1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,880 S1: Welcome to our Wednesday edition of the program from the 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,000 S1: heart to the heart for the heart, we call it 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,440 S1: Chris Fabry Live. We begin with a thank you on 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:17,000 S1: this Veterans Day. Thank you, veterans who are listening. Thank 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,759 S1: you for your service, your sacrifice. And I want to 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,360 S1: thank the families of those veterans as well. Those who 7 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,920 S1: serve do not serve alone. There are people who surround 8 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:31,200 S1: that veteran parents, siblings, spouses, children. We remember you today 9 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,839 S1: as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Today at 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,720 S1: the Radio Backyard Fence. Real treat for you. We're going 11 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,959 S1: back 40 years to reminisce about a cultural phenomenon in 12 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:45,839 S1: the Christian world. Can you believe it's been 40 years? 1986, 13 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,519 S1: a book was published that took us to the small 14 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:53,720 S1: college town of Ashton and introduced us to a skeptical reporter, 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,279 S1: a pastor who knew something was going on and the 16 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,830 S1: war in the heavenlies. Frank Peretti will join us straight 17 00:01:00,830 --> 00:01:03,550 S1: ahead to spread a little spiritual light on our world. 18 00:01:03,550 --> 00:01:07,910 S1: 40 years after he gave us this present darkness. There's 19 00:01:07,910 --> 00:01:12,709 S1: a new anniversary edition. It's gorgeous hardback, it's purple, and 20 00:01:12,709 --> 00:01:18,350 S1: it's our featured resource at Chris Fabry live.au. Thank you 21 00:01:18,350 --> 00:01:20,990 S1: for being here today. Thanks to my co-laborers behind the 22 00:01:20,990 --> 00:01:23,910 S1: glass today. Ryan McConaughey doing all things technical. Trish is 23 00:01:23,910 --> 00:01:27,190 S1: our producer. Lisa is helping out. Josh is going to 24 00:01:27,190 --> 00:01:29,310 S1: be answering your calls today. If you want to talk 25 00:01:29,350 --> 00:01:32,190 S1: with Frank Peretti. Give us a call. Thanks to Phil 26 00:01:32,190 --> 00:01:35,190 S1: Shepherd too, who went back in the archives for us. 27 00:01:35,350 --> 00:01:37,950 S1: And thank you, William and Idaho for becoming a back 28 00:01:37,950 --> 00:01:41,229 S1: fence partner. William is giving a monthly gift. He'll get 29 00:01:41,230 --> 00:01:44,030 S1: my back fence, post a video that we send out 30 00:01:44,030 --> 00:01:47,230 S1: every Thursday, and he's going to get a signed copy 31 00:01:47,230 --> 00:01:49,550 S1: of The Promise of Jesse Woods and a whole lot more. 32 00:01:49,590 --> 00:01:52,790 S1: Be like William. Become a back fence partner today and 33 00:01:52,790 --> 00:01:55,710 S1: you'll have access to our. Thank you each month this month. 34 00:01:55,750 --> 00:02:00,510 S1: Allison Bixby's journaling as a spiritual practice is our gift 35 00:02:00,510 --> 00:02:04,230 S1: to you. This is one of those transformative thank you's. 36 00:02:04,230 --> 00:02:06,790 S1: I'd love to send you a copy. Become a partner 37 00:02:06,790 --> 00:02:09,470 S1: like William did. Give a one time gift. You can 38 00:02:09,470 --> 00:02:14,829 S1: go to the website Chris Fabry live.org. Chris fabry.org. Or 39 00:02:14,830 --> 00:02:19,710 S1: call 86695. Fabry. Thank you for your support of the 40 00:02:19,710 --> 00:02:27,190 S1: radio backyard fence. (866) 953-2279. Frank Peretti is a New York 41 00:02:27,190 --> 00:02:30,389 S1: Times best selling Christian suspense author whose books have sold 42 00:02:30,389 --> 00:02:35,070 S1: more than 15 million copies. Groundbreaking novels This Present Darkness 43 00:02:35,430 --> 00:02:42,150 S1: and Piercing the Darkness helped shape modern Christian suspense fiction 44 00:02:42,470 --> 00:02:47,150 S1: and introduced millions of readers to stories exploring faith, prayer 45 00:02:47,350 --> 00:02:50,149 S1: and spiritual warfare. I have a copy of the 40th 46 00:02:50,150 --> 00:02:53,670 S1: Anniversary Collector's Edition in front of me. It came out yesterday. 47 00:02:54,150 --> 00:02:57,859 S1: You can find out more at the website. Chris Fabry live.org. 48 00:02:58,180 --> 00:03:00,419 S1: Frank Peretti how in the world are you? 49 00:03:01,139 --> 00:03:05,540 S2: Well, I am doing pretty well for 75 years old. 50 00:03:07,340 --> 00:03:10,620 S2: It's been a while. Yeah. I've had my ups and downs, 51 00:03:10,620 --> 00:03:14,140 S2: but I'm still here. So, boy, I'm at the Lord's service. 52 00:03:14,139 --> 00:03:16,739 S2: Whenever he wants me to do. Whenever he wants me 53 00:03:16,740 --> 00:03:20,139 S2: to be. Uh, count me in. I'll keep going as 54 00:03:20,139 --> 00:03:21,299 S2: long as he enables. 55 00:03:21,660 --> 00:03:25,299 S1: That's what you have said all through the years. And 56 00:03:25,300 --> 00:03:27,900 S1: here's another thing. I looked up you and Barbara Jean. 57 00:03:27,900 --> 00:03:31,260 S1: You dedicated the book back then and today to Barbara Jean. 58 00:03:31,460 --> 00:03:35,940 S1: You were married in June of 1972, so more than 59 00:03:35,940 --> 00:03:39,660 S1: 54 years ago. How in the world has she put 60 00:03:39,660 --> 00:03:41,020 S1: up with you all these years? 61 00:03:41,900 --> 00:03:46,980 S2: Oh, she is one very, very special woman. Yeah. You know, 62 00:03:46,980 --> 00:03:50,300 S2: she still loves me. Gives me a hug and a kiss. 63 00:03:50,300 --> 00:03:54,860 S2: And oh, I am blessed, Chris. I'm really blessed. She's 64 00:03:54,860 --> 00:03:55,970 S2: a wonderful woman. 65 00:03:56,370 --> 00:03:58,730 S1: Is it true that you at one point lived in 66 00:03:58,730 --> 00:04:00,090 S1: a remodeled chicken coop? 67 00:04:02,290 --> 00:04:06,370 S2: Yeah. That's true. Yeah. And then we lived in a 68 00:04:06,370 --> 00:04:10,210 S2: travel trailer. 25 foot travel trailer with the shack built 69 00:04:10,210 --> 00:04:13,810 S2: around it. That was my masterpiece. Built in out of 70 00:04:13,850 --> 00:04:18,250 S2: packing plywood, and it looked like Ma and PA Kettle 71 00:04:18,250 --> 00:04:21,930 S2: sitting up there on the hill when I wrote this 72 00:04:21,930 --> 00:04:25,890 S2: present darkness in that trailer with the shack built around it. 73 00:04:26,970 --> 00:04:30,370 S1: And it took you like five years to do that, right? 74 00:04:31,089 --> 00:04:38,850 S2: Yeah. From 1978 to 1983. Uh, five years. I was, 75 00:04:38,890 --> 00:04:42,610 S2: you know, working, making a living, pastoring a church with 76 00:04:42,610 --> 00:04:46,610 S2: my dad. Um, oh, it was a long process, but 77 00:04:46,610 --> 00:04:49,290 S2: it was one of those, uh, you know, the Lord 78 00:04:49,290 --> 00:04:51,570 S2: lays on your heart and you just gotta do it 79 00:04:51,570 --> 00:04:53,810 S2: before you die. I really felt that way. 80 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,680 S1: Well, and and you were, as I recall, Frank and 81 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,359 S1: I were going over the the history. I remember meeting 82 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,360 S1: you face to face in the studio in Chicago in 83 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,080 S1: the 80s. It wasn't when when this present darkness first 84 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:13,560 S1: came out, it sold like 4200 copies that first year. 85 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,080 S1: So nobody knew about it. And then the next year 86 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,760 S1: something happened. And after that, you know, and so I 87 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,360 S1: think it was like late 80s that you came to 88 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,920 S1: the studio. And I remember you saying that you spent 89 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,640 S1: some time you were pastoring, but you also were making 90 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:31,800 S1: skis and a ski factory, weren't you? 91 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:37,800 S2: Oh my. Yeah, K2 snow skis. I was, I worked 92 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,960 S2: in the side painting that I worked in the, the 93 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,960 S2: press room running the big molding machines. And, uh, yeah, 94 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,039 S2: that was kind of the story of my life for 95 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,960 S2: a couple of years. Uh, you got to do what 96 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,800 S2: you got to do, you know? all. Uh, I was 97 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,960 S2: in the pastorate for about five years, and while I 98 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,159 S2: burned out. Uh, I just couldn't do it anymore. And, uh. Well, 99 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,960 S2: there was a factory on Vashon Island where we lived 100 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:11,120 S2: near Seattle, and I got a job working at the 101 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:16,040 S2: ski factory. And, um, it wasn't until this present darkness 102 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:20,200 S2: really began to sell. People began to find out about 103 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:25,039 S2: it that I. Oh, the day came when I got 104 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:29,520 S2: out of the factory. And I remember my first day 105 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:35,560 S2: as a full time writer. I was beginning Piercing the Darkness, 106 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:39,840 S2: the sequel, uh, Crossway books and giving me an advance 107 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,400 S2: so I could, uh. They asked me, how long is 108 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,880 S2: it going to take to get a sequel? And I said, well, 109 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,320 S2: probably another five years. And they said, how much do 110 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,630 S2: you need to live on? So we we worked that 111 00:06:53,630 --> 00:06:56,630 S2: out and, uh, yeah, I went full time. I was 112 00:06:56,630 --> 00:06:59,950 S2: still sitting in the shack, the travel trailer with the 113 00:06:59,950 --> 00:07:04,710 S2: shack built around it. But hey, I had my first computer, 114 00:07:05,230 --> 00:07:06,790 S2: so that was quite the deal. 115 00:07:06,950 --> 00:07:11,070 S1: Okay, so right there, because in the new version of this, 116 00:07:11,070 --> 00:07:14,429 S1: the 40th anniversary edition, this is what I like the most. 117 00:07:14,430 --> 00:07:17,390 S1: I like the, the new introduction and the ending that 118 00:07:17,390 --> 00:07:19,950 S1: you write. You don't change the ending of it, but you, 119 00:07:19,950 --> 00:07:23,390 S1: you just have some reflections there. But all throughout the 120 00:07:23,390 --> 00:07:31,270 S1: book are these copies of your original typed version of 121 00:07:31,270 --> 00:07:34,470 S1: the first draft. And you can see, you know, in 122 00:07:34,470 --> 00:07:37,430 S1: your handwriting, you kind of scratch this out and you 123 00:07:37,470 --> 00:07:41,350 S1: change this, you change that. And then the story continues. 124 00:07:41,350 --> 00:07:44,750 S1: I loved that, and I don't know how in the 125 00:07:44,750 --> 00:07:48,830 S1: world you found that first edition, the original copy. 126 00:07:49,590 --> 00:07:53,980 S2: Isn't that cool? Um, that was the original. Let me 127 00:07:53,980 --> 00:07:57,340 S2: read back the clock. Uh, I was working at the 128 00:07:57,340 --> 00:08:01,700 S2: University research library at UCLA when I was going to 129 00:08:01,700 --> 00:08:06,180 S2: school down there. And, uh, they were throwing out a 130 00:08:06,180 --> 00:08:11,660 S2: whole stack of form letters. Um, I think they had 131 00:08:11,660 --> 00:08:15,180 S2: something to do with your book is overdue, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, 132 00:08:15,620 --> 00:08:17,620 S2: they were throwing them out and I was a poor 133 00:08:17,620 --> 00:08:20,420 S2: student at the time, and I saw a deal when 134 00:08:20,420 --> 00:08:23,620 S2: I saw it, you know, hey, those form letters are 135 00:08:23,620 --> 00:08:27,060 S2: blank on the back. So I said, you know, they're 136 00:08:27,060 --> 00:08:28,940 S2: going to throw them out. I said, I'll take them. 137 00:08:29,620 --> 00:08:32,020 S2: So I took this big old stack of form letters 138 00:08:32,020 --> 00:08:36,980 S2: home and I put I put the first page in 139 00:08:36,980 --> 00:08:40,860 S2: my old Royal medallion two electric typewriter with a broken 140 00:08:40,860 --> 00:08:46,060 S2: left margin. I started tapping out this present darkness on 141 00:08:46,059 --> 00:08:50,900 S2: the back of UCLA form letters. I still have those 142 00:08:50,900 --> 00:08:56,459 S2: original letters, you know, the original manuscript in my closet and. Well, 143 00:08:56,900 --> 00:08:59,900 S2: David C cook heard about that and they said, oh, 144 00:09:00,660 --> 00:09:03,180 S2: get that digitized, get a copy of that and send 145 00:09:03,179 --> 00:09:06,900 S2: it to us. And so at the beginning of every 146 00:09:06,900 --> 00:09:11,020 S2: chapter in this new 40th anniversary edition, they've got a 147 00:09:11,020 --> 00:09:15,699 S2: page typed on the back of a UCLA form letter with, 148 00:09:15,740 --> 00:09:18,900 S2: you know, all the corrections and the scratch outs and 149 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:23,420 S2: the so. Well, there's some history for you. I still 150 00:09:23,460 --> 00:09:25,700 S2: have that old original manuscript. 151 00:09:25,820 --> 00:09:27,579 S1: I loved it, and I love it that you remember 152 00:09:27,580 --> 00:09:29,420 S1: the type of typewriter, because I was going to say, 153 00:09:29,420 --> 00:09:32,459 S1: was it an IBM Selectric? No, it was a royal, 154 00:09:32,580 --> 00:09:34,260 S1: but it was electric. Right? 155 00:09:34,660 --> 00:09:37,220 S2: Yeah, yeah. I was big time then, man. I had 156 00:09:37,220 --> 00:09:38,540 S2: an electric typewriter. 157 00:09:40,140 --> 00:09:43,140 S1: And that's the other thing about this story, Frank. It 158 00:09:43,140 --> 00:09:46,980 S1: is set in time. It is set in a time 159 00:09:46,980 --> 00:09:50,650 S1: when there were no cell phones, there was no internet. 160 00:09:50,650 --> 00:09:55,570 S1: You had the newspaper reporters with a cassette player. You 161 00:09:55,570 --> 00:09:57,690 S1: know all of that. So here's what I'm going to do. 162 00:09:57,730 --> 00:09:59,650 S1: I'll call a time out. We're going to take a break. 163 00:09:59,690 --> 00:10:02,250 S1: I'll settle down because I'm so excited to talk with 164 00:10:02,250 --> 00:10:05,410 S1: Frank Peretti. I want to ask him some writing advice. 165 00:10:05,410 --> 00:10:07,410 S1: You may want to do the same. Or you want 166 00:10:07,450 --> 00:10:10,929 S1: to ask about this present darkness. The question that I 167 00:10:10,929 --> 00:10:13,490 S1: put up on Facebook, and you can answer it there 168 00:10:13,530 --> 00:10:17,410 S1: or give me a call. How have Frank Peretti stories 169 00:10:17,530 --> 00:10:21,130 S1: touched your life? You can answer on Facebook or call 170 00:10:21,130 --> 00:10:27,290 S1: this number (877) 548-3675. You waited 40 years to talk with 171 00:10:27,290 --> 00:10:36,250 S1: Frank Peretti. Today it might happen. (877) 548-3675. This Present Darkness, 172 00:10:36,490 --> 00:10:40,370 S1: the 40th anniversary edition is our featured resource. Chris Fabry 173 00:10:40,370 --> 00:10:53,640 S1: live dot. We opened the door to the back fence 174 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,360 S1: and look who strolled in. Frank Peretti, New York Times 175 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,360 S1: best selling author. This present darkness has come out now. 176 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,840 S1: It's the 40th anniversary edition. It's our featured resource. It 177 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:08,240 S1: is just gorgeous. And for those of you who read 178 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,240 S1: it 40 years ago and then gave your copy away, 179 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:18,800 S1: here's a good idea. Uh, and our number is (877) 548-3675. 180 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,960 S1: I went back and listened to a conversation we had 181 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,600 S1: at the Christian Booksellers convention in in 95, so it 182 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:29,160 S1: was 31 years ago. And there was a lady named 183 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,800 S1: Dorothy who called us at the time. You were living 184 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:34,719 S1: in Idaho. Are you still in Idaho? 185 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,240 S2: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Still same area? Pretty much. 186 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:44,480 S1: Um, and Dorothy said that she sees you writing on 187 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:50,120 S1: your tractor and it was a Kabuto or something like that. 188 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:51,520 S1: Do you still have that tractor? 189 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:57,080 S2: Oh my word. I've had three Kubota's Kubota. Okay, sounds 190 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,560 S2: like a commercial. But, uh, then we moved to our 191 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:05,120 S2: most recent house. We've been here going on six years, 192 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:10,079 S2: but it came with a John Deere tractor. So I'm 193 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:14,000 S2: driving a John Deere now. And, you know, I'm kind 194 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,040 S2: of the guy, you know, I put on my cap 195 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,720 S2: and my flannel shirt and I go out and drive 196 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,320 S2: my tractor. And no home should be without one. 197 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,160 S1: Yes, exactly. Okay, so I looked it up. And if 198 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,320 S1: if the internet is correct, when this present darkness came out, 199 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:35,120 S1: it was originally cost $6.50. Is that does that sound true? 200 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,120 S2: Uh, yeah, I guess so. That's a good guess. 201 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:44,270 S1: Okay, so at at 650, what you got. When I 202 00:12:44,309 --> 00:12:46,630 S1: held it in my hand. I remember when you came 203 00:12:46,630 --> 00:12:48,750 S1: to the studio and there was somebody from Crossway who 204 00:12:48,750 --> 00:12:52,550 S1: was with you. And when I said this, the person 205 00:12:52,550 --> 00:12:55,790 S1: was in the control room and I saw him clap 206 00:12:55,790 --> 00:12:59,469 S1: his hands and just say, yes. What I said was, 207 00:12:59,470 --> 00:13:02,790 S1: there is a feel to this book. There is a 208 00:13:02,790 --> 00:13:06,270 S1: feel to the paper. There's something about it that just 209 00:13:06,270 --> 00:13:10,309 S1: feels so good. And I think that was part of 210 00:13:10,309 --> 00:13:13,310 S1: the sales. You know, it wasn't just the word of 211 00:13:13,350 --> 00:13:16,750 S1: mouth or just the story. There was something about the 212 00:13:16,750 --> 00:13:19,709 S1: tactile feel of that book. Do you agree with that? 213 00:13:21,070 --> 00:13:24,990 S2: You know, I've heard a lot of people say that. Um, yeah, 214 00:13:24,990 --> 00:13:27,510 S2: that's probably true. I hadn't really thought about it that 215 00:13:27,510 --> 00:13:31,390 S2: much because I've seen this book in so many different forms, 216 00:13:31,429 --> 00:13:37,350 S2: you know, and, and this 40th anniversary edition, it's out there, uh, 217 00:13:37,350 --> 00:13:40,590 S2: as a physical book, as an e-book, it's going to 218 00:13:40,590 --> 00:13:45,179 S2: be an audiobook. But hey, this this book, the physical 219 00:13:45,220 --> 00:13:49,180 S2: book is it's a Cadillac, you know, it's got lots 220 00:13:49,660 --> 00:13:51,660 S2: it's got lots of cool stuff. 221 00:13:52,580 --> 00:13:55,860 S1: Well, maybe it's a Tesla. Yeah. You used to be Cadillac. 222 00:13:55,860 --> 00:13:57,579 S1: Now it's a Tesla, but. 223 00:13:57,620 --> 00:13:58,620 S2: You can't give it that. 224 00:13:58,660 --> 00:14:02,420 S1: Yeah. Okay. You have not updated it. You didn't make it, 225 00:14:02,460 --> 00:14:05,100 S1: you know, knew where everybody's got a phone that they're 226 00:14:05,100 --> 00:14:08,380 S1: carried around with them. It is the original story. Why 227 00:14:08,380 --> 00:14:09,740 S1: did you decide to do that? 228 00:14:10,340 --> 00:14:13,300 S2: That's yeah. You know we talked about that. Oh, should 229 00:14:13,300 --> 00:14:17,660 S2: we update it? And then, uh, you know, it's interesting. 230 00:14:17,660 --> 00:14:23,270 S2: I wrote this back in the mid wow from 78 231 00:14:23,270 --> 00:14:28,180 S2: to 83. Wow. That's back there. There were no personal computers, 232 00:14:28,180 --> 00:14:33,180 S2: no cell phones. Um, the people in the newspaper office 233 00:14:33,180 --> 00:14:37,580 S2: there use typewriters. They paste up the newspaper with actual 234 00:14:37,620 --> 00:14:42,050 S2: paper galleys, uh, if they need to contact each other, 235 00:14:42,050 --> 00:14:47,290 S2: they have to get to a phone somewhere. Um, what's, uh. Well, 236 00:14:47,330 --> 00:14:50,570 S2: number one, if we updated it and gave everybody a 237 00:14:50,570 --> 00:14:54,490 S2: cell phone that would torpedo a lot of the suspense 238 00:14:54,490 --> 00:14:58,850 S2: in the story because they could contact each other immediately. Uh, 239 00:14:58,890 --> 00:15:01,890 S2: it would make their research a lot easier. Instead of 240 00:15:01,930 --> 00:15:04,930 S2: going around and talking to people and snooping around, they 241 00:15:04,930 --> 00:15:07,530 S2: can just go on the internet and find out. Uh, 242 00:15:07,850 --> 00:15:11,370 S2: it's just really jimmied up the story. And then, well, 243 00:15:11,370 --> 00:15:14,530 S2: we finally decided, you know what? Let's just call it 244 00:15:14,530 --> 00:15:19,330 S2: a period piece. This is it's a story written back 245 00:15:19,490 --> 00:15:23,770 S2: in the late 70s to early 80s. And, uh, it 246 00:15:23,770 --> 00:15:27,890 S2: really stands alone on its own as, as that it's 247 00:15:27,890 --> 00:15:31,090 S2: genuine to the time it was written. So. Oh, cool. 248 00:15:31,130 --> 00:15:32,370 S2: We'll go with that. 249 00:15:32,370 --> 00:15:34,890 S1: Look at what happened. You wrote a historical novel and 250 00:15:34,890 --> 00:15:36,010 S1: you didn't even know it. 251 00:15:37,850 --> 00:15:38,450 S2: Yeah. 252 00:15:40,290 --> 00:15:42,690 S1: Okay, I have a lot of questions for you, but 253 00:15:42,690 --> 00:15:45,050 S1: I'm going to open the phone lines. If you've always 254 00:15:45,050 --> 00:15:48,570 S1: wanted to talk with Frank Peretti and tell him what 255 00:15:48,810 --> 00:15:51,810 S1: this present darkness or Piercing the Darkness or another book 256 00:15:51,810 --> 00:15:56,410 S1: that he has written, what it means to you. Eight. 7754836. 257 00:15:56,490 --> 00:16:00,570 S1: Seven five. Laura is in Tennessee. Hi, Laura. Go right ahead. 258 00:16:00,930 --> 00:16:04,810 S3: Hello. Uh, thank you for writing these books, but what 259 00:16:04,810 --> 00:16:09,210 S3: I wanted to say is, um, the oath actually showed 260 00:16:09,210 --> 00:16:13,570 S3: me how ugly and stinky sin is. How that even 261 00:16:13,570 --> 00:16:15,810 S3: if you think you've got it hidden, other people can 262 00:16:15,850 --> 00:16:18,050 S3: sense it and smell it and tell it. And I 263 00:16:18,050 --> 00:16:20,290 S3: think that's a very important thing as a Christian, to 264 00:16:20,330 --> 00:16:21,330 S3: know about sin. 265 00:16:21,690 --> 00:16:26,170 S1: MM. I think that came out in 95, didn't it, Frank? 266 00:16:27,170 --> 00:16:30,730 S2: Boy, you would know, I don't remember, but it sounds 267 00:16:30,730 --> 00:16:36,210 S2: about right. That that is very, very good observation. I'm 268 00:16:36,210 --> 00:16:40,320 S2: glad the book meant that to you? Um, well, just 269 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,880 S2: a little anecdote. I was, you know, looking for an idea, 270 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,000 S2: and I'm going to be real vague here. I don't 271 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,800 S2: want anyone to. But I was on a Christian cruise 272 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:57,960 S2: with some really named Christian personalities, and it turned out 273 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:02,000 S2: that there was. Man oh man. There was some sinful 274 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:06,560 S2: behavior going on. And, uh, I was troubled about that. 275 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:12,960 S2: And then that night, I dreamed about a dragon. And 276 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,480 S2: in the morning I said, hey, that would be a 277 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:21,560 S2: good way to do a parable about sin. Let's put 278 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:23,880 S2: sin in a body and make it a dragon and 279 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:27,880 S2: show how it sneaks into the heart, how it becomes 280 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,720 S2: a pet, how it begins to rule your life. And, um, 281 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,040 S2: that that's a good story that makes a good movie. 282 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,710 S2: But you're so right. That's exactly what the book is about. 283 00:17:38,710 --> 00:17:40,070 S2: Thank you very much. Yes. 284 00:17:40,070 --> 00:17:40,830 S4: Thank you. Laura. 285 00:17:41,030 --> 00:17:45,070 S1: Okay, so you mentioned the M word movie. I remember 286 00:17:45,109 --> 00:17:48,710 S1: now this was late 80s and you didn't say this 287 00:17:48,750 --> 00:17:52,430 S1: on the air, but at the time you said we 288 00:17:52,430 --> 00:17:57,870 S1: have interest from Howard Kazanjian about the. Wow. What was 289 00:17:57,869 --> 00:18:01,350 S1: working with Star Wars at the time? You mentioned his 290 00:18:01,350 --> 00:18:04,950 S1: name as being interested, and now it's been 40 years 291 00:18:04,950 --> 00:18:07,470 S1: and I still haven't seen the film. Did I miss it? 292 00:18:08,510 --> 00:18:13,270 S2: No, it's been quite a saga. Uh, let's see. Uh, 293 00:18:14,310 --> 00:18:19,310 S2: Howard Kazanjian, Bruce Isaacson and Dean Jones wanted to make 294 00:18:19,310 --> 00:18:24,070 S2: a movie, and, uh, they couldn't quite get the financing together. 295 00:18:24,270 --> 00:18:28,150 S2: They sold the rights to 20th Century Fox. 20th Century 296 00:18:28,150 --> 00:18:33,510 S2: Fox sat on it for about 30. That's three zero years. 297 00:18:34,150 --> 00:18:37,270 S2: And then MGM picked it up with some other producers. 298 00:18:37,510 --> 00:18:40,870 S2: They went their way without doing anything. And then there 299 00:18:40,869 --> 00:18:44,990 S2: was another producer after that. That was interesting. And now 300 00:18:45,150 --> 00:18:50,389 S2: we have some really nice, real strong Christian believer guys 301 00:18:50,390 --> 00:18:54,550 S2: that are they're going to try it again. So God 302 00:18:54,550 --> 00:18:59,750 S2: has his timing for things. And, uh, well, me, me listening, 303 00:18:59,750 --> 00:19:04,550 S2: something might come to the surface. It might become public, uh, 304 00:19:04,590 --> 00:19:08,430 S2: this coming year. Maybe they'll start, you know, working on 305 00:19:08,430 --> 00:19:10,229 S2: it or something. But here's what I. 306 00:19:10,630 --> 00:19:13,389 S1: Here's what I think, Frank. I think it would be, 307 00:19:13,430 --> 00:19:16,910 S1: it would be a great film, but a serial, you know, 308 00:19:16,950 --> 00:19:19,990 S1: like an eight part series, it could be an entire 309 00:19:19,990 --> 00:19:23,629 S1: series that is done. What do you think of that idea? 310 00:19:24,150 --> 00:19:27,910 S2: I think that's just fine. There's plenty of material there. 311 00:19:28,350 --> 00:19:31,470 S2: We may end up having to do that because it 312 00:19:31,470 --> 00:19:36,260 S2: is a big Story with a lot of content and 313 00:19:36,260 --> 00:19:39,260 S2: a lot of characters and so forth. If you try 314 00:19:39,260 --> 00:19:43,420 S2: to shrink it down into a movie length, um, at 315 00:19:43,460 --> 00:19:47,419 S2: least I'm finding out there's a lot we're missing a 316 00:19:47,420 --> 00:19:51,100 S2: lot and isn't as big as it ought to be, but, uh, 317 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:55,180 S2: we'll see how things go. Uh, that's an excellent idea, though. 318 00:19:55,220 --> 00:19:58,460 S2: I as a matter of fact, the oth, uh, there 319 00:19:58,460 --> 00:20:02,060 S2: were some folks talking about making the oth a, uh, 320 00:20:02,380 --> 00:20:05,379 S2: when you call it like a streamed miniseries kind of thing. 321 00:20:05,900 --> 00:20:09,580 S2: About six episodes or something like that. And, uh, that 322 00:20:09,580 --> 00:20:12,220 S2: that would be a good idea. So man, you know, 323 00:20:12,540 --> 00:20:16,380 S2: things have changed over 40 years. You know, the things 324 00:20:16,380 --> 00:20:17,140 S2: you can do. 325 00:20:17,540 --> 00:20:18,340 S4: Exactly. 326 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:23,100 S1: Okay, so you went to 14 publishers because you just 327 00:20:23,100 --> 00:20:26,100 S1: told us you finished it in 83, but it wasn't 328 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:30,220 S1: published until 86. That's because you sent it to publisher 329 00:20:30,220 --> 00:20:35,730 S1: after publisher after publisher that said no. Thanks a lot. No, thanks. 330 00:20:36,530 --> 00:20:39,210 S1: Have you ever thought what might have happened if you 331 00:20:39,210 --> 00:20:43,290 S1: had stopped with the 13th publisher and not sent it 332 00:20:43,290 --> 00:20:44,530 S1: to number 14? 333 00:20:46,010 --> 00:20:49,770 S2: I think what would have happened is I would have, oh. 334 00:20:49,810 --> 00:20:54,210 S2: SAT licking my wounds for a few months, and then 335 00:20:54,210 --> 00:20:57,410 S2: I would have sent it out again. Um, you know, 336 00:20:57,450 --> 00:21:01,650 S2: because there was this compulsion from the Lord. Um, I 337 00:21:01,690 --> 00:21:05,570 S2: just like I, I, uh, I gave up on that 338 00:21:05,570 --> 00:21:09,570 S2: book a couple times. Just put it aside kind of thinking, well, 339 00:21:09,570 --> 00:21:11,810 S2: this is never going to go anywhere. Who's ever going 340 00:21:11,850 --> 00:21:15,010 S2: to read this? And I had to go back to it, 341 00:21:15,010 --> 00:21:17,410 S2: and I think the Lord would have compelled me to 342 00:21:17,450 --> 00:21:21,370 S2: finish it. And, uh, so I'm glad I didn't have 343 00:21:21,369 --> 00:21:25,890 S2: to wait for number 14. Crossway finally came around. You 344 00:21:25,890 --> 00:21:30,770 S2: know what? Crossway rejected it the first time, and then 345 00:21:30,770 --> 00:21:34,240 S2: I sent him one of my young adult books, and 346 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,560 S2: they really liked that one. And then they said, well, 347 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,440 S2: by the way, you know, we're going to publish that. 348 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,200 S2: We like it. By the way, why don't you send 349 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,400 S2: us that other idea you had about spiritual warfare? And 350 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,160 S2: so I, I hadn't even typed the thing up yet. 351 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,920 S2: And balm. And I and her mom got three typewriters 352 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:57,280 S2: going and we typed up 750 pages. You know, this 353 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:00,600 S2: is in the old days, no thumb drives, no disks. No. 354 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:05,080 S2: And we mailed that manuscript in a box that church 355 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,920 S2: bulletins came in and went to the publisher, and they 356 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,960 S2: had to get it out and pick up each page 357 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:15,080 S2: and read it. You know, it took several months, but 358 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,520 S2: then they called and said, we'd like to publish it. 359 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,280 S2: And I couldn't believe it. 360 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:25,760 S1: So I what I hear over and over, Frank, is 361 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:31,720 S1: people say the thing that it made me do more 362 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:36,320 S1: than anything it stirred in me was the importance of 363 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:42,800 S1: intercessory prayer and how and how it stoked people's prayer life. 364 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:45,520 S1: After reading it, have you heard that a lot? 365 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:52,200 S2: All the time. All the time. Which. Okay, excellent. The 366 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:56,000 S2: Lord is using the book to just, uh, light that 367 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:00,000 S2: spark and let people just let people know your prayers 368 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,399 S2: make a difference. And, uh, that's something I keep. I 369 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,000 S2: talk to the Lord about that all the time. Lord, 370 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:09,760 S2: I need to pray more. I need to believe in 371 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:14,679 S2: the power of prayer. Um, uh, I fictionalized it, of course, 372 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:19,760 S2: but prayer is a big element in the book. And, uh, the, 373 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,600 S2: the bad guys, you know, and all the conflict that 374 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,640 S2: all begins to change gears when God's people start praying, 375 00:23:28,190 --> 00:23:30,869 S2: Then the, you know, the angels, they start getting the breaks, 376 00:23:30,910 --> 00:23:35,790 S2: you know, and they start breaking through. And, uh, it's, 377 00:23:35,790 --> 00:23:39,470 S2: it's a real exciting story. And, uh, it's yeah, go, 378 00:23:39,470 --> 00:23:41,670 S2: go crazy. It's great. 379 00:23:42,630 --> 00:23:45,470 S1: Frank Peretti is with us at the back fence today. Michelle, 380 00:23:45,470 --> 00:23:48,270 S1: I asked the question, how have Frank Brady's stories touched 381 00:23:48,270 --> 00:23:51,389 S1: your life? Michelle says, growing up, I read Stephen King, 382 00:23:51,430 --> 00:23:55,070 S1: and then in my early 20s, I found Frank and 383 00:23:55,070 --> 00:23:58,070 S1: never looked back. I actually got to meet him at 384 00:23:58,070 --> 00:24:02,149 S1: a Gaither Praise gathering in Indianapolis several years ago. He's 385 00:24:02,150 --> 00:24:05,670 S1: another reason why I love to write and read. I'm 386 00:24:05,670 --> 00:24:09,630 S1: so thankful that he made spiritual warfare real for me 387 00:24:09,670 --> 00:24:13,830 S1: to understand, Karen said. His books opened my eyes to 388 00:24:13,869 --> 00:24:18,110 S1: spiritual warfare like no other. Diane said the same thing. 389 00:24:18,109 --> 00:24:22,389 S1: This present darkness was eye opening. And then Lisa says, 390 00:24:22,710 --> 00:24:25,590 S1: God used this present darkness almost 30 years ago to 391 00:24:25,630 --> 00:24:28,820 S1: open my eyes. There it is again. To the very 392 00:24:28,820 --> 00:24:31,940 S1: real and unseen realm of the spirit. The battle of 393 00:24:31,940 --> 00:24:35,060 S1: good and evil is very real. This book helped me 394 00:24:35,060 --> 00:24:41,859 S1: become aware, spiritually awake, more discerning, more fervent and intentional 395 00:24:41,859 --> 00:24:45,419 S1: in prayer, and in helping me realize I needed to 396 00:24:45,420 --> 00:24:48,460 S1: learn how to pray more effectively. One day I hope 397 00:24:48,460 --> 00:24:51,820 S1: to thank Mr. Peretti for answering God's call to write. 398 00:24:51,940 --> 00:24:54,540 S1: I praise God for him and his work. I've referred 399 00:24:54,540 --> 00:24:57,540 S1: countless people to this book and have read several others 400 00:24:57,540 --> 00:25:00,700 S1: that he penned. God bless you today. So that's Lisa. 401 00:25:00,740 --> 00:25:03,700 S1: Lisa broke through and was able to say that to 402 00:25:03,740 --> 00:25:05,940 S1: Frank Peretti today, and I want to give you the 403 00:25:05,940 --> 00:25:13,220 S1: opportunity as well. Here's the number (877) 548-3675. That's the number 404 00:25:13,220 --> 00:25:15,619 S1: where you can give us a call and talk with 405 00:25:15,619 --> 00:25:21,500 S1: Frank Peretti. On this 40th anniversary of this present darkness, 406 00:25:21,740 --> 00:25:24,260 S1: that new edition of the book that has all of 407 00:25:24,260 --> 00:25:26,140 S1: those things that we were just talking about a few 408 00:25:26,140 --> 00:25:29,780 S1: minutes ago is out. It's our featured resource at the website. 409 00:25:29,780 --> 00:25:36,020 S1: Chris Fabry live dot o g. The 40th anniversary purple 410 00:25:36,020 --> 00:25:40,060 S1: edition of This Present Darkness. You'll see it right there. 411 00:25:40,060 --> 00:25:43,820 S1: And on the inside cover is the original cover artwork 412 00:25:43,820 --> 00:25:51,460 S1: all throughout there. It's just gorgeous. Eight. 775483675. Are numbered. 413 00:26:04,340 --> 00:26:08,500 S1: 40 years ago, a novel came out from Crossway Publishers 414 00:26:08,500 --> 00:26:13,979 S1: titled This Present Darkness After 40 Years. It's out in 415 00:26:13,980 --> 00:26:21,379 S1: hardcover now and a special collector's edition from David C cook, 416 00:26:21,660 --> 00:26:25,650 S1: and you can find a link to it at our website. chris.org. 417 00:26:26,050 --> 00:26:29,570 S1: It has new reflections from Frank at the beginning and 418 00:26:29,570 --> 00:26:34,530 S1: the end. It has images from the original manuscript and 419 00:26:34,530 --> 00:26:38,650 S1: then a double sided die cut dust jacket. Say that 420 00:26:38,650 --> 00:26:44,450 S1: five times without hurting yourself. Uh, and so I just 421 00:26:44,490 --> 00:26:46,810 S1: was so excited when I heard this. It had come 422 00:26:46,850 --> 00:26:50,210 S1: out and it came out yesterday to have Frank on 423 00:26:50,210 --> 00:26:53,970 S1: and allow Christina in Tennessee to call in. Hi, Christina. 424 00:26:54,010 --> 00:26:54,770 S1: Go right ahead. 425 00:26:55,490 --> 00:26:58,970 S5: Hi. Thank you so much. I, I'm so excited that 426 00:26:58,970 --> 00:27:02,450 S5: I tuned in today and got to hear this, um, 427 00:27:02,530 --> 00:27:07,090 S5: and thrilled to get through. I, I discovered, uh, well, 428 00:27:07,690 --> 00:27:10,930 S5: I guess I came to saving faith, not just had 429 00:27:10,930 --> 00:27:15,410 S5: faith in the mid 90s and 96 and, uh, this 430 00:27:15,410 --> 00:27:18,690 S5: present darkness and piercing the darkness, uh, you know, came 431 00:27:18,690 --> 00:27:22,610 S5: on my radar pretty quickly. And, uh, and I know 432 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:23,959 S5: I picked up a third one. I think it was 433 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,840 S5: probably the oth um, and I just I've enjoyed them 434 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,800 S5: so much and you know, now hearing you talk about it, 435 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,560 S5: I'm like, I need to find those again because I 436 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:38,120 S5: moved from green Bay to Tennessee and I gotta find 437 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:39,960 S5: those books and start reading them again because I just, 438 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,359 S5: I love them so much. So I just wanted to 439 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:46,479 S5: say how much I they've just impacted my life and 440 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,720 S5: made such a memory memorable impact on me. 441 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:51,480 S4: Wow. 442 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:56,959 S2: That means so very, very much. That always means a 443 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:00,919 S2: lot to me because, uh, I'm just a writer sitting 444 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:04,440 S2: here at home and I need to know, and I 445 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,439 S2: that the Lord God really is using my work and 446 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:13,240 S2: that he's touching lives. And I never get tired of hearing, uh, 447 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:16,280 S2: people like you telling what the Lord has done for 448 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,760 S2: them and my books being a part of that. So 449 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,870 S2: thank you very, very much for calling in. It means 450 00:28:22,869 --> 00:28:23,310 S2: a lot. 451 00:28:23,790 --> 00:28:27,869 S1: I think there's something about the first thing you read 452 00:28:27,869 --> 00:28:31,470 S1: after you've come to faith. Some of the first books 453 00:28:31,869 --> 00:28:35,109 S1: that you allow to to go into your heart and 454 00:28:35,109 --> 00:28:38,150 S1: your soul, they hang on to you and you hang 455 00:28:38,150 --> 00:28:40,630 S1: on to them, you know? And for her, it was 456 00:28:40,630 --> 00:28:43,550 S1: 30 years ago that that she read your story even 457 00:28:43,590 --> 00:28:46,230 S1: though it's 40 years old. Do you remember anything that 458 00:28:46,230 --> 00:28:49,790 S1: you read when you came to Christ, Frank, that made 459 00:28:49,790 --> 00:28:52,710 S1: a dent in your soul or thereafter? 460 00:28:54,430 --> 00:29:00,310 S2: Well, this is interesting. I read The Sunday Picks, our 461 00:29:00,390 --> 00:29:05,190 S2: Sunday school paper that was published by David C cook. 462 00:29:05,670 --> 00:29:10,150 S2: Clear back then. It was a graphic novel, you know, 463 00:29:10,190 --> 00:29:15,310 S2: like a comic book. And I still remember those Sunday 464 00:29:15,310 --> 00:29:20,070 S2: school papers and those Bible stories. Um, they were a 465 00:29:20,070 --> 00:29:24,110 S2: big part of my my life, my growing up and, um, yeah. 466 00:29:24,150 --> 00:29:27,110 S2: Cook has reissued all of that in, uh, what is it, 467 00:29:27,110 --> 00:29:31,110 S2: the action Bible or the big picture Bible? And I 468 00:29:31,150 --> 00:29:33,110 S2: look at I've got it on my shelf here and 469 00:29:33,310 --> 00:29:36,510 S2: you open it up and, hey, there's my Sunday school papers. 470 00:29:37,710 --> 00:29:44,990 S2: They're still there. So, uh. Oh, yeah. Real precious stuff. Yeah, yeah. 471 00:29:45,390 --> 00:29:49,950 S1: Uh, I read some people today saying that I read 472 00:29:49,950 --> 00:29:52,790 S1: that book or those books when I was young, and 473 00:29:52,790 --> 00:29:56,790 S1: I was probably too young because. Because they gave me nightmares. 474 00:29:56,790 --> 00:29:57,990 S1: Have you ever heard that? 475 00:29:58,470 --> 00:30:03,070 S2: Oh, yeah. Yeah, I've heard that, too. There are. Yeah, 476 00:30:03,110 --> 00:30:05,830 S2: there are some folks when of course, that sensitivity. I 477 00:30:05,830 --> 00:30:09,350 S2: wouldn't recommend these books for little kids or I don't 478 00:30:09,350 --> 00:30:11,790 S2: know if you're kind of sensitive, but the thing I 479 00:30:11,790 --> 00:30:14,270 S2: want to be sure to point out here is this 480 00:30:14,270 --> 00:30:17,790 S2: is an action adventure kind of story. So it has 481 00:30:17,790 --> 00:30:22,260 S2: good guys and bad guys. And one thing I like 482 00:30:22,300 --> 00:30:25,900 S2: about the bad guys is we're putting a face on them. 483 00:30:26,460 --> 00:30:30,940 S2: We're taking the mask off. They're not mysterious. Hidden spooks 484 00:30:31,140 --> 00:30:33,540 S2: way behind there. You don't know who they are or 485 00:30:33,540 --> 00:30:36,940 S2: where they are. No, we're giving them names. We're giving 486 00:30:36,940 --> 00:30:40,180 S2: them faces. And we're showing how the prayers of the 487 00:30:40,220 --> 00:30:43,420 S2: Saints can fight against these guys, and the angels can 488 00:30:43,420 --> 00:30:49,340 S2: help them. And so there are good guys. Um, there 489 00:30:49,340 --> 00:30:53,700 S2: was a someone, yeah, that wrote in that they started 490 00:30:53,700 --> 00:30:57,300 S2: out with Stephen King. I've been compared to Stephen King, 491 00:30:57,300 --> 00:31:00,900 S2: but I think a big difference is Stephen King always 492 00:31:00,900 --> 00:31:08,060 S2: had regular flesh and blood humans trying to fight spiritual evil, 493 00:31:08,300 --> 00:31:12,740 S2: but there was never a spiritual good to help them 494 00:31:12,740 --> 00:31:16,100 S2: fight against it. And so I like to just let 495 00:31:16,140 --> 00:31:19,690 S2: people know my book has a spiritual good to their 496 00:31:19,690 --> 00:31:25,290 S2: spiritual good guys fighting the spiritual bad guys. So that's, 497 00:31:25,850 --> 00:31:28,810 S2: that's hope. That's joy. That's victory right there. 498 00:31:29,170 --> 00:31:34,490 S1: 40th anniversary of this present. Darkness is out piercing the darkness. 499 00:31:35,050 --> 00:31:39,290 S1: The the new edition of that will be out. Uh, probably. 500 00:31:39,290 --> 00:31:41,130 S1: Is it next year that that's coming out? 501 00:31:41,650 --> 00:31:44,250 S2: Yeah, yeah, they're working on that right now. And it's 502 00:31:44,250 --> 00:31:46,170 S2: got a gorgeous cover too. 503 00:31:46,210 --> 00:31:50,010 S1: So I hope it's purple because I love the purple. 504 00:31:50,010 --> 00:31:53,610 S1: Let me go to Kathleen in Indiana. Kathleen. Go right ahead. 505 00:31:54,890 --> 00:31:58,250 S6: Well, Frank, I got so excited that I stopped what 506 00:31:58,250 --> 00:32:01,210 S6: I was doing so I could be listening to every 507 00:32:01,210 --> 00:32:04,330 S6: word you have to say. I was a baby Christian, 508 00:32:04,530 --> 00:32:07,250 S6: and I think this present darkness just came out. We 509 00:32:07,290 --> 00:32:09,810 S6: got invited with a group of people to go hear 510 00:32:09,810 --> 00:32:12,690 S6: you speak in Indianapolis. So I probably am one of 511 00:32:12,690 --> 00:32:15,450 S6: the first people that bought your book, This Present Darkness 512 00:32:15,810 --> 00:32:19,130 S6: and I. When. When Piercing the darkness came out, I 513 00:32:19,130 --> 00:32:23,490 S6: bought that right away. I read the house. Monster illusion, 514 00:32:23,530 --> 00:32:28,810 S6: the oath, the visitation, the prophet. Anything you write, I read. 515 00:32:29,570 --> 00:32:32,610 S6: I love the way you write. You write like it's 516 00:32:32,610 --> 00:32:37,570 S6: a movie script and. And it engages me. And I 517 00:32:37,610 --> 00:32:41,770 S6: give this book, this present darkness out as many people 518 00:32:41,770 --> 00:32:45,850 S6: that will read it. And last year in our Bible study, um, 519 00:32:46,250 --> 00:32:48,330 S6: it was one of the books that we all read 520 00:32:48,370 --> 00:32:53,410 S6: together and it so renewed again, you know, that I, 521 00:32:53,610 --> 00:32:55,930 S6: I probably 40 years ago was when I first read 522 00:32:55,930 --> 00:33:00,770 S6: it and, um, I first had all my children read 523 00:33:00,770 --> 00:33:02,930 S6: it and what it's really shared with me is to 524 00:33:02,930 --> 00:33:06,450 S6: be aware of all the spiritual warfare out there. I 525 00:33:06,450 --> 00:33:10,810 S6: was in my 20s, and I have been very aware 526 00:33:10,810 --> 00:33:13,650 S6: of the spiritual warfare, thanks to the word you put 527 00:33:13,650 --> 00:33:19,960 S6: down on paper, and I appreciate it. To me, you're amazing. 528 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:24,920 S6: You're amazing the way that you can describe what words, 529 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:27,200 S6: what facts can't describe. 530 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:34,000 S2: That. Thank you. That's that's amazing. That's, uh. That's the 531 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:38,800 S2: hand of God. I always marvel, uh, when wonderful people 532 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,360 S2: like you call or write, you know, and, uh, can 533 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:46,840 S2: see what God is doing. It's, uh. Thank you. Uh, 534 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,000 S2: and that's. Man, all I can say is thank you, 535 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,680 S2: but it means so much. Thank you. That's just wonderful. 536 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:53,800 S2: Praise the Lord. 537 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:56,560 S1: I'm glad you stopped what you were doing, Kathleen, to 538 00:33:56,600 --> 00:33:59,280 S1: do this. I want to read something that somebody put 539 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:02,360 S1: on Facebook to when I said, what are Frank's stories? 540 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:04,680 S1: What have they done? I think this is from Karen. 541 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,040 S1: She said two words and put a heart at the 542 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:11,560 S1: end of it. She said, Tilly. And then she said, healing. 543 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:13,310 S1: Talk about Tilly. 544 00:34:14,270 --> 00:34:19,430 S2: Oh, wow. Yeah, Tilly is a little. Oh. Okay, let's see, 545 00:34:19,469 --> 00:34:23,710 S2: where did that start? That started out as a radio 546 00:34:23,710 --> 00:34:26,670 S2: drama that I wrote. That's when I was living in 547 00:34:26,710 --> 00:34:29,990 S2: that travel trailer with the Shack built around it. Uh, 548 00:34:29,989 --> 00:34:32,230 S2: I wrote a story. Oh, I'm going to go back 549 00:34:32,230 --> 00:34:36,669 S2: a little farther. Uh, some ladies came to our church. 550 00:34:36,910 --> 00:34:46,550 S2: They represented an organization called, uh, Wiba Women Exploited by Abortion. And, uh, 551 00:34:46,590 --> 00:34:50,070 S2: one of the gals gave a testimony how the Lord 552 00:34:50,070 --> 00:34:54,469 S2: granted her healing from this abortion. She had had all the, 553 00:34:54,510 --> 00:34:57,950 S2: you know, the sorrow and the guilt, that kind of thing. Uh, 554 00:34:58,110 --> 00:35:01,870 S2: she had a dream. And in this dream, she encountered 555 00:35:01,870 --> 00:35:05,670 S2: the child that she had lost. And I'm listening to 556 00:35:05,670 --> 00:35:08,910 S2: this testimony, and I think that would make a great story. 557 00:35:09,469 --> 00:35:12,140 S2: And so. Well, I always wanted to be a movie 558 00:35:12,180 --> 00:35:16,300 S2: maker or something. Well, I couldn't make movies. I couldn't 559 00:35:16,300 --> 00:35:20,660 S2: do video, but I had a tape recorder, so I 560 00:35:20,860 --> 00:35:25,020 S2: got some actors in my church and we recorded, I wrote, 561 00:35:25,020 --> 00:35:29,980 S2: and we recorded a radio drama called Tilly, and that 562 00:35:29,980 --> 00:35:34,860 S2: was broadcast on our local station in Seattle, KCIS. They 563 00:35:35,620 --> 00:35:38,540 S2: sent it down to focus on the family, focus on 564 00:35:38,540 --> 00:35:43,219 S2: the family, produced their version of it, and then Crossway 565 00:35:43,219 --> 00:35:48,819 S2: Books published a book version of Tilly and Oh, that 566 00:35:48,820 --> 00:35:52,580 S2: was one of the focus on the family's most popular, 567 00:35:52,580 --> 00:35:58,540 S2: most requested broadcasts, the radio drama Tilly. And she's still 568 00:35:58,540 --> 00:36:02,219 S2: out there, I think in book and in recording form. 569 00:36:02,260 --> 00:36:04,899 S2: She's still ministering. You don't hear a lot about her, 570 00:36:04,900 --> 00:36:08,980 S2: but she's still touching women, you know, that need healing. 571 00:36:09,020 --> 00:36:10,700 S2: And it's a precious story. 572 00:36:11,140 --> 00:36:14,660 S1: I was going to ask you about Doctor Dobson because 573 00:36:14,660 --> 00:36:18,380 S1: not only that, but he would play your some of 574 00:36:18,380 --> 00:36:21,460 S1: the messages that you've given through the years and really 575 00:36:21,460 --> 00:36:24,340 S1: give you a showcase for the people who read your books. 576 00:36:24,340 --> 00:36:26,380 S1: It was great. But then to hear your voice and 577 00:36:26,380 --> 00:36:30,980 S1: your personality and, and everything that you did from behind 578 00:36:30,980 --> 00:36:34,060 S1: the pulpit, that was a different side of you that 579 00:36:34,060 --> 00:36:36,020 S1: most people hadn't heard. Right? 580 00:36:37,219 --> 00:36:40,620 S2: That was yeah, that was my whole other avenue of 581 00:36:40,739 --> 00:36:46,820 S2: ministry was I would travel about and speak and, uh, oh, man. 582 00:36:46,860 --> 00:36:51,700 S2: Doctor Dobson was a wonderful friend in that regard. He, 583 00:36:52,300 --> 00:36:55,380 S2: he played a lot of my sermons, uh, like whatever 584 00:36:55,380 --> 00:36:58,660 S2: you call it, my talks, my lectures. I spoke for 585 00:36:58,700 --> 00:37:02,980 S2: a few focus on the family events too. And, uh, 586 00:37:03,020 --> 00:37:08,180 S2: that was a wonderful relationship. We had, uh, real significant 587 00:37:08,180 --> 00:37:10,570 S2: part of my ministry in those days? 588 00:37:10,850 --> 00:37:14,090 S1: Yeah. Frank Peretti is with us today at the Radio 589 00:37:14,090 --> 00:37:17,290 S1: Backyard Fence. I am having so much fun here today 590 00:37:17,330 --> 00:37:21,850 S1: talking about the 40th anniversary edition of This Present Darkness. 591 00:37:21,890 --> 00:37:25,930 S1: It's out in hardcover. We have a featured resource for you. 592 00:37:25,930 --> 00:37:28,969 S1: A link to it just came out yesterday. If you 593 00:37:28,969 --> 00:37:32,610 S1: go to Chris fabry.org, you'll see it linked right there. 594 00:37:32,610 --> 00:37:38,570 S1: Chris fabry.org. More with Frank straight ahead on Moody Radio. 595 00:37:47,730 --> 00:37:51,569 S1: This Chris Fabry live on Moody Radio. If you go 596 00:37:51,570 --> 00:37:54,890 S1: to Chris Fabry live.org, you'll see more about our special guest, 597 00:37:55,290 --> 00:38:00,129 S1: Frank Peretti. This present Darkness is 40 years old, and 598 00:38:00,130 --> 00:38:04,489 S1: the anniversary edition that came out just yesterday, and I 599 00:38:04,530 --> 00:38:07,290 S1: opened to the very first chapter. Frank and I looked 600 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:12,680 S1: at your original typed version and here's what it says. 601 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:15,720 S1: And you got a little scrawl here and some words 602 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:21,400 S1: that are are cut out or just blacked out. And 603 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:24,120 S1: it says it was late on a full moon Sunday 604 00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:29,759 S1: night when the two figures in tan fatigues appeared on 605 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:34,520 S1: highway 27, just outside the small college town of Ashton, 606 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:41,640 S1: comma in upstate New York, is marked out. And so 607 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:45,280 S1: you you never I don't think in the original novel 608 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:49,200 S1: you never say what state Ashton is in. Is that true? 609 00:38:49,239 --> 00:38:53,959 S2: No. Yeah. That's that's interesting. No, I, I left that 610 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:58,800 S2: town rather generic. Yes. It's, uh, kind of, you'd almost 611 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:03,759 S2: think it's Midwestern. It's kind of surrounded by farmland and such. Uh, 612 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,759 S2: but you know, what's interesting about that is I never 613 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:09,280 S2: located that town. So I've had a lot of people 614 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:12,480 S2: over the years ask me, you know, you wrote about 615 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,919 S2: Our Town, didn't you? You know, we're going through that 616 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:19,840 S2: right now. And, uh, so it was very effective. Just 617 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:23,840 S2: kind of leave the town, you know, generic enough so 618 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:27,040 S2: people anywhere can identify with it. That worked better. 619 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:31,719 S1: What did the success do to you? Did it did 620 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:33,480 S1: it change you at all? 621 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:44,560 S2: Uh, I think in terms of initial change, it gave 622 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:49,160 S2: me a lot more joy in my life simply because 623 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,280 S2: I was doing what God had called me to do 624 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:56,359 S2: in the first place. Uh, when you're still struggling to 625 00:39:56,400 --> 00:40:00,680 S2: find that that path the Lord has for you, that 626 00:40:00,680 --> 00:40:05,430 S2: that can be frustrating and, uh, and sad. I remember 627 00:40:05,430 --> 00:40:08,390 S2: having some real struggles with the Lord about Lord, what 628 00:40:08,390 --> 00:40:10,830 S2: do you want me to do? I tried this, I 629 00:40:10,870 --> 00:40:14,630 S2: tried that, I pastored and burned out. I, uh, what, 630 00:40:14,790 --> 00:40:20,950 S2: what what's my life coming to? Oh, that's why in the, uh, introduction, 631 00:40:20,950 --> 00:40:25,510 S2: the the dedication, it's dedicated to my wife. It says 632 00:40:25,710 --> 00:40:32,870 S2: to Barbara Jane, wife and friend who loved me and waited. 633 00:40:33,750 --> 00:40:36,230 S2: And what I meant by that was she married me. 634 00:40:36,230 --> 00:40:39,669 S2: And she hung in there with me, waiting for me 635 00:40:39,670 --> 00:40:42,190 S2: to figure out what in the world I was supposed 636 00:40:42,190 --> 00:40:45,310 S2: to be doing and where God really wanted me. And 637 00:40:45,590 --> 00:40:49,149 S2: she stuck by me, and she waited. And so it 638 00:40:49,150 --> 00:40:53,870 S2: was very appropriate to put that dedication. Well, Barb, I'm 639 00:40:53,870 --> 00:40:57,350 S2: a writer and the Lord wants me to be a writer. So. 640 00:40:58,110 --> 00:41:02,229 S2: So that was the initial part of just getting used 641 00:41:02,230 --> 00:41:06,660 S2: to that. The, uh. all the publicity and the marketing 642 00:41:06,700 --> 00:41:10,660 S2: and the traveling and the speaking, that all had its 643 00:41:10,660 --> 00:41:16,780 S2: place as a mode of ministry. But at the same time, uh, 644 00:41:17,260 --> 00:41:21,940 S2: one has to be very just aware, hey, there's marketing 645 00:41:21,940 --> 00:41:26,100 S2: and then there's who you really are. Yes. And I've been, 646 00:41:26,219 --> 00:41:29,020 S2: I've been banged up pretty good in trying to sell books, 647 00:41:29,060 --> 00:41:33,660 S2: you know. But, uh, um, the Lord, the Lord has 648 00:41:33,660 --> 00:41:38,020 S2: used me now. Okay. Now, I've been through a lot. 649 00:41:38,540 --> 00:41:41,500 S2: A lot older. Uh, looking back, you know, when you 650 00:41:41,500 --> 00:41:47,020 S2: get to be 75, your life is more. It's not 651 00:41:47,020 --> 00:41:50,900 S2: so much looking forward as looking back. And I reflect 652 00:41:50,900 --> 00:41:54,540 S2: a lot on where I've been and the mistakes I've made, 653 00:41:54,540 --> 00:41:57,339 S2: what I've learned and how I want to change and 654 00:41:57,340 --> 00:42:01,220 S2: be more like Jesus, and how I recognize those parts 655 00:42:01,219 --> 00:42:04,620 S2: of me that are not like Jesus. And that's a 656 00:42:04,620 --> 00:42:09,259 S2: continual process. I've been through cancer. I've been through heart failure, 657 00:42:09,660 --> 00:42:11,860 S2: and the Lord has spared me. And I'm still here. 658 00:42:11,860 --> 00:42:15,140 S2: And my prayer is still, Lord, whatever you're trying to 659 00:42:15,140 --> 00:42:18,020 S2: teach me, help me to get it. Help me to learn. 660 00:42:18,580 --> 00:42:22,259 S2: Help me to be listening. And so, oh, you know 661 00:42:22,260 --> 00:42:25,500 S2: what it really boils down to is you're in the 662 00:42:25,500 --> 00:42:28,219 S2: Lord's hands and he'll lead you. He'll guide you. He'll 663 00:42:28,219 --> 00:42:32,259 S2: get you there. Just trust him. Uh, all the other 664 00:42:32,260 --> 00:42:33,300 S2: stuff doesn't matter. 665 00:42:33,820 --> 00:42:37,060 S1: Okay, I got to play this for you because this 666 00:42:37,060 --> 00:42:39,460 S1: is when you were 40. This is a gift for you, Frank. 667 00:42:39,460 --> 00:42:43,180 S1: When you were 44, at the end of the program 668 00:42:43,180 --> 00:42:47,820 S1: on that day, uh, I asked if somebody has an idea, 669 00:42:47,860 --> 00:42:50,340 S1: don't call you. Right. And here's what I said. 670 00:42:50,820 --> 00:42:52,180 S7: Because it's got to be real. It's got to be 671 00:42:52,180 --> 00:42:54,660 S7: your idea. I have to hear from the Lord. You know, 672 00:42:54,900 --> 00:42:57,299 S7: it's a matter of just praying and he's never let 673 00:42:57,300 --> 00:43:00,140 S7: me down. We usually keep in good communication. He lets 674 00:43:00,140 --> 00:43:02,930 S7: me know what to write about. Sometimes it's kind of 675 00:43:02,969 --> 00:43:06,130 S7: like when he talks. Talk to Ezekiel. Son of man. 676 00:43:06,450 --> 00:43:09,009 S7: Take a look at this. And he leads Ezekiel somewhere else. 677 00:43:09,050 --> 00:43:10,930 S7: Now take a look at this. Now take a look 678 00:43:10,930 --> 00:43:12,810 S7: at this. Sometimes I feel like the Lord's just kind 679 00:43:12,850 --> 00:43:15,049 S7: of leading me by the nose or. Or picking me 680 00:43:15,050 --> 00:43:17,770 S7: up by the hair like he did Ezekiel. Now look 681 00:43:17,770 --> 00:43:20,850 S7: at this. And if I just follow his leading and 682 00:43:20,850 --> 00:43:22,610 S7: kind of look at what he tells me to look at, 683 00:43:23,370 --> 00:43:25,890 S7: then I start getting a message and then I can 684 00:43:25,890 --> 00:43:26,450 S7: write it. 685 00:43:27,290 --> 00:43:30,529 S1: See? There it is. You say the same thing. 31 686 00:43:30,530 --> 00:43:31,610 S1: years later, Frank. 687 00:43:32,570 --> 00:43:38,090 S2: Well, that must work. But it's interesting. For the past, 688 00:43:38,090 --> 00:43:42,009 S2: I don't know, 12, 13 years I've been in a 689 00:43:42,010 --> 00:43:45,969 S2: real dry time. The Lord hasn't said a thing. And, uh, 690 00:43:46,050 --> 00:43:50,090 S2: it's just now that, uh. I'm really looking to see. 691 00:43:50,130 --> 00:43:53,090 S2: I think he made me stirring things up again. It's 692 00:43:53,090 --> 00:43:56,330 S2: kind of like, oh, oh, oh, I know what it's like. 693 00:43:56,330 --> 00:43:59,170 S2: It's like Elijah hiding out in the cave, you know? 694 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,919 S2: And the Lord finds he's not in the world, but 695 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:07,040 S2: he's not in the earthquake, he's not in the fire. Finally, 696 00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:11,280 S2: the still small voice comes to Elijah and says, Elijah, 697 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:16,840 S2: what are you doing here? And, uh, I, uh, I'm 698 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:20,200 S2: seeking the Lord now. I think maybe he's ready to 699 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,520 S2: stir things up again. Maybe he's done what he wanted 700 00:44:23,520 --> 00:44:29,040 S2: to do with, uh, the physical health struggles and so forth. And, uh. Boy, 701 00:44:29,080 --> 00:44:31,640 S2: I'm still here. If he grants me the strength to 702 00:44:31,680 --> 00:44:35,440 S2: live long enough, maybe he has some more in store, 703 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:40,120 S2: and I'll write something else. Uh, boy, I really trust him, 704 00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:42,640 S2: though I know he'll get me where he wants me 705 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:46,240 S2: to be. So yeah, that was real interesting. Yeah. 706 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:50,440 S1: We have folks who've called in about the Mr. Henry videos, 707 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:56,520 S1: the Cooper kids adventures that sparked something inside of you, uh, 708 00:44:56,520 --> 00:45:00,670 S1: and some memories that you have to Frank, I can't. 709 00:45:00,710 --> 00:45:03,989 S1: I'm waiting for that third book, though. You've written the two. 710 00:45:04,030 --> 00:45:06,790 S1: Now I'm looking for the trilogy. Maybe that's the thing 711 00:45:06,790 --> 00:45:09,509 S1: that God is stirring in your heart and your soul, 712 00:45:09,870 --> 00:45:13,069 S1: and I pray. I pray you'll trust him and that 713 00:45:13,070 --> 00:45:16,510 S1: you'll keep on leaning on him as you keep walking 714 00:45:16,550 --> 00:45:17,270 S1: the trail. 715 00:45:18,350 --> 00:45:21,710 S2: That's what's coming up. I'm going to be seeking God 716 00:45:21,710 --> 00:45:26,390 S2: about that. Um, just let's see what happens. It's an 717 00:45:26,390 --> 00:45:29,790 S2: it's always an adventure. Just serving the Lord and trusting 718 00:45:29,790 --> 00:45:31,710 S2: him to lead. So that's where I want to be. 719 00:45:32,390 --> 00:45:34,870 S1: I can't tell you how many people have said that 720 00:45:34,870 --> 00:45:38,350 S1: I've talked with through the years. Frank paved the way 721 00:45:38,390 --> 00:45:42,310 S1: for us. Frank paved the way for other Christian fiction 722 00:45:42,310 --> 00:45:46,870 S1: writers to become successful because people started to read Christian 723 00:45:46,870 --> 00:45:50,630 S1: fiction and it excited them. So we tip our hat 724 00:45:50,670 --> 00:45:53,710 S1: to you and look forward to what's in the future. 725 00:45:54,030 --> 00:45:56,469 S1: And thanks for spending the time with us today, friend. 726 00:45:57,190 --> 00:46:01,270 S2: Great to talk to you again after all these years. Fantastic. 727 00:46:01,830 --> 00:46:06,030 S1: There he is. Frank E Peretti. The 40th anniversary edition 728 00:46:06,030 --> 00:46:10,509 S1: of This Present Darkness is out in hardcover, but it's 729 00:46:10,510 --> 00:46:14,070 S1: also digital. You know, you could get it on your Kindle, 730 00:46:14,110 --> 00:46:17,549 S1: whatever your device is as well as it will be 731 00:46:17,550 --> 00:46:20,630 S1: on audiobook, as Frank has told us here today. You 732 00:46:20,630 --> 00:46:24,630 S1: can find out more about it at the website. Chris farrell.org. 733 00:46:25,270 --> 00:46:30,230 S1: Chris Farrell dot ORG. And another friend is going to 734 00:46:30,230 --> 00:46:34,430 S1: stop by who's had a really successful writing career. But 735 00:46:34,430 --> 00:46:39,469 S1: there's a behind the scenes story from Doctor Gary Chapman. 736 00:46:39,469 --> 00:46:41,390 S1: We're going to talk about that tomorrow right here on 737 00:46:41,390 --> 00:46:44,750 S1: Chris Fabry Live, a production of Moody Radio, a Ministry 738 00:46:44,750 --> 00:46:47,870 S1: of Moody Bible Institute. Thanks a lot for listening.