1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: Life audio and in Rachel Ruth thanks for joining me. 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: Thank you, Michael, We're so bud of the review. You're welcome. 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 2: And Graham Watts and daughter Rachel Ruth Wright, co authors 4 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 2: of the new book God Won't Leave You There, Joseph's Story. 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 2: W Publishing Group and Thomas Nelson are the publishers this group. 6 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: This book, I should say, was formed. 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 2: Out of personal battles for both of you guys. I 8 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 2: think many people that follow those battles. It's about lessons 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: you guys learned during those trials. What first stirred your 10 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 2: hearts to write this book together? And why did Joseph's 11 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 2: story feel like the right story to kind of parallel 12 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 2: your stories with? 13 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 3: Why? 14 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 4: Rich Truth think that, well, because I was teaching. I 15 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 4: teach an online Bible study, and I was teaching the 16 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 4: Book of Genesis and got halfway through and ended up 17 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 4: out of the blue having two rare heart attacks called 18 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 4: SCADS spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Anyhow, the inside of my 19 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 4: ARTERI ishredded, and I should have died. God supernaturally like 20 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 4: kept me alive. But anyhow it was and it was 21 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 4: a lot of suffering after that for three years of 22 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 4: just in and out of the er, and lots of 23 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 4: pain because it could happen again. But in the middle 24 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 4: of all that, I went and started teaching my Bible 25 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 4: study again, you know. I was like, Lord, I'm just 26 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 4: gonna get back in it and teach and got to 27 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,199 Speaker 4: the story of Joseph, you know, which I knew the story, 28 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 4: but then studying it, it just came alive to me, 29 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 4: and it meant so much because Mom and I had 30 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 4: been through so many things. I mean, it's just one 31 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 4: of the things, but we've been through a lot of suffering. 32 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 4: And so when I told Mom, I was like, Mom, 33 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 4: we have to do a book on Joseph, and I 34 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 4: just feel like it's such a burning inside to do it. 35 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 4: And she agreed, and she wanted to tell you how 36 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 4: her dad had been, you know, wanting her to write 37 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 4: a book on Joseph. But that's kind of where it started, 38 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 4: and it comes out of I think that the timing 39 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 4: of it. We had to go through a lot of 40 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 4: suffering to be able to even write a book on Joseph, 41 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 4: and not that we can compare herselves to him at all, 42 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 4: but but we understand what suffering is and have been 43 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 4: through a lot, and I think that's why it just 44 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 4: kind of comes out of our I guess our praise 45 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 4: of the Lord for pulling us through hard things. 46 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: Amen to that Andy, everything that about. 47 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 3: I've just referred to what she spoke about. So I've 48 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 3: written I think twenty two books on my own, and 49 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 3: then we've written three together or anyway somewhere in there. 50 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 3: And every time I wrote a book, my father and 51 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 3: my husband were the first ones to read it. And 52 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 3: after my father read one of my books and commented 53 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 3: on it invariably, he said, and the next one you 54 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 3: need to write is on Joseph. And I never felt 55 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 3: I taught Joseph, and I knew about it, but I 56 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 3: never felt the freedom to do it. And I believe 57 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 3: God withheld it from me because he wanted me to 58 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 3: do it with Rachel Ruth, and she's done an amazing job. 59 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 3: We let her put this in first person because it 60 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 3: just worked. It was a collaborative effort, so I don't 61 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 3: mean how I wasn't involved, but she put it in 62 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 3: the first person, and she found things she read between 63 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 3: the lines, and so she has very vivid imaggeration, but 64 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 3: it's it's based on truth. As she went scripture verse 65 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 3: by verse and and it's it's amazing how the story 66 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 3: you feel it, you smell it, you send you know, 67 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 3: see it. You It's like you enter into Joseph's story. 68 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 3: So it's been a blessing to both of us to 69 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 3: revisit his life and to apply it to ours, and 70 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 3: God willing to help other people apply it to theirs too. 71 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 5: For those who don't know your stories, I don't want 72 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 5: to just heelp briefly tell people about that. Of course, Rachel, 73 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 5: with you, you already mentioned that your your your hearts, 74 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 5: your heart issues that that you had, uh, and of 75 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 5: course you had. 76 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: Cancer diagnosis and other issues as well. 77 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 2: And and your family has has faced some other personal 78 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: battles in the past few years that we've all read about. 79 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: Tell me how have you guys personally experienced God's God's 80 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: peace during these dark times? Because it's easy to want 81 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 2: to just give up, Hollie, how have you guys persevered well. 82 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 3: The things out I'll take that if it's okay. One 83 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 3: of the things that Joseph went through when he was 84 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,839 Speaker 3: seventeen years of age and he was living in Jacob's 85 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 3: house and or his tent, and God gave him two dreams. 86 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 3: And in those days he didn't have the written scripture, 87 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 3: they didn't have even the Penatuke. He was before all that, 88 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 3: and so God spoke to them through dreams and visions, 89 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 3: and he gave Joseph two dreams that were different, but 90 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 3: they said the same thing, that he would be a 91 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 3: leader and even a leader over his family. And so 92 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 3: that was God's word to Joseph, and I believe he 93 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 3: clung to that. When he was sold in as slavery, 94 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 3: he went into part of his house. He became a 95 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 3: leader as a slave, and part of his house. When 96 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 3: he was thrown into prison, he became a leader in 97 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 3: the prison. When he was elevated to second in command 98 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 3: of Egypt, he became a leader in Egypt. He was 99 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 3: second in command under Pharaoh. And so I believe he 100 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 3: drove his faith down into God's word. And for me, 101 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 3: the difficult things I've been through and ray truth can 102 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 3: give him testimony. God has given us promises, He's given 103 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 3: us his word on which to base our faith. So 104 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 3: when you're going through something really awful, you want to 105 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 3: get out of it. You want to be relieved, you 106 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 3: want to be healed. You don't want to hurt anymore 107 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 3: or grieve anymore, and that's very normal. But we don't 108 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 3: live by our feelings, you know. We have to live 109 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 3: by our faith. And we put our faith in God's word. 110 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 3: And God has promised us saw in twenty three that 111 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 3: when you walk through the valley of the Shawder, he'll 112 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 3: be with you. And Asaiah forty says, when you walk 113 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 3: through the water, so he'll be with you. And Gibrius 114 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 3: tells us that he will never leave us or forsakah. 115 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 3: So the first group of chapters in the book is 116 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 3: the fact that God was with Joseph and then he 117 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 3: was guiding Joseph, and he did bring Joseph through and 118 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,559 Speaker 3: rach Truth would have that same testimony. Yeah, I do. 119 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 4: I think going through so many hard things, I clung 120 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 4: to God's word and I couldn't have made it through 121 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 4: it without it. And I think I was so overcolm 122 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 4: with I actually had PTSD like a nine out of 123 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 4: a ten BTSD from these because it could happen again. 124 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 3: It was super painful. 125 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 4: I mean, Morphie didn't even touch it. 126 00:05:58,400 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 3: It was so bad. 127 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 4: And and and so just after the couple weeks after 128 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,799 Speaker 4: having them, God gave me a promise, and the promise 129 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 4: was you will not go that way again. And I 130 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 4: knew God was telling me You're not gonna have another 131 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 4: scared heart attack. But then I had to trust him. 132 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 4: And so for the years that followed, just clinging to 133 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 4: God's word and realizing, you know, just bit by bit 134 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 4: He's trustforth that I can't. I mean, I knew he was, 135 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 4: but he took me on a deep level and I 136 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 4: was able to see him comfort me and encourage me. 137 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 4: And it's always at night when it's worse, you know, 138 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 4: when the pain's were said, You're just gonna be out 139 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 4: of this. And I would really go to the songs 140 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 4: so often, and God would speak to me over and 141 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 4: over and over again, even to the point that one 142 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 4: night I thought I needed to go to the hospital 143 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 4: and and and the Lord I felt to me spoke 144 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 4: clearly that I was gonna be okay, and so I 145 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 4: was like, all right, I'm just gonna trust you. And 146 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,919 Speaker 4: the next morning I was fine. And and so not 147 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 4: that you don't go to the hospital but when you 148 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 4: need to. But but God just walked me through a 149 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 4: really dark time and He is my everything. And God's 150 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 4: word is what I clung to because it's him talking 151 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 4: to me, and I could hear his voice and claim 152 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 4: his promises. And that's what gave me peace, even though 153 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 4: it was really really difficult, and but he did bring 154 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 4: me through what I'm doing good now. 155 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: So how do you stay at beat during those times? 156 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 3: Though? 157 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 2: There have to be moments for each of you where 158 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 2: you just wake up and you don't want to you 159 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: don't want to deal with that. 160 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: You just kind of want to give up. 161 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: And how do you respond to someone who's wondering, who's 162 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: going through pain right now it might be facing a 163 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: cancer diagnosis, how do they go on. 164 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 3: The grief, the pain, the wanting to get out of it, 165 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 3: that is just so normal, that's just you can't avoid that. 166 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 3: And so one of the things I went through when 167 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 3: I've been married for forty nine years and my husband 168 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 3: and responsive on our pool and got him on life support, 169 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: and then three days later we released him to go 170 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 3: to glory. And you know, I would be less than 171 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 3: honest if I didn't tell you that I grieved. I 172 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 3: still grieve for my husband and I loved him and 173 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 3: I miss him and think of all the things that 174 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 3: today we could be doing together, you know, just but 175 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 3: you can't stay there. And I think the difference is 176 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 3: in their focus. So when I went through breast cancer 177 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 3: and the chemo and the you know, radiation, all that 178 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: follows you, you put my focus on Jesus, and I 179 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 3: know that God is in the details. God my life 180 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 3: belongs to Him. So everything in my life works together 181 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: for my good, which is the old waction. Good for 182 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:43,959 Speaker 3: my life is to be like Jesus, to conform into 183 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 3: the image of Christ, and for God to glory. And 184 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: that's Roman'sday twenty eight and so so I just have 185 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 3: to stay focused on You and except wherever comes in 186 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 3: my life is coming from His hand, not from the 187 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 3: enemy or not from somebody else's And asking God, what 188 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 3: do you want me to learn from this? What do 189 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 3: you want me to get out of this? You know what? 190 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 3: Don't want to miss the blessings. And one of the 191 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 3: things that helps me, or helped me stay upbeat and 192 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 3: still does actually is to look for the blessings along 193 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 3: the way. And I think we can get so focused 194 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 3: on the pain and the grief and the disruption and 195 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: all the doctor's appointments and the treatments and the needles 196 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 3: and the things I can't stand. You know, but if 197 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 3: you can just look at the blessings. And Rachel, Ruth 198 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 3: and my other daugh Mar went with me to every 199 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 3: chemo treatment and and I told one was ober almost 200 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 3: was said, because those treatments became like mission trips, and 201 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 3: we had opportunity to pray with people in the chemo 202 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 3: lounge or nurses or doctors, And so you can share 203 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 3: the Gospel where you go and to see the blessing 204 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 3: of God in those difficult places. So I think one 205 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 3: of the keys is just getting your eyes off yourself, 206 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 3: off your pain, off your circumstances, lifting them up, looking 207 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 3: to Jesus and asking how he wants you to handle this. 208 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 3: And and I feel like Joseph did. We're not told 209 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 3: that Joseph that God spoke to Joseph, but again and 210 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 3: again it said God was with him, God gave him favor. 211 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 3: And I think Joseph was aware of that that he 212 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,599 Speaker 3: was blessed everywhere he went, where there was Potiphar or 213 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 3: the prisoner ward and then with Pharaoh and ultimately reconciliation 214 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 3: with his family. So to stay focused on the blessings, 215 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 3: count your blessings and doesn't mean that you don't breathe 216 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 3: and weep and have to go to the doctors and 217 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 3: dread those needles. 218 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:32,079 Speaker 1: But they're blessings there, Rachel Ruth, do you anything to 219 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: add to that? 220 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 4: Yeah? 221 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 3: I do. 222 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 4: I think the thing that was just awesome studying Joseph's 223 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 4: life is that every single thing had a purpose in 224 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 4: his life. It was there was all a reason for it. 225 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 4: He had to get God had to get into Egypt, 226 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 4: so unfortunately had to give you know, thrown a pit 227 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 4: and sold in his slavery. But but God had a 228 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 4: reason for that. And then in Potiphar's house, God was 229 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 4: teaching as he could have been like I'm in, I'm 230 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 4: the slave. I don't want this, I want to be home. 231 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 4: You know, this is not I had for my life. 232 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 4: But instead he went to work and God taught him 233 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 4: through the Egyptian language, taught him how to run a home, 234 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 4: taught him how to run fields and no finances and 235 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 4: everything he was teaching him in the middle of suffering. 236 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 4: He could have just been wallowing in his pain and 237 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 4: suffering and just given up, but instead he learned what 238 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 4: he could out of the suffering. And then he gets 239 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 4: thrown into prison, and then that's where he learns Pharaoh's court, 240 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 4: you know. And so God had a reason for every 241 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 4: single thing, but it was his attitude in it, and 242 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 4: he chose to trust God in and just you know, 243 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 4: handle the situation in a godly way. And I think 244 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 4: the thing that we have to remember in our suffering, 245 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 4: God doesn't just toss him out like like just a whim. 246 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 4: Let's give her this, Let's give him that, like every 247 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 4: single thing that happens in our life is for a reason. 248 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,679 Speaker 4: And so those those three especially the three years after 249 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 4: the heart attacks, when it was so hard and I 250 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 4: cried so much and I was in so much pain, 251 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 4: and doctors were like, I don't know what to tell, 252 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 4: you know, and it was so difficult. But this struggle 253 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 4: is part of God's plan because I had to struggle 254 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 4: to learn that He's trustworthy. And if I was in 255 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 4: a struggle, I'd be like, you can tell me it's trustworthy, 256 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 4: but okay, you know, but now I've learned to my 257 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:20,719 Speaker 4: core that he is trustworthy. And so don't despise this struggle. 258 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 4: I think, just embrace what guy's trying to teach you. 259 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 2: In the middle of it, Amena, that this is a 260 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 2: mother daughter collaboration. 261 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: You guys referenced that earlier. What was it like writing 262 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 1: this together? 263 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 3: Maybe? 264 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: What did you learn about one another while doing this? 265 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,839 Speaker 3: I learned that race Ruth is a great writer, a 266 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 3: great imagination, and she knows how to weave a story 267 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 3: so that you just feel like you're in it, you know. 268 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 3: And so I helped to polish it, added some you know, illustrations, 269 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:52,599 Speaker 3: and deleted someone and you know, did is like almost 270 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 3: like a m me duty content editor as well as 271 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 3: the front piece is Then at the end of each 272 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 3: chapter we added something. And because both of us could 273 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 3: see Jesus in Joseph's life, and so we call it 274 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 3: Jesus in the Shadows, And so at the end of 275 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,719 Speaker 3: each chapter there's just a paragraph about the characteristics in 276 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 3: Jesus that we see in Joseph in that in that 277 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 3: particular chapter. And so, you know, we collaborate on it 278 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 3: all and I just feel like it was it was 279 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 3: a blessing. And because both of us love God's word, 280 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 3: we love the story of Joseph, we believe that this 281 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 3: is a message that's very timely because everybody we know, Michael, 282 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 3: almost without exception, is suffering in some way that if 283 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 3: they are not suffering they're going to suffer or they 284 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 3: have suffered. Is just life is hard, and I think 285 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 3: things that they are accelerated just at an enormous pace 286 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 3: because I believe we're coming up to the end of 287 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 3: human history. But it's it's really a difficult time. And 288 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 3: I think this message of Joseph's life that God won't 289 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 3: leave you, that even if you're suffering last an entire lifetime, 290 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 3: when you step into eternity, if you're a child of God, 291 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 3: is going to be all over and He's going to 292 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 3: bring you through to a place He's prepared for you. 293 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 3: So the message I believe is for such a time as. 294 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,839 Speaker 2: This, Rachel, with our time is winding down, Do you 295 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 2: have anything to add to what your mother said? 296 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, no, I just I mean I love working with 297 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 4: her and we the way that God planned it. 298 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:15,319 Speaker 3: I mean, I feel like I'm the least likely in 299 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 3: the family to a bit. 300 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 4: In ministry, but God picks the weak things. And then 301 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 4: I think Mom and I's personalities go. We're different but 302 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 4: similar in our deep love for the Lord and our giftings. 303 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 4: And so God's really used it and it's been such 304 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 4: a blessing. So he uses the my adhd and he 305 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 4: uses Mom's incredible focus and it just brings it together. 306 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 6: You know. 307 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 4: I think it's neat to have both of our insights 308 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 4: in it and makes it very rich. And so it's 309 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 4: been a blessing. 310 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 2: If you like today's episode, please subscribe and leave a 311 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 2: five star review. 312 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 6: That's how we help more people just like you find 313 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 6: the show. A big thanks to the team at Life 314 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 6: Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. If 315 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 6: you go to life on dot com, you will find 316 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 6: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. 317 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: See you next time.