So, but you know what?

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My parents got me on a journey.

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So that's the good thing.

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I kind of look at, you know, just the way that they raised us and put us on their journey of beginning to learn about the Bible.

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When we're in that legalistic faith, so to speak, it's not really even faith.

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It's legalism.

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We're trying to earn our way to heaven.

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We can get rebellious, can't we?

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Because we don't like all the rules and God's not a God of rules.

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He's a God of love.

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But so often, particularly when we're young and growing, we start rebelling against rules.

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And that can lead us to challenges in our lives, which you experienced a few in your young life.

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Well, I did experience, yeah, just going through that period of rebellion.

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I remember, you know, times of just being deceitful with my parents.

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Also, I just even got myself in a little bit of trouble.

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Thank God it wasn't a major thing, but you know, I did have my brief encounter with law enforcement.

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So, but you know, it was just kind of a learning experience, an eye-opener for me as I was still on this journey of just trying to figure things out.

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So even though you didn't have that personal relationship with the Lord at the time, He was still working in your life, changing your attitudes and your misperceptions.

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Tell us a little bit about some of that.

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Growing up, a good part of that was kind of doing the civil rights era.

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And so even though we as a family wasn't involved in it, you know, you hear different things on the news.

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So I'm getting information off the streets, so to speak.

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So I started developing, I think, my own prejudices as far as race and things like that go.

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And so the Lord, as God was working through me, I had to come to the realization, I think probably beginning in high school, that there had to be some shifting in my thinking.

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I eventually, after kind of having a fight with a person of another race, yeah, and it was just crazy,

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the person that I ended up in the principal's office with after the fight, we actually became great friends, you know.

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So, you know, that part worked out.

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And then as I moved into early adulthood, just started meeting more people.

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My parents had also started going from, say, an all-Black church, because, you know, for a period of time there was total segregation.

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And then we ended up going to a church that was all-white.

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So we were like the first family to integrate the all-white church.

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And I would say, for the most part, looking back on it, the reception of people was just really wonderful.

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There were, you know, a few hiccups here and there, definitely some big hiccups.

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But it's okay, because looking back on it, I recognize that, you know, people, no matter who they are, what background they come from, people can be very caring in the body of Christ.

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Yeah, and we're all on a journey of being sanctified, right?

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Amen.

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You know, when we get saved, we're not immediately like Jesus.

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I mean, we have the clothing of Jesus on the outside, but on the inside, it takes him a while to work it all out.

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Like he was working in you. I'm sure he's working in a lot of other people, too.

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After college, you went to Beaumont, Texas.

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What took you there, and what got you and you there?

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Yeah, after college, I actually did work for a little bit in Houston, then for our company.

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Our company kind of went belly flop there back in the, I guess, the early 80s, early 80s, right?

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I ended up, I had already kind of been in contact with some friends who were at a church in Beaumont, and I grew up Church of Christ.

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So a lot of this would be Church of Christ.

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So, and I loved the ministry there.

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So I went ahead, moved there, and kind of got involved with the college ministry there, even though I had just pretty much gotten out of college, but I was still kind of in the age group.

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God just started kind of opening more of His Word to me, and it started to become more real.

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Yeah, so it started moving from that legalism into really a relationship.

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Learning, yes, yes.

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And God, at that point, also started opening your heart to serve and care for people, because you were working at a home, right?

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Yes, I was working at Buckner's Children's Village in Beaumont.

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A very good experience.

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It was tough.

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It was very tough because being single at the time, I was in two homes.

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One was for girls, one was for boys.

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Each home had 16 children.

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Here I am, a residential child care worker, you know, kind of like a mom, so to speak, quote unquote, to 16 girls at one time for a period of time, and then it could be 16 boys.

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And I'm kind of going in between, which do I prefer?

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It was a good experience.

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And then just learning, I think being around the kids and in a sense developing a mother heart toward them, even though I was still in my 20s, and just growing in that way, just the heart of learning the kids, the trials that they were going through, because these kids were there because in a sense they really didn't have a home to go to where they needed to be safe.

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And then there were a few kids, too, that had come from, there was Turamon, I think, in Ethiopia.

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So we had quite a few of the Ethiopian children, too.

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So that was, I look back on that as such a blessing and I'm still in contact actually with one of them.

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That's amazing.

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I mean, yeah, you had real diverse background of the children and the issues that they had faced already at a young age.

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So God was giving you really an understanding of hurt and what it means to be present for people.

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So God eventually took you out of Beaumont and led you to Austin, Texas.

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And there you met your husband.

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I did.

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Share how that transpired and what God was doing in you during that time.

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In a sense, did not want to leave Beaumont because I loved it there, but the way things were transpiring, I did end up in Austin and that was probably one of the best decisions.

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Started working for the Attorney General's office at the time and went to the orientation.

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And of course, you know, there are several other people coming on board there.

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That was in August of 84.

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And so that's when I first saw him.

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I didn't know he would be my husband's husband.

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So, you know, but eventually he and I became friends.

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This was probably maybe a year or so later after we both started working, going through that same orientation together.

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I didn't even meet him at the orientation.

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But we eventually met and then we became friends.

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We became friends for two or three years and then the relationship developed in that period of time.

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And we decided, hey, I think there's more to this relationship than just friendship.

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Also during that time, you opened your home to an exchange student.

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I did and I honestly don't know how that happened, but it happened.

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Had a young lady come stay from Italy.

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Her name was Sada.

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She stayed with me for a summer and just a great experience, you know.

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And I think I really started learning with having her in my home.

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Started really learning about the different cultures that was out there.

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Because I never really thought about traveling overseas to other countries and all of that.

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Texas girl.

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So anyway, but I think that's what opened my heart.

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She left after that summer.

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I lost track of her and I always wondered what had happened to her during the course of decades.

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And she made contact with me through Messenger looking for me.

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And we finally connected just a couple of months ago.

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We connected.

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Oh, that's sweet.

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That's precious.

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So she was 17 at the time back then and now I think she's like in her 50s.

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Yeah, and what a sweet time for you to be able to sow into her life when she's at such an impressionable age too.

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And share not only American culture, but also your faith.

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Yes, yes.

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She's a sweet young lady.

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Yeah.

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So you and Tony continued after you got married.

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You continued to open your home and you actually became foster parents.

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How did God lead you into that?

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Because you had been kind of a foster mom before to all the children in the home in Beaumont.

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But now this is bringing in some little ones in your own home.

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I can't imagine having little ones come into your home knowing that they're probably going to be taken away from you.

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Because obviously the goal is reunification with their parents.

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Exactly.

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And that's just heart wrenching.

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The biggest gift was just maybe the way God has made me to be able to just accept the kids or accept people in a capacity like that.

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Just try to take care of them.

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It's kind of like when you see that need with them.

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You just do what you can as far as taking care of them and hoping that maybe the little seeds has been planted even though I may not see them again.

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I will admit though that when it was time for them to go it is very hard, very, very difficult.

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We didn't adopt many.

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It was a few, a handful.

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But yeah, because you do bond with the kids.

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The kids bond with you.

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And so you just have to trust that God's going to take care of them when they do leave the home.

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But something special happened.

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Through your fostering you ended up actually adopting one.

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We did.

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But that was really even kind of a surprise.

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So tell us how that transpired.

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He wasn't one of your foster children originally.

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Right, right.

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So being around in the foster community we knew other foster parents.

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So there was one family that had a little boy.

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We met him.

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It was like a foster parent party.

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And I'm just realizing that that was today.

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It was December the 20th.

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Wow.

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And it was the first time I saw him.

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We took pictures of him.

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Actually I got pictures with him when he was just a little baby.

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It was like about five months old.

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But we would babysit him for the foster parents.

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Eventually at that time he wasn't up for adoption.

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But eventually it was working out where he was up for adoption just through the course of going through the process of adoption, adopting a baby.

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We did adopt him.

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So he kind of knew us as a baby because we had been babysitting him.

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But even the foster agency?

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Yeah, even they, the staff, they kind of had it.

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It was just so, I think it was just a God thing because one of the caseworkers, when she first saw my child as a baby,

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she told the caseworker that was involved with him, he's part of her caseworker,

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told the other caseworker that is a Guillory baby.

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And I didn't even know that at the time.

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She didn't tell me this until after we had him.

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And you hadn't even started the adoption process.

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Right, yeah, hadn't started but it was like, yeah, that is a Guillory baby.

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But I remember on one Sunday, late Saturday night, Sunday morning, I had a dream.

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It was of a young man who had nothing to do with this but he was just in the dream.

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And he was walking behind Tony and he called out our names and he said, Vicki, Tony.

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And he had a little baby boy in his arms and he says, can you take this little boy and raise him?

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His mom cannot care for him at this time.

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So God just orchestrated that whole story because you had opened your heart.

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I mean, you had opened your heart to be the presence of Jesus wherever he had called you,

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whether it's opening your home to an exchange student or being a house mother to 16 little boys

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or 16 little girls or you had even served in Austin in child protection cases,

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hadn't you, a child advocacy or was that later?

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That was in Houston, right, with child advocate.

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That was after Tony and I, yeah, we were married at the time, living in Houston.

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And we did do, I was a court-appointed advocate for the children in CPS custody, yes.

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Yeah, and that's making sure that their needs are cared for in the legal process.

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Exactly, yeah.

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Instead of just lawyers wrangling.

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So I was kind of the objectionable, yeah, just for the party, for the child.

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So yeah, you had the attorneys on one side, attorneys on the other side, you had the judge.

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Whoever the judge was, they basically would, since we the objective entities in it,

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they would listen to what we had to say as far as the future of that child.

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So God has just moved you in a wide variety of ways to minister a lot to children, but to others as well.

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So you finally did adopt Markel.

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Adopted Markel, yes.

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And just spent several years raising him.

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But then came a season of struggle. Tony became ill very unexpectedly.

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So what happened? I know that was a hard season.

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What did you learn and how did you get through that time?

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I may have been around three or four years old and then we realized that, yes,

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Tony had developed some health issues, basically was needing to get on a transplant for a new liver.

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It's kind of a blur, there was so much going on because the process was just so long.

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So by the time he got on the process to get the liver, it was probably about nine, 10 months later

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before he actually did get a call. We got the call for a liver.

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And his body, Yakite's body was just getting weaker due to the liver going bad.

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We were surrounded by great family, mom, dad, brothers, also the church community we were part of at the time.

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That was like one big great family too. In a sense, I think God used them to carry us through it.

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And not just my family, it was Tony's family too.

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It was just amazing how everyone just in a sense was there for us at the times we needed.

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And so many of those friends basically was living the other part of our lives.

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They still needed to kind of go on, get things done as far as bills and taking care of Markelle at times.

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He may need to go stay with certain people while Tony was in the hospital, those type of things.

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So God really provided that source that we needed at the time.

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There's a scripture, I believe it's in Isaiah 58, where it talks about if you will give your bread to the hungry,

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if you will reach out and help other people, then when you're in need, the Lord will answer quickly.

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And that's really, I mean that just came to mind as you were telling that story.

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I mean you have given all of your life really to others in need and then when it was your time,

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the Lord surrounded you with support and help in your time of need.

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He did. And Tony made it through that surgery. Yes. And you had several more years with him.

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Yes. And I love what you shared that you learned during that time when he was in the hospital,

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how important it was to just treasure the moments together.

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And how did you do that? When he did leave the hospital after the transplant

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and we kind of went through the weeks of him recovering and gradually getting back to work,

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there was a shifting I know that happened with me when it came to what's really important and what's not.

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And so just some things that used to just really kind of get on my nerves or I may get angry with quickly,

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I kind of got to that point of, oh well, that's that. Not that I don't get angry and steal,

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that's what comes at times. But I think God has just helped me to put things in perspective and give grace,

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just giving grace to people. Yeah. And I loved you. You would go and have lunch with him in his office.

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Absolutely. Yeah. And take every moment to share that time together.

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Right. Right. Yeah. We would do that. That was a special moment.

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Sometimes I try to tell him, you don't have to work today. Why don't you just come and we can go out,

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drive out to the country. And he was like, Vicki, I need to work. I'm like, okay.

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He was the workaholic. I was the playaholic. But you're right.

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And I would sometimes go and meet him up at his office and before, you know,

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he might be trying to finish something up before we went to lunch.

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But I just remember even thinking up there, I say, you know, just take advantage of this time

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because you don't know how much time you'll have. And I'm grateful I've done that.

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You don't have any regrets with that. Presence factor. Once again, your presence together was so important.

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And I look at your life and I see how presence has always been something the Lord has worked in you

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and for you and through you. Boy, that is what people need today.

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After COVID and so much separation, we need to learn the importance of presence again.

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Yes. You know, don't we? Yes.

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Eventually Tony did go to be with the Lord. Yes. Nine years later.

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And you were left then as a single parent. Markel was a preteen boy at the time.

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Life was probably very busy. Even then you did feel the Lord's presence.

250
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Can you share a little bit about that time?

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Widowhood is particularly difficult. Right.

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And when you have, you know, a child who's grieving the loss of a parent too.

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Share what the Lord did or spoke to you or how you just, how he carried you through that time.

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How he carried me is, I'm still kind of amazed, you know,

255
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because sometimes it's like, it's almost like you can't explain it, but you know he did.

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Again, I think through people, the support of the church, the support again of family members,

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even people on his job, you know, just stayed in constant contact through the years.

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Even to this day, staying in contact, you know, you kind of go along with life

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and do what you need to do to get things done.

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At the same time, recognize that the word he has put in me,

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okay, is this going to be, is this real to me or is it not? Yeah.

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Okay. That's one of the things that I wanted to, I guess, not necessarily show,

263
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but just live that the faith is going to be solid.

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I want my faith to be solid, whether it's good times going on or if it's not so good times going on.

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That's what I want. We have to trust in the Lord with all our heart,

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not on our own understanding and all our ways acknowledge him,

267
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and then he will direct our paths. Exactly.

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And boy, I mean, when you're going through a hard time,

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you sure want your path directed by the Lord, because it's so easy to step into even worse times.

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If we go down with our own imaginations, with our own fears and let them overtake us,

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but if we're directed by the Lord, then we do find at some point the path getting brighter, don't we?

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And you know, one thing I did learn through that,

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this, you know, because you're reading the Bible about the path of righteousness.

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So I had always thought that path of righteousness was when good stuff was happening.

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Yeah. And then he taught me going through that the path of righteousness is not always going to be

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where I'm laughing and having a good time and, you know, things are going well.

277
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That path of righteousness is going to be heartache.

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It's going to be some serious struggles and it will continue to be,

279
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but that's his path of righteousness because that's what Christ, that's what Christ went through.

280
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He doesn't waste those heartaches.

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I mean, he carries us through them, but he doesn't waste them.

282
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Once he teaches us and heals us, obviously he doesn't want us with gaping wounds open,

283
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but once he heals us, then he turns around and shows us others who need to be shown the way.

284
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That has happened too. I mean, if I can even share that.

285
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You know, I remember a few weeks after we had buried Toni, I was with some friends.

286
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We'd gone down just to kind of get away, beach house,

287
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but anyway we stopped in a small community, but we stopped at a Denny's.

288
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It was so crowded and this one of the lady that waited on us,

289
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she wasn't smiling or anything like that, but she wasn't rude or anything,

290
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but something in my spirit saying, you know, something's not right.

291
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It was actually around this time of year because we buried Toni just after Thanksgiving.

292
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So anyway, she waited on us, you know, everybody got to leave.

293
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It was several of us. They all left.

294
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So as I was walking out, I told them, I said, y'all, I'll be out in just a bit.

295
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So I went back into the restaurant to find her.

296
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I found her at the register and I said, I know you don't know me.

297
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I said, I don't know what's going on.

298
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I said, but is there anything that I can be praying for you for?

299
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And she just looked at me and just started crying.

300
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She said, yeah, she said, I lost my husband not too long ago.

301
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And so I just prayed with her right then,

302
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but that was that scripture that says God will comfort you.

303
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He will comfort you so that you in turn can go and comfort others.

304
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He taught me a major lesson that day.

305
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So ever since then, I just, you know, in a sense, I pray that God will help me recognize

306
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when people are going through stuff like that, that did happen.

307
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And that was a major lesson for me to be aware of people.

308
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Even in the midst of your own grief, the Lord opened your eyes to that,

309
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which is to be applauded that you actually saw someone else

310
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and were able to reach out out of your own grief, which is what God calls us to do.

311
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I mean, it's a hard thing.

312
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Yeah.

313
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Walk in the Christian life is not for the faint hearted.

314
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I mean, God always gives us the strength we need when we rely on him,

315
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but it's not a life of ease and comfort always.

316
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Right.

317
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I mean, sometimes we have ease and comfort, but not always.

318
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I look forward, but you're right.

319
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Yeah.

320
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If it was all easy comfort, we'd be lazy.

321
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Right.

322
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You know, friends, there are widows and orphans all over the world

323
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who have special needs that we as a company of women

324
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can meet together.

325
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Would you consider joining us with a special gift to help them?

326
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Just go to hergodstory.org and click on the widow and orphan tab at the top of the page.

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Vicki, as you got your bearings a bit, your first instinct was really

328
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to find ways to serve others again.

329
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I mean, you just shared the story of, you know,

330
00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:50,580
asking a waitress if you could pray for her, which is a powerful thing,

331
00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,580
but you invested even more of your life

332
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and God started opening some unique doors for you.

333
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Tell us about some of the things you've done.

334
00:24:58,580 --> 00:25:01,280
I mean, how did he open the door for you to start working in the prison, for instance?

335
00:25:01,580 --> 00:25:02,280
Okay.

336
00:25:02,580 --> 00:25:08,280
Well, yeah, I spent some really good years with Harris County at the jail there.

337
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Kind of backing up a bit, I had come across Beth Moore.

338
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It has this Bible study called Breaking Free,

339
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and I went through it, and it just impacted me so much.

340
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I started thinking.

341
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I had never even thought like this before,

342
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but I started thinking about women that were in jail,

343
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and I'm like, they need to hear this, you know,

344
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literally not only just breaking free from being out of jail,

345
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but in our minds, we just can be prisoners in the minds

346
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and what leads us maybe to jail,

347
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and then of course experience our head back way back then.

348
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I just didn't know how to go about doing that.

349
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No clue.

350
00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,980
I went to one of the local churches there one Sunday evening

351
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which I had never done before because I was not a member of their church,

352
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but for whatever, you know, just went,

353
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and I grabbed one of their bulletins that they passed out that morning

354
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that was still there, and then I went through that service

355
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and then I went home.

356
00:26:06,980 --> 00:26:08,680
So I didn't even think about the bulletins

357
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maybe until a couple of weeks later,

358
00:26:10,980 --> 00:26:12,680
and I was kind of throwing things away,

359
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so I picked up the bulletin, getting ready to toss it,

360
00:26:15,980 --> 00:26:17,680
and I just kind of flipped through it a bit,

361
00:26:17,980 --> 00:26:19,680
and on the back page of it, it had,

362
00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:22,380
it had a little message that we're looking for volunteers

363
00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,380
to take breaking free Bible study into Harris County Jail.

364
00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:27,380
Exactly what God had put on your heart.

365
00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,380
I know, exactly, and I just like, you know,

366
00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,380
you kind of lose your breath like, wow,

367
00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,380
so we had the contact information,

368
00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:40,380
and that's how I started going into the jail,

369
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and I did breaking free,

370
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and it was just one of a life-changing things for me.

371
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And that experience, I mean,

372
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I worked in the prison for several years.

373
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In the jail.

374
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In the jail for several years,

375
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and then the Lord opened another door for you out of that

376
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to be actually a chaplain for law enforcement,

377
00:26:59,380 --> 00:27:01,080
which is on the other side of the law.

378
00:27:01,380 --> 00:27:05,080
And just explain how that happened,

379
00:27:05,380 --> 00:27:07,080
and I mean, you're doing both at the same time,

380
00:27:07,380 --> 00:27:10,080
and what God was really speaking to you

381
00:27:10,380 --> 00:27:13,080
in the midst of you being that minister of presence

382
00:27:13,380 --> 00:27:15,080
in both situations.

383
00:27:15,380 --> 00:27:17,080
Okay, but a little bit part of that too

384
00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,780
is being at Somebody Cares,

385
00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:23,780
there was chaplaincy training.

386
00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:25,780
So I went through that,

387
00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:27,780
and that was really great being able to do that through,

388
00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:29,780
so that kind of got me started

389
00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,780
as far as the training, you know, part of it goes.

390
00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:34,780
And just explain, just stop here for a moment,

391
00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:38,780
for people who might not understand what a chaplain is.

392
00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,780
I mean, you think of a chaplain, you know,

393
00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,780
maybe in a hospital, or you think of a chaplain in the military,

394
00:27:43,780 --> 00:27:46,480
and the chaplains in the military really are the pastors,

395
00:27:46,780 --> 00:27:48,480
they're just called chaplains,

396
00:27:48,780 --> 00:27:50,480
what are you talking about when you're saying a chaplain?

397
00:27:50,780 --> 00:27:52,480
I mean, were you ordained?

398
00:27:52,780 --> 00:27:54,480
You know, what is a chaplain that you're talking about?

399
00:27:54,780 --> 00:27:56,480
That's a good question, because honestly I didn't know either.

400
00:27:56,780 --> 00:27:58,480
So there you go.

401
00:27:58,780 --> 00:28:00,480
Basically as a chaplain, I'm not,

402
00:28:00,780 --> 00:28:04,480
I would say necessarily like ordained, some are,

403
00:28:04,780 --> 00:28:08,480
we are there as a support, a spiritual support,

404
00:28:08,780 --> 00:28:11,480
in whatever capacity is needed.

405
00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:17,180
In my case, I was at a jail ministry chaplain, volunteering there,

406
00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:22,180
and then eventually the sheriff at the time wanted to,

407
00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,180
thought it would be good to have chaplains in the patrol cars.

408
00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:31,180
So I became what they would, what we call a patrol chaplain,

409
00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:35,180
and I would ride the shifts with the deputies there,

410
00:28:35,180 --> 00:28:41,880
and we are there to be that spiritual support for the deputies,

411
00:28:42,180 --> 00:28:45,880
but also for the community, so that the deputies could do their jobs

412
00:28:46,180 --> 00:28:47,880
while they're out on the scene.

413
00:28:48,180 --> 00:28:50,880
Yeah, when you think about it, as I've heard from other chaplains,

414
00:28:51,180 --> 00:28:54,880
you know, when deputies go to a crime scene,

415
00:28:55,180 --> 00:28:58,880
they're tasked with identifying what happened,

416
00:28:59,180 --> 00:29:03,880
and oftentimes there are family and friends,

417
00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:08,580
who are grieving, upset, and the deputies are having to deal with

418
00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,580
all sorts of emotions, there might be someone on scene that's aggressive

419
00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,580
and needs to be handled in a police way,

420
00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:19,580
and then somebody else needs comfort and care,

421
00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,580
and so that's one of the things that you were really able to

422
00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,580
and have been able to serve as.

423
00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,580
Yes, as a matter of fact, just a few days ago,

424
00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,580
I was called out on a scene of the suicide of a woman,

425
00:29:32,580 --> 00:29:38,280
the suicide of a 15-year-old, just about a week ago,

426
00:29:38,580 --> 00:29:43,280
and I get out there, the deputy kind of gives me a little briefing

427
00:29:43,580 --> 00:29:47,280
of what's going on, and so I just go to the family,

428
00:29:47,580 --> 00:29:50,280
and they're across the street at another neighbor's house

429
00:29:50,580 --> 00:29:54,280
because the scene is being processed inside the home.

430
00:29:54,580 --> 00:29:59,280
I meet the mom and dad and other family members, the brother,

431
00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:03,980
I'm just there and I let them know I'm there for them,

432
00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:08,980
I will pray, get the opportunity, I'll ask, find out for sure,

433
00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:11,980
if it's okay with them, if I can pray,

434
00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:14,980
and with this particular family, they were open,

435
00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,980
they were not believers, but they were open,

436
00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,980
and then they wanted the rest of the family members

437
00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:22,980
and neighbors that were there to just gather

438
00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:27,980
that we all could pray together, so it's those type of things,

439
00:30:27,980 --> 00:30:31,680
yes, while the law enforcement are doing their duties,

440
00:30:31,980 --> 00:30:34,680
we can just be there, I guess, kind of as a buffer,

441
00:30:34,980 --> 00:30:38,680
emotionally, spiritually, in whatever capacity.

442
00:30:38,980 --> 00:30:44,680
And oftentimes, just having someone present with them

443
00:30:44,980 --> 00:30:46,680
makes all the difference.

444
00:30:46,980 --> 00:30:49,680
They're not alone, they're not grieving alone,

445
00:30:49,980 --> 00:30:52,680
they're not wandering alone, they're not,

446
00:30:52,980 --> 00:30:55,680
I mean, not that you have all the answers, but you're there.

447
00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,380
And then, Sid, often I'll let people,

448
00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:01,380
just like with this family, when we started to pray,

449
00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,380
I'll just let them know I don't have answers for you,

450
00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:10,380
but I can pray because we don't know, we don't know,

451
00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:13,380
what can you say, what can you really say?

452
00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:18,380
I've also been called to scenes where a wife has become a widow,

453
00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,380
husband passed away right then and there,

454
00:31:22,380 --> 00:31:26,080
and just being able to be that level of support.

455
00:31:26,380 --> 00:31:28,080
And then, because of what I went through,

456
00:31:28,380 --> 00:31:30,080
and when they realize I'm a widow,

457
00:31:30,380 --> 00:31:33,080
because sometimes I'll share that, I don't share often,

458
00:31:33,380 --> 00:31:36,080
but in cases kind of like that, I'll let them know,

459
00:31:36,380 --> 00:31:40,080
I've kind of been there, and it's like you can just see

460
00:31:40,380 --> 00:31:42,080
kind of a bit of relief coming off of them,

461
00:31:42,380 --> 00:31:46,080
even though it's still a really tough situation at the moment.

462
00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:52,780
And I've developed some relationships with a few of these people, even years later,

463
00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,780
with them, still keeping contact.

464
00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:58,780
I mean, you've shared some hard situations there,

465
00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,780
but I know you've seen God do some amazing things

466
00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,780
during your ministry times in the jail,

467
00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,780
as well as in other situations,

468
00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:09,780
serving as a chaplain with law enforcement,

469
00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:11,780
open your door to exchange students.

470
00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:13,780
I mean, I know you've seen God do some amazing things,

471
00:32:13,780 --> 00:32:19,480
share one or two that maybe encourage our listeners to step out

472
00:32:19,780 --> 00:32:22,480
and do what God's placed on their heart.

473
00:32:22,780 --> 00:32:26,480
I guess one of the things, as far as the jail ministry goes,

474
00:32:26,780 --> 00:32:32,480
I remember on one occasion, it was a room of women,

475
00:32:32,780 --> 00:32:35,480
we had circled around and we were praying,

476
00:32:35,780 --> 00:32:38,480
and we've always kind of been trying to keep your eyes open when you pray,

477
00:32:38,780 --> 00:32:41,480
but sometimes you automatically close, that's what you used to do,

478
00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:44,180
but I remember we were praying, big heads bow,

479
00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,180
and I remember, oh, my eyes are closed,

480
00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,180
so I opened my eyes up, even though our heads were bowed,

481
00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:52,180
and right when I opened my eyes up,

482
00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:56,180
I just saw tears falling from some of the women,

483
00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,180
the inmate women there.

484
00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,180
And that's one thing that has, I mean, so many things,

485
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:06,180
but things that impacted me, because it's like the heart of these women,

486
00:33:06,180 --> 00:33:11,880
even though they're in circumstances that got them to where they are,

487
00:33:12,180 --> 00:33:14,880
they want better, they want better for their lives,

488
00:33:15,180 --> 00:33:18,880
the most of them do, okay, and I don't know,

489
00:33:19,180 --> 00:33:21,880
sometimes I do know what got them there, sometimes I don't,

490
00:33:22,180 --> 00:33:24,880
sometimes they'll share, sometimes they won't, but it's okay,

491
00:33:25,180 --> 00:33:29,880
God has like, in a sense, through them, taught me His grace,

492
00:33:30,180 --> 00:33:34,880
because so many of them have shown grace to me when I'm there,

493
00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:38,580
or something messes up with whatever, a song or whatever,

494
00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:42,580
and they're just, I just learn so much from them.

495
00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,580
So I remember you mentioned one time that you kind of had

496
00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:49,580
a long-term relationship with one woman who was in solitary confinement.

497
00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,580
You obviously didn't, you don't know the end of her story necessarily,

498
00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:59,580
but you saw some growth and change in her over your time of ministry.

499
00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:03,580
Yes, yes, there was a young lady, and actually for a period of,

500
00:34:03,580 --> 00:34:08,280
several years I was in the area where the women were in solitary confinement.

501
00:34:08,580 --> 00:34:13,280
Those relationships, for the most part, was in between windows and doors,

502
00:34:13,580 --> 00:34:18,280
but just taking the word, and I think one of my things

503
00:34:18,580 --> 00:34:21,280
that God was just teaching me, just taking hope,

504
00:34:21,580 --> 00:34:26,280
it's about giving them some hope, and so they started developing,

505
00:34:26,580 --> 00:34:31,280
and she started developing more and more of a hunger for God,

506
00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:34,980
and she started sharing things with me that she had been reading,

507
00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:37,980
and it's all through solitary confinement.

508
00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:42,980
There were occasions when the detention officers would let the women out,

509
00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,980
maybe once or two at a time, something like that, with solitary confinement.

510
00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:50,980
So she eventually was transferred onto the prisons,

511
00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:52,980
the state prison system.

512
00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:58,980
She actually wrote me a letter, and then she remembered,

513
00:34:58,980 --> 00:35:04,680
I had shared one of Doug Stringer's books, and it may have been...

514
00:35:04,980 --> 00:35:05,680
Who's Your Daddy Now?

515
00:35:05,980 --> 00:35:07,680
Who's Your Daddy Now, thank you.

516
00:35:07,980 --> 00:35:13,680
She ended up writing a letter to him of how that had impacted him.

517
00:35:13,980 --> 00:35:15,680
That was so many years ago, I almost forgot about it.

518
00:35:15,980 --> 00:35:17,680
Yeah, it really changed her life.

519
00:35:17,980 --> 00:35:20,680
She actually accepted Jesus through that.

520
00:35:20,980 --> 00:35:23,680
I mean, initially she was hard-hearted.

521
00:35:23,980 --> 00:35:27,680
Yeah, because coming in, and it's not even just her.

522
00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:32,380
Remember, another young lady, she couldn't say anything

523
00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,380
without having a string of profanity words.

524
00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:40,380
I saw her transforming too, and I'm like, wow.

525
00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,380
She would actually go, when I would come there,

526
00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:45,380
she would go pretty much the whole time,

527
00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,380
even if something did come out of her mouth,

528
00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:51,380
she would apologize, and she started sharing things

529
00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:54,380
how the word was just changing in her.

530
00:35:54,380 --> 00:35:59,080
So I'm not sure where she is now, but she's one of those women

531
00:35:59,380 --> 00:36:02,080
that I think about that I saw transformation.

532
00:36:02,380 --> 00:36:03,080
Yeah.

533
00:36:03,380 --> 00:36:04,080
So that was good.

534
00:36:04,380 --> 00:36:09,080
God calls some to water, and some to plant, and some to reap.

535
00:36:09,380 --> 00:36:12,080
And you've had a little bit of each, I think.

536
00:36:13,380 --> 00:36:16,080
Absolutely. I don't know if I have time to share this,

537
00:36:16,380 --> 00:36:19,080
but sometimes when you go and do these things,

538
00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:26,780
and just going in, you don't see any results or anything from it,

539
00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,780
and then you start thinking, well, is this even making a difference?

540
00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:32,780
And I was really struggling for a little bit there,

541
00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:36,780
a period of time, like, I think I'm going to get this up, da-da-da-da.

542
00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:39,780
But my other friend, her name is Vicki,

543
00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:45,780
who we were going in together for a period of time,

544
00:36:45,780 --> 00:36:49,480
and she was ministering to the ladies.

545
00:36:49,780 --> 00:36:53,480
She had gone to hear Beth Moore speak with some friends,

546
00:36:53,780 --> 00:36:57,480
and then afterward they had gone out to a restaurant to eat.

547
00:36:57,780 --> 00:37:00,480
And so as they were ordering their food,

548
00:37:00,780 --> 00:37:04,480
they were talking about the lesson and all of that just all bubbly.

549
00:37:04,780 --> 00:37:08,480
So the waitress told them, you ladies sure are happy here.

550
00:37:08,780 --> 00:37:10,480
What are y'all doing, and where are y'all been?

551
00:37:10,780 --> 00:37:14,480
So they explained to her about, we went to hear Beth Moore.

552
00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:18,180
And she said, oh, she said, you know, that's awesome.

553
00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:25,180
I was in Harris County Jail, and there were two women that came in,

554
00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:27,180
and both of their names were Vicki.

555
00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:30,180
One was black, one was white.

556
00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:34,180
But they came in and ministered to me while I'm in the jail.

557
00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:37,180
She said, and that lesson, and I don't know what the lesson was,

558
00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:39,180
but that lesson that they shared that day,

559
00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:43,180
she said, I made up my mind then to change my life and turn it around.

560
00:37:43,180 --> 00:37:46,880
And this was just in a restaurant in Houston.

561
00:37:47,180 --> 00:37:48,880
And it was the other Vicki.

562
00:37:49,180 --> 00:37:50,880
It was the other Vicki.

563
00:37:51,180 --> 00:37:52,880
That's how we were kind of identified,

564
00:37:53,180 --> 00:37:54,880
the black Vicki, the white Vicki.

565
00:37:55,180 --> 00:37:56,880
I mean, how other people identify us like that.

566
00:37:57,180 --> 00:37:59,880
But we worked well together.

567
00:38:00,180 --> 00:38:02,880
But God used that.

568
00:38:03,180 --> 00:38:04,880
But when she told me that story,

569
00:38:05,180 --> 00:38:08,880
because Vicki did not know that I was kind of, you know,

570
00:38:09,180 --> 00:38:11,880
are we doing any good here?

571
00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,580
Every minute I say, oh, Vicki, I say, thank you for sharing that.

572
00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:15,580
I needed it.

573
00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:18,580
Because you just don't know.

574
00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:21,580
And the same thing is kind of even with the patrol chaplaincy thing,

575
00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:24,580
you know, being in the community, working with the deputies,

576
00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:26,580
does any of this really matter?

577
00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,580
But God is teaching me, you know, it's like periodically

578
00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:31,580
He just puts something out there.

579
00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:33,580
It's like, yep, you're still doing what you need.

580
00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:35,580
Everyone's telling Shana it's a little light.

581
00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:37,580
See that? See that it's growing.

582
00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:40,580
Yeah, he gives me, you keep going with it.

583
00:38:40,580 --> 00:38:43,280
So Vicki, what would you say to people who are struggling

584
00:38:43,580 --> 00:38:45,280
with where God has them right now?

585
00:38:45,580 --> 00:38:47,280
I mean, they could be in any kind of circumstance.

586
00:38:47,580 --> 00:38:49,280
They could be grieving the loss of somebody

587
00:38:49,580 --> 00:38:52,280
or they could be struggling in ministry

588
00:38:52,580 --> 00:38:54,280
that they just like you were at one point.

589
00:38:54,580 --> 00:38:56,280
What has really helped you?

590
00:38:56,580 --> 00:38:59,280
What are some of those lessons that God's woven into your life

591
00:38:59,580 --> 00:39:01,280
that can help others?

592
00:39:01,580 --> 00:39:03,280
One would be never give up.

593
00:39:03,580 --> 00:39:06,280
And that's something I try to share,

594
00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:10,980
even at roll call periodically or with the deputies' kids.

595
00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:13,980
I remember going into Austin and I was kind of having

596
00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:15,980
one of those moments of, okay,

597
00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:17,980
I want to just forget all this, right?

598
00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,980
But I got to this, I exited off the freeway

599
00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:24,980
and there was this construction area going on

600
00:39:25,280 --> 00:39:27,980
on one of the blocks of the construction

601
00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:30,980
in big black letters it had,

602
00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:33,980
never ever give up.

603
00:39:33,980 --> 00:39:36,680
And that's what I said.

604
00:39:36,980 --> 00:39:38,680
Huh? Okay.

605
00:39:38,980 --> 00:39:41,680
So it's when I'm having those moments, I think about that.

606
00:39:41,980 --> 00:39:43,680
So that's what I try to tell people.

607
00:39:43,980 --> 00:39:46,680
Just sharing the lessons God teaches me,

608
00:39:46,980 --> 00:39:49,680
even through just regular stuff like that.

609
00:39:49,980 --> 00:39:51,680
He teaches me through the Bible.

610
00:39:51,980 --> 00:39:53,680
He teaches me through sermons.

611
00:39:53,980 --> 00:39:55,680
He teaches me through songs.

612
00:39:55,980 --> 00:39:58,680
But he teaches me through his creation.

613
00:39:58,980 --> 00:40:02,680
And he teaches me through a writing on a wall.

614
00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:05,380
It's like never ever give up.

615
00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:08,380
So that's one of the things I just try to share with people

616
00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:11,380
and to God has this plan.

617
00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:17,380
And whatever path that he has you on,

618
00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:20,380
just continue to go for.

619
00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:22,380
You may detour or whatever.

620
00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:24,380
He may have you on a detour,

621
00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:26,380
but just know that he still, wherever you are,

622
00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:31,380
he still has this plan for you, for his kingdom purposes.

623
00:40:31,380 --> 00:40:33,080
And he's there when you call.

624
00:40:33,380 --> 00:40:36,080
I think there are a few times when you were just like,

625
00:40:36,380 --> 00:40:39,080
is it making a difference? What am I doing, Lord?

626
00:40:39,380 --> 00:40:41,080
And whenever you had cried out,

627
00:40:41,380 --> 00:40:46,080
even if it was just in your heart, in your mind, God answers.

628
00:40:46,380 --> 00:40:48,080
Yes, he does answer.

629
00:40:48,380 --> 00:40:51,080
And in so many different ways too.

630
00:40:51,380 --> 00:40:53,080
It's just amazing.

631
00:40:53,380 --> 00:40:58,080
Sometimes it could even just be in a sunset or sunrise.

632
00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:01,780
I remember even being out on the beach one time,

633
00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:03,780
and it was early morning.

634
00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:07,780
I was singing, shout to the Lord.

635
00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:12,780
And this happened, but this has really happened.

636
00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:15,780
But that part in the song that says about promises

637
00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:17,780
that you have for me,

638
00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:20,780
and as I was singing that part of the song,

639
00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:24,780
saying those words, a rainbow just totally appeared in the sky.

640
00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:25,780
Wow.

641
00:41:25,780 --> 00:41:30,480
It was not there, but it totally appeared in the sky.

642
00:41:30,780 --> 00:41:32,480
And I was like, oh my gosh.

643
00:41:32,780 --> 00:41:34,480
Wow, what confirmation.

644
00:41:34,780 --> 00:41:36,480
Yeah, the promises that he has.

645
00:41:36,780 --> 00:41:39,480
So Vicki, there are so many amazing women in the Bible.

646
00:41:39,780 --> 00:41:42,480
Is there one whose story has inspired or encouraged

647
00:41:42,780 --> 00:41:44,480
or taught you something?

648
00:41:44,780 --> 00:41:46,480
And how does her story relate to yours?

649
00:41:46,780 --> 00:41:50,480
There's so many, because I think in different stages of my life

650
00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:55,180
and different seasons, there's probably been different women.

651
00:41:55,480 --> 00:42:00,180
So if I got to pick one, which I could pick about five or six.

652
00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:02,180
Yeah, you could share more than one.

653
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:06,180
But one that really stands out for me right now

654
00:42:06,480 --> 00:42:10,180
is the lady who was at the whale, the Smurri lady.

655
00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:13,180
And the reason, I guess it kind of sticks out now

656
00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,180
because I've watched that Chosen thing.

657
00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:18,180
And I was like, wow.

658
00:42:18,180 --> 00:42:20,880
Her background was not like hers.

659
00:42:21,180 --> 00:42:22,880
I think we go through times, and I go through times

660
00:42:23,180 --> 00:42:28,880
where I may be feeling empty or dry.

661
00:42:29,180 --> 00:42:32,880
And when I recognize that's what's going on,

662
00:42:33,180 --> 00:42:35,880
it's like I can go to the Word, go to God.

663
00:42:36,180 --> 00:42:39,880
If I need to just go, even if it's an hour or two hours away

664
00:42:40,180 --> 00:42:42,880
and just be still before Him.

665
00:42:43,180 --> 00:42:45,880
It's like God refreshes me.

666
00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:50,580
And sometimes it happens in such a way.

667
00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:52,580
Sometimes it's those real gentle ways.

668
00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:55,580
Sometimes it's in those really wild ways,

669
00:42:55,880 --> 00:42:58,580
like say with the rainbow approaching in the sky.

670
00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:04,580
I try to, I'm looking at that, it's like I will share with people.

671
00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:06,580
I want to go tell people what He's done.

672
00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:08,580
Like you got to come see this.

673
00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:12,580
What she says in the Bible, come see a man.

674
00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:14,580
I want people to see Him.

675
00:43:14,580 --> 00:43:16,280
I had that experience even at the jail.

676
00:43:16,580 --> 00:43:23,280
Come see a man just wanting to let people know about this Christ.

677
00:43:23,580 --> 00:43:27,280
And not in a preachy way, because I'm not a preachy person.

678
00:43:27,580 --> 00:43:31,280
I don't want to be in a judgmental way, but just in His grace.

679
00:43:31,580 --> 00:43:34,280
And just know that it's Him.

680
00:43:34,580 --> 00:43:39,280
It's not just a religious activity or a church activity.

681
00:43:39,580 --> 00:43:40,280
It's Him.

682
00:43:40,580 --> 00:43:41,280
It's a relationship.

683
00:43:41,580 --> 00:43:42,280
Back to that.

684
00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:44,980
Exactly. It's His presence walking with you.

685
00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:46,980
Because that makes all the difference.

686
00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:49,980
So Vicki has discovered that the Lord is present in her life

687
00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:51,980
no matter what she's going through.

688
00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:53,980
Psalm 125:2 says,

689
00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:55,980
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

690
00:43:56,280 --> 00:44:00,980
so the Lord surrounds His people, both now and forevermore.

691
00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:04,980
Not only is the Lord with us, He surrounds those who are His.

692
00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:06,980
If you've never put your faith in Jesus,

693
00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:08,980
there is no better time than now.

694
00:44:08,980 --> 00:44:12,680
Romans 10:9- 11 says,

695
00:44:12,980 --> 00:44:14,680
If you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord,

696
00:44:14,980 --> 00:44:16,680
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,

697
00:44:16,980 --> 00:44:17,680
you will be saved.

698
00:44:17,980 --> 00:44:20,680
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified,

699
00:44:20,980 --> 00:44:24,680
and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

700
00:44:24,980 --> 00:44:27,680
As scripture says, anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.

701
00:44:27,980 --> 00:44:30,680
He rescues us from darkness and despair,

702
00:44:30,980 --> 00:44:32,680
and transfers us into His kingdom,

703
00:44:32,980 --> 00:44:36,680
where we have forgiveness and where we have life.

704
00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:38,380
We're adopted into His family,

705
00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:41,380
and we can be sure that He will never leave us,

706
00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:43,380
and He will never forsake us.

707
00:44:43,680 --> 00:44:45,380
If you want that relationship, just talk to God.

708
00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:48,380
Let Him know you believe that Jesus died for your sins,

709
00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:49,380
and rose again defeating Satan.

710
00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:52,380
Then submit your life to Him.

711
00:44:52,680 --> 00:44:54,380
It's a personal relationship you're starting.

712
00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:55,380
It's not legalism.

713
00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:57,380
So use your own words. He'll understand.

714
00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:01,380
Or call our prayer line at 855-459-CARE,

715
00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:05,380
and one of our volunteers will be happy to pray with you.

716
00:45:05,380 --> 00:45:10,080
Vicki, would you take a moment and pray with everyone who listens to this amazing God story?

717
00:45:10,380 --> 00:45:12,080
Oh, Heavenly Father, we thank you.

718
00:45:12,380 --> 00:45:15,080
God, thank you so much just for this time,

719
00:45:15,380 --> 00:45:18,080
just being able to share this opportunity.

720
00:45:18,380 --> 00:45:24,080
Lord, right now, God, I just want to lift up every person, every woman,

721
00:45:24,380 --> 00:45:27,080
Heavenly Father, who may be listening to this podcast,

722
00:45:27,380 --> 00:45:32,080
that God, you will put it in them to know you,

723
00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:35,780
that your presence is with them, Heavenly Father,

724
00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:39,780
that taking that time to be still before you, to know you,

725
00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:41,780
is what we all need, Heavenly Father,

726
00:45:42,080 --> 00:45:44,780
to know that you are the God of hope.

727
00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:47,780
So God, even as your Word tells us that,

728
00:45:48,080 --> 00:45:50,780
you are God of grace, you are God of mercy,

729
00:45:51,080 --> 00:45:52,780
you are God of forgiveness.

730
00:45:53,080 --> 00:45:57,780
But God, you are God that wants to have that relationship with us.

731
00:45:58,080 --> 00:46:00,780
You are calling us like every moment of the day.

732
00:46:00,780 --> 00:46:04,480
So help us, Lord, just take that time, be still,

733
00:46:04,780 --> 00:46:08,480
and fill each woman, God, with your joy and peace

734
00:46:08,780 --> 00:46:11,480
as they learn to trust in you, God.

735
00:46:11,780 --> 00:46:13,480
Thank you again for who you are.

736
00:46:13,780 --> 00:46:16,480
Thank you for Christ. Thank you for salvation.

737
00:46:16,780 --> 00:46:17,480
Amen.

738
00:46:17,780 --> 00:46:19,480
Thank you for tuning in.

739
00:46:19,780 --> 00:46:21,480
In our show notes at hergodstory.org,

740
00:46:21,780 --> 00:46:24,480
you'll find links to scriptures and other helpful information.

741
00:46:24,780 --> 00:46:27,480
And don't forget our free six-week devotional on Women of the Bible.

742
00:46:27,780 --> 00:46:29,480
It's downloadable on our website.

743
00:46:29,480 --> 00:46:32,180
You can also purchase a 12-week devotional for just $12,

744
00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:35,180
and all the proceeds go to support widows and orphans

745
00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:37,180
through Somebody Cares.

746
00:46:37,480 --> 00:46:39,180
We also invite you to join the growing number of women

747
00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:41,180
who support widows and orphans with us.

748
00:46:41,480 --> 00:46:43,180
You can do that at hergodstory.org

749
00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:45,180
by clicking on the Widow and Orphan Fund.

750
00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:47,180
As I've mentioned before, we'd love to pray with you

751
00:46:47,480 --> 00:46:49,180
on our 24-7 prayer and text line,

752
00:46:49,480 --> 00:46:54,180
so you can give us a call or text anytime at 855-459-CARE

753
00:46:54,480 --> 00:46:57,180
or email us at prayer@somebodycares.org.

754
00:46:57,180 --> 00:46:59,880
If you know someone who would benefit from Vicki's story,

755
00:47:00,180 --> 00:47:01,880
please share this episode with them.

756
00:47:02,180 --> 00:47:04,880
And now, dear friends, I leave you with a blessing

757
00:47:05,180 --> 00:47:07,880
adapted from 1 Thessalonians 3:13.

758
00:47:08,180 --> 00:47:10,880
May God strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy

759
00:47:11,180 --> 00:47:13,880
in the presence of our God and Father

760
00:47:14,180 --> 00:47:16,880
when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.

761
00:47:17,180 --> 00:47:19,880
Her God Story is a ministry of Somebody Cares America

762
00:47:20,180 --> 00:47:20,880
and international.

763
00:47:21,180 --> 00:47:23,880
To find out more about or support the ministry,

764
00:47:23,880 --> 00:47:27,580
go to somebodycares.org.