1 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,000 S1: Hey, friend, how are you? Come on in to the radio. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,200 S1: Backyard fence. We have a table spread for you to 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,959 S1: join us on this Wednesday before Thanksgiving. And I have 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,160 S1: a guest who has been through a trial that we 5 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,280 S1: asked you to pray about several weeks ago. Doctor Christopher 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,160 S1: Yuan is going to join us today, and I hope 7 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,160 S1: something we talk about here will encourage you. If you're 8 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,080 S1: going through a health struggle or a financial struggle or 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,800 S1: there's somebody that you've been praying for, you've been trying 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,320 S1: to reach with the gospel and you kind of have 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,760 S1: given up hope. Don't miss the story straight ahead. Our 12 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,520 S1: program is recorded. Don't Call to Talk with Christopher, but 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:41,519 S1: we do have a website and a phone number you 14 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,640 S1: can call to respond to our conversation, or you can 15 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,520 S1: support what we do. First, a thank you to Ryan 16 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,400 S1: McConaughey doing all things technical. Tricia is our producer, and 17 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,440 S1: let me thank friends and partners who give to keep 18 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:59,400 S1: us having these conversations each day. That's a reason for Thanksgiving. 19 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,720 S1: And thank you for the kind words you have said. 20 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:03,960 S1: If you go online, there is a way to leave 21 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,360 S1: a note, and I suppose if you call, you can 22 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,720 S1: do the same thing. Tell the person you talk with 23 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,760 S1: what you like about the program, but those notes are 24 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,320 S1: so invigorating. I don't know what you're going through. I 25 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:19,160 S1: don't know how this daily conversation is touching your heart 26 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,760 S1: and life, but when I see those responses, it feels 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,319 S1: like an answer to prayer, because we often pray before 28 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,000 S1: the program we did, before we had this conversation with 29 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,280 S1: Christopher Lord. You know what the people are going through. 30 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,440 S1: We don't. So take us to some good place of 31 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,960 S1: the heart to encourage them, something that we can't ask 32 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:43,160 S1: or imagine right now. And those responses show God's at work, 33 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,280 S1: even in a simple conversation like the one you're going 34 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,240 S1: to hear today. I get to choose our thank you. 35 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,040 S1: It's still available three more days. The Little Christmas Carol 36 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,240 S1: coloring and activity book by Jo Sutphen. It's for kids 37 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,870 S1: 6 to 10. I dare you to put this in 38 00:01:59,870 --> 00:02:02,390 S1: front of a 14 year old and see what happens though. 39 00:02:02,710 --> 00:02:06,710 S1: I've talked about the illustrations with Joe and the redemptive 40 00:02:06,710 --> 00:02:09,590 S1: story by Charles Dickens, so I'll say it again. Call 41 00:02:09,590 --> 00:02:19,109 S1: or click through today with a gift. 8669538669532279 or go 42 00:02:19,110 --> 00:02:23,190 S1: to Chris Fabry lives. And thanks for your support of 43 00:02:23,190 --> 00:02:27,710 S1: the radio backyard fence. What do I say about Christopher Ewen? 44 00:02:27,710 --> 00:02:29,590 S1: When I first heard of him, he was simply a 45 00:02:29,590 --> 00:02:32,829 S1: prayer request. His mother and father were in a small 46 00:02:32,830 --> 00:02:36,150 S1: group with us and they said, please pray for Christopher. 47 00:02:36,510 --> 00:02:38,590 S1: He told his story in the book, out of a 48 00:02:38,590 --> 00:02:42,109 S1: Far Country A Gay Son's Journey to God, A Broken 49 00:02:42,110 --> 00:02:45,750 S1: Mother's Search for Hope. Since then, he's spoken and taught 50 00:02:45,750 --> 00:02:48,630 S1: around the world. A few years ago, he released the 51 00:02:48,630 --> 00:02:52,910 S1: book titled Holy Sexuality and the gospel, and more recently, 52 00:02:52,910 --> 00:02:57,470 S1: he began the Holy Sexuality Project that disciples teens on 53 00:02:57,470 --> 00:03:01,910 S1: biblical sexuality, and now pre-teens and children will talk more 54 00:03:01,910 --> 00:03:05,510 S1: about that in our last segment. Doctor yuan, welcome back 55 00:03:05,510 --> 00:03:07,750 S1: to the program. Happy Thanksgiving Eve. 56 00:03:08,350 --> 00:03:12,350 S2: Thank you so much. Great to be with you, Chris. Always, 57 00:03:12,350 --> 00:03:14,510 S2: always fantastic and fun to be with you. 58 00:03:15,150 --> 00:03:17,030 S1: I want to I want you to take us back 59 00:03:17,030 --> 00:03:21,109 S1: to the Charlie Kirk memorial because, uh, after that, I 60 00:03:21,110 --> 00:03:23,630 S1: saw pictures of you with a number of people that 61 00:03:23,630 --> 00:03:26,950 S1: I knew, and it was like, oh, Doctor Yuan was there. 62 00:03:26,950 --> 00:03:29,950 S1: So you were there on that Sunday, right? 63 00:03:30,150 --> 00:03:33,910 S2: Yeah. You know, it's so crazy because mom and I 64 00:03:33,910 --> 00:03:38,550 S2: were in the process of moving, um, September 18th, we 65 00:03:38,550 --> 00:03:41,990 S2: were home one day, 19th, we flew to Phoenix, the 20th, 66 00:03:42,430 --> 00:03:46,070 S2: and then the memorial was 21st. Um, so it was 67 00:03:46,110 --> 00:03:49,750 S2: kind of a whirlwind. I had spoken with Turning Point 68 00:03:49,790 --> 00:03:53,110 S2: Academy before with Hudson Hertzberg. I think people in the 69 00:03:53,110 --> 00:03:57,860 S2: Chicago area would know Pastor Hutz from Moody Church. He 70 00:03:57,860 --> 00:04:01,100 S2: was the executive pastor a years ago, and now he's 71 00:04:01,100 --> 00:04:06,860 S2: with Turning Point. But, um, we we were there and, um, 72 00:04:06,860 --> 00:04:10,860 S2: just were blown away. You know, oftentimes you hear that 73 00:04:10,860 --> 00:04:14,860 S2: it was all political or Christian nationalism. It really was 74 00:04:14,860 --> 00:04:17,739 S2: the gospel that went forth. And my good friend Frank Turek, 75 00:04:17,740 --> 00:04:21,180 S2: also apologist, but man, he so clearly laid out the 76 00:04:21,220 --> 00:04:23,660 S2: gospel along with a lot of others, the pastor at 77 00:04:23,660 --> 00:04:26,260 S2: the beginning and and other people that were kind of 78 00:04:26,260 --> 00:04:29,820 S2: surprising to me as well. Um, and what was so 79 00:04:29,820 --> 00:04:34,020 S2: beautiful was just at the end of it all, with 80 00:04:34,460 --> 00:04:40,100 S2: Erica just showing not just the whole time that the 81 00:04:40,140 --> 00:04:45,060 S2: gospel was proclaimed, but what's the result of the gospel 82 00:04:45,060 --> 00:04:51,500 S2: and how she just basically forgave the murderer? The assassinator. Um, 83 00:04:51,540 --> 00:04:55,219 S2: that's the gospel. Uh, we love our enemies. We don't 84 00:04:55,220 --> 00:04:59,540 S2: hate them, and we forgive because God forgives us first. 85 00:04:59,540 --> 00:05:02,779 S2: And it was so, so, so powerful. And so we 86 00:05:02,779 --> 00:05:06,740 S2: were kind of on this mountaintop, uh, you know, leaving 87 00:05:06,740 --> 00:05:10,740 S2: after Erica spoke and. And then we went home, uh, 88 00:05:10,740 --> 00:05:15,820 S2: in the evening, uh, and we got back, uh, and 89 00:05:15,820 --> 00:05:20,700 S2: so the very next day was when everything changed. 90 00:05:20,940 --> 00:05:23,940 S1: Um, okay. So that's what I want you to talk 91 00:05:23,940 --> 00:05:27,340 S1: about now, and I, I want as you listen to 92 00:05:27,380 --> 00:05:32,340 S1: Christopher's story here, my hope, our prayer is that maybe 93 00:05:32,339 --> 00:05:35,580 S1: there's something that you're going through, that what has happened 94 00:05:35,580 --> 00:05:38,099 S1: to him and the steps that God is. The struggle 95 00:05:38,100 --> 00:05:42,060 S1: that God has taken him through will inform your own life. 96 00:05:42,060 --> 00:05:44,700 S1: So you got back. Now, when you say you got 97 00:05:44,700 --> 00:05:48,300 S1: back home, you had moved from San Diego to Denver. 98 00:05:48,339 --> 00:05:49,140 S1: Is that right? 99 00:05:49,779 --> 00:05:54,210 S2: Uh, so no, we actually were in Escondido. And so 100 00:05:54,210 --> 00:05:57,890 S2: we moved closer downtown. Just because, you know, of all 101 00:05:57,890 --> 00:06:01,850 S2: the travels that I do. Uh, so we moved from 102 00:06:02,810 --> 00:06:11,010 S2: Escondido down to downtown San Diego, and we everything was boxes. Uh, 103 00:06:11,089 --> 00:06:14,210 S2: we literally had just only been home one day, and, 104 00:06:14,250 --> 00:06:18,010 S2: you know, we were in, uh, a home in Escondido, 105 00:06:18,010 --> 00:06:20,250 S2: and then mom and I, you know, dad is now 106 00:06:20,250 --> 00:06:23,490 S2: with the Lord. He we it's just the two of us. 107 00:06:23,490 --> 00:06:26,090 S2: And we thought, let's just downsize a little bit. But. 108 00:06:26,089 --> 00:06:31,929 S2: So Monday morning, um, after the memorial, I was just 109 00:06:31,930 --> 00:06:38,250 S2: doing my normal morning routine, and I have a, uh, 110 00:06:38,250 --> 00:06:41,650 S2: a teeter table. It's an inversion table where you lock 111 00:06:41,690 --> 00:06:46,609 S2: your feet in and you kind of swing back, and then, 112 00:06:46,650 --> 00:06:49,250 S2: you know, it kind of decompresses your lower back. I, 113 00:06:49,250 --> 00:06:52,599 S2: I hurt my lower back in my late 20s. So 114 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,320 S2: I've been doing this for quite some time. And Chris, 115 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,799 S2: it works great if you lock your feet in. I 116 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,880 S2: had forgotten to lock my feet in. I went back 117 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:10,600 S2: and I slid down the table and just, uh, landed 118 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:17,680 S2: on the floor and immediately my legs became noodles. I 119 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:22,560 S2: knew immediately that this was not just a normal fall. 120 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,960 S2: And I called out for my mom. You know, there's 121 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:31,400 S2: there's two blessings, uh, that were so fortunate that God's 122 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:36,040 S2: hand was in this, that mom was home, that because 123 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:42,000 S2: if she was not there, then no one would have 124 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:48,000 S2: heard me, probably for days. And another blessing was that 125 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,600 S2: I didn't hit my head. Normally when I'm on the 126 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,600 S2: inversion table, I have my head up a little bit. So. 127 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:01,120 S2: But I fell down and I was my legs were paralyzed. 128 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,880 S2: I had use of my arms, but not of my hands. 129 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,880 S2: So I called out and I and my my heard 130 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,800 S2: a crash. She didn't know what happened. She's you know, 131 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,040 S2: where are you? Where? She's looking for me, but she's 132 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,000 S2: looking for me standing up while I'm on the floor 133 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,480 S2: and just immobilized. And, you know, I said, I'm here 134 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,040 S2: in the corner of my room behind some boxes when 135 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:28,720 S2: my inversion table was, uh. And she just. I could 136 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,240 S2: tell she was panicking. And I knew at that moment 137 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:35,000 S2: I needed to be calm. I said, grab your phone, 138 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:43,240 S2: call 911. And she called, and they immediately came. And 139 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,160 S2: at that moment I again, I knew I had to 140 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,720 S2: kind of do some planning. And I said, mom, um, 141 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,360 S2: you start clearing the way from our front door to 142 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:56,280 S2: where I am. Because there were boxes, there was furniture. 143 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:58,000 S2: There was just a lot of stuff in the way. 144 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,520 S2: And so she started doing that. And I the first 145 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,040 S2: thing that I knew I had to do, because I 146 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,440 S2: had actually several meetings lined up and I had to 147 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:14,319 S2: call my assistant, Ethan, who's in Canada, and he immediately canceled. 148 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,360 S2: I told him, you know, he called. He's like, hey, 149 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:19,480 S2: how are you? You know, how was last night? You know, 150 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,920 S2: he was just kind of cheerful. And I said, bad news. 151 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,760 S2: He even told me that's what I. I didn't know 152 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:30,400 S2: what to say. I said, really bad news. I'm paralyzed. And, um, 153 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,120 S2: I said, you need to cancel my appointments. And then 154 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,280 S2: I said, call my best friends and tell them to 155 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:39,600 S2: start praying and post it on social media just to pray, 156 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,280 S2: because I had no idea. I had no idea what 157 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:42,960 S2: this meant. 158 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:47,000 S1: That is exactly what we did, Christopher. We started doing 159 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,430 S1: the same thing. And there's a good place to take 160 00:09:49,429 --> 00:09:52,470 S1: the break with you right there in the floor and 161 00:09:52,470 --> 00:09:55,470 S1: not being transported yet. Let's take a break. Doctor Christopher 162 00:09:55,470 --> 00:09:58,030 S1: Ewen is with us today at the back fence. Don't 163 00:09:58,030 --> 00:10:00,870 S1: call us today. Our program is recorded, but I guarantee 164 00:10:00,910 --> 00:10:04,030 S1: you there's some encouragement straight ahead for you right here 165 00:10:04,030 --> 00:10:15,910 S1: on Moody Radio. Doctor Christopher Ewen is joining us today 166 00:10:15,910 --> 00:10:18,589 S1: here on this day before Thanksgiving. And I am giving 167 00:10:18,590 --> 00:10:22,870 S1: thanks for the process that he has been through and 168 00:10:22,950 --> 00:10:26,069 S1: of the progress that he has made. Many of you 169 00:10:26,110 --> 00:10:28,910 S1: heard about the accident that Christopher is telling us about 170 00:10:28,910 --> 00:10:33,030 S1: here today, and you are praying for him. So let's 171 00:10:33,030 --> 00:10:35,429 S1: pick it up right there. You were in the in 172 00:10:35,470 --> 00:10:39,270 S1: the condo. Your mom was getting the the way prepared 173 00:10:39,270 --> 00:10:43,030 S1: for the EMTs who were coming through to transport you 174 00:10:43,030 --> 00:10:47,190 S1: to the hospital. And you had to keep everything together. 175 00:10:47,190 --> 00:10:50,110 S1: You were paralyzed. You couldn't move your legs. You could 176 00:10:50,110 --> 00:10:54,550 S1: move your arms, but not your hands. So when the 177 00:10:54,550 --> 00:10:58,070 S1: EMTs got there, what did they do and how did 178 00:10:58,070 --> 00:10:58,829 S1: they help? 179 00:10:59,350 --> 00:11:02,630 S2: Well, as soon as it came, they actually did come fairly, 180 00:11:02,910 --> 00:11:07,030 S2: fairly quickly. And they saw me sprawled. They could barely 181 00:11:07,030 --> 00:11:12,150 S2: get in the gurney or the bed, and they had 182 00:11:12,150 --> 00:11:15,030 S2: to put me on a board and they lifted me up, 183 00:11:15,070 --> 00:11:17,670 S2: you know, because they we had no idea what type 184 00:11:17,670 --> 00:11:20,430 S2: of injury I had had to my vertebra in my back. 185 00:11:20,910 --> 00:11:24,830 S2: So they pulled me out and brought me to the hospital. 186 00:11:25,510 --> 00:11:29,790 S2: And it was so interesting because they never asked my name, 187 00:11:29,790 --> 00:11:32,150 S2: which I which was. I don't know why they didn't 188 00:11:32,150 --> 00:11:37,309 S2: do that. So, um, I was actually, uh, Jamaica 95 189 00:11:37,350 --> 00:11:41,750 S2: for a couple days or maybe a few hours. Uh, yeah. 190 00:11:41,750 --> 00:11:45,309 S2: So which made it even more difficult because my mother 191 00:11:45,420 --> 00:11:51,740 S2: followed after the ambulance waited in the E.R. for hours 192 00:11:52,020 --> 00:11:55,059 S2: and they were packed in there. Couldn't find me. They 193 00:11:55,100 --> 00:11:58,620 S2: said there's no person named Christopher Ewen there. She just 194 00:11:58,620 --> 00:12:02,060 S2: says he's here. You know, she was also panicking and said, 195 00:12:02,059 --> 00:12:04,380 S2: I followed and they said, oh, well, maybe he's in 196 00:12:04,380 --> 00:12:07,059 S2: the trauma department. You know, we don't know that there's 197 00:12:07,059 --> 00:12:10,020 S2: a difference between the ER and the trauma department to 198 00:12:10,059 --> 00:12:12,540 S2: the trauma. And they said there's no Christopher Ewen here. 199 00:12:13,380 --> 00:12:16,660 S2: And she described my injury about what happened. And they 200 00:12:16,660 --> 00:12:21,459 S2: said oh, oh yeah I think he's here. So they 201 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:25,540 S2: finally brought my mom back. And I think maybe at 202 00:12:25,580 --> 00:12:29,180 S2: that point they had probably done a CT scan and 203 00:12:29,179 --> 00:12:36,020 S2: they had seen that I did have a fracture at C6, 204 00:12:36,020 --> 00:12:38,900 S2: but they the doctors were a little bit surprised because 205 00:12:38,900 --> 00:12:44,100 S2: it wasn't a major fracture. And so they were surprised 206 00:12:44,179 --> 00:12:49,620 S2: that I was so immobilized. So they knew that they 207 00:12:49,620 --> 00:12:52,699 S2: had to do an MRI, which looks at the soft 208 00:12:52,740 --> 00:12:56,260 S2: tissue and inflammation. So I was in the that tube 209 00:12:56,260 --> 00:13:00,140 S2: for two whole hours. And I'm not normally claustrophobic, but 210 00:13:00,140 --> 00:13:02,300 S2: I could definitely see how people could be. And I 211 00:13:02,340 --> 00:13:04,500 S2: just said, you know, I'm just going to pray. I'm 212 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:07,780 S2: going to sleep for the whole two hours. And so 213 00:13:07,820 --> 00:13:11,099 S2: got that done. And they saw that I had some 214 00:13:11,540 --> 00:13:15,740 S2: what they call stenosis or inflammation that was pushing against 215 00:13:15,740 --> 00:13:21,540 S2: my spinal cord at C6, which is toward the top 216 00:13:21,540 --> 00:13:26,579 S2: of your spinal cord or the vertebra. And so they 217 00:13:26,620 --> 00:13:33,500 S2: scheduled surgery, uh, on Tuesday, the next day on the 23rd. They, um, 218 00:13:33,860 --> 00:13:37,860 S2: what they did was they put kind of pins and 219 00:13:37,860 --> 00:13:44,610 S2: rods from C3 to T1. So that's the C3 4567 220 00:13:44,610 --> 00:13:49,929 S2: to T1. And what they did was that gave me 221 00:13:50,370 --> 00:13:55,329 S2: my spinal cord or my vertebra space to decompress. So 222 00:13:55,330 --> 00:13:58,170 S2: there wasn't as much pressure. They actually did a what 223 00:13:58,170 --> 00:14:01,050 S2: they call a laminectomy and took out a portion of 224 00:14:01,050 --> 00:14:07,050 S2: my vertebra. And again, that gave my spinal cord room 225 00:14:07,050 --> 00:14:10,730 S2: to expand and not push against the spinal cord, which 226 00:14:10,730 --> 00:14:14,690 S2: could injure it. And they put in a, um, like 227 00:14:14,690 --> 00:14:20,450 S2: a drain. And we just waited. Uh, we had no idea. Uh, 228 00:14:20,610 --> 00:14:27,090 S2: so after the surgery, I did have some mobility in 229 00:14:27,130 --> 00:14:33,050 S2: my right leg, maybe, maybe 25%, maybe 30%. So I 230 00:14:33,050 --> 00:14:36,250 S2: was able to move my right leg. My left leg 231 00:14:36,250 --> 00:14:43,330 S2: was completely immobile. And yet the a very hopeful thing 232 00:14:43,330 --> 00:14:47,530 S2: was that I could twitch my big toe. 233 00:14:48,130 --> 00:14:48,530 S1: Mm. 234 00:14:49,010 --> 00:14:52,370 S2: So when the doctor saw that they were hopeful about that, 235 00:14:52,370 --> 00:14:58,850 S2: of course they weren't promising anything. And my, my right 236 00:14:58,850 --> 00:15:07,170 S2: hand was also about 30% and my pinky and ring 237 00:15:07,210 --> 00:15:11,530 S2: finger were numb. I think that's kind of the ulnar nerve. 238 00:15:12,130 --> 00:15:16,890 S2: But my left hand was similar to my left leg. 239 00:15:17,210 --> 00:15:23,970 S2: Just couldn't do anything. So, um, after the surgery, I 240 00:15:23,970 --> 00:15:28,890 S2: remember mom was there with me, and I told my mom, 241 00:15:28,930 --> 00:15:34,490 S2: you know, just just in light of what we had 242 00:15:34,490 --> 00:15:38,290 S2: seen on Sunday, just such an incredible expression of the 243 00:15:38,330 --> 00:15:45,520 S2: gospel Proclaim to many, many, many unbelievers. I'm confident that many, 244 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,000 S2: if not the majority of the people that were at 245 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,560 S2: the memorial do not know Christ or maybe think they do, 246 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,120 S2: or um, and then all those politicians that were there, 247 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,240 S2: many of them do not know Jesus Christ as Lord 248 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,560 S2: and Savior. And the gospel went out and and I said, mom, 249 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:10,320 S2: I just want, as a result of this injury, for 250 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:17,120 S2: the gospel to go forth. And so we prayed for that. And, 251 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:18,920 S2: you know, I was like, I don't know how my 252 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,760 S2: kind of silly mistake of not locking my feet in 253 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,840 S2: and me falling and me being here in this bed 254 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:30,840 S2: and immobilized can but just I just pray I, I 255 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:37,160 S2: felt more emboldened, grateful for the gospel, but more emboldened 256 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:40,640 S2: to proclaim the gospel. I mean, you know, we're Moody 257 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:45,600 S2: Bible Institute, and that's our roots. That's our foundation. And 258 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,120 S2: that's what we are called to do is to make disciples. 259 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:55,440 S2: So that was the 23rd, and I was in ICU 260 00:16:55,440 --> 00:17:02,040 S2: for some days. I didn't have any function of my lower, 261 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:07,280 S2: my bladder, all of that. And so, you know, all 262 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,040 S2: of that was was painful. They had to do a catheter. 263 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:17,679 S2: And that's just awful. Awful. Um, and so there was 264 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,879 S2: I was in the ICU, uh, initially I was in 265 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:22,920 S2: a room all by myself, but there was a, there 266 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,880 S2: was a bed on the, on the other side, and 267 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,440 S2: they had moved someone in there. Uh, I think maybe 268 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:33,840 S2: it was maybe three nights after that and there's a 269 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:37,080 S2: curtain separating, separating us. But you can hear. You can 270 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,950 S2: even when the doctors come and talking about what happened, 271 00:17:40,990 --> 00:17:44,350 S2: you know, there's the patient on the other side. You know, 272 00:17:44,390 --> 00:17:49,189 S2: we might be injured, but we're not deaf. So, um, 273 00:17:49,750 --> 00:17:55,190 S2: I had just, uh, you know, he was he was there. 274 00:17:55,230 --> 00:17:58,710 S2: I think he was bumrushed by some homeless person, and 275 00:17:59,390 --> 00:18:01,790 S2: and he hit his head hard on the pavement. So 276 00:18:01,830 --> 00:18:05,629 S2: that's why he was in the trauma room. So he 277 00:18:05,630 --> 00:18:09,550 S2: was kind of, uh, night time, and I can't remember. 278 00:18:09,550 --> 00:18:12,070 S2: I think they had to come in my room to 279 00:18:12,430 --> 00:18:14,830 S2: to turn me, because every few hours they need to 280 00:18:14,830 --> 00:18:18,669 S2: turn me, and and I think maybe I need to, uh, 281 00:18:18,950 --> 00:18:21,070 S2: I think they kind of changed my bed. I can't 282 00:18:21,070 --> 00:18:23,190 S2: remember what it was. So they came in the room. 283 00:18:23,190 --> 00:18:25,590 S2: And of course, whenever the doctors and nurses come in 284 00:18:25,590 --> 00:18:28,910 S2: the room, well, both patients can hear and wake up. 285 00:18:29,470 --> 00:18:31,230 S2: So it was probably in the middle of the night, 286 00:18:31,230 --> 00:18:35,230 S2: 2 a.m., 3 a.m.. So after the doctors had left, 287 00:18:35,950 --> 00:18:45,070 S2: I heard across the curtain. Hey. Well, normally, um, patients 288 00:18:45,350 --> 00:18:50,030 S2: kind of stay to themselves, and I thought, okay. Uh, 289 00:18:50,190 --> 00:18:54,629 S2: and I kind of said hello back, and we started 290 00:18:54,630 --> 00:18:59,150 S2: this conversation and found out his name. Talk a little 291 00:18:59,150 --> 00:19:03,710 S2: bit about, you know, what he's here for. And, and we, um, 292 00:19:03,950 --> 00:19:06,669 S2: you know, he kind of asked, what do you do? 293 00:19:06,710 --> 00:19:10,990 S2: And that's always a question that I, I struggle with, with, 294 00:19:11,190 --> 00:19:12,989 S2: you know, when you're on the plane, I'm like, oh, 295 00:19:12,990 --> 00:19:16,510 S2: please don't ask me what I do because, um, you know, 296 00:19:16,550 --> 00:19:19,030 S2: because immediately, you know, I'm an author, speaker. Oh, what 297 00:19:19,030 --> 00:19:21,389 S2: do you speak on? And it's one of those things. 298 00:19:21,390 --> 00:19:24,510 S2: So I said, yeah, I speak and I'm an author. 299 00:19:24,510 --> 00:19:26,670 S2: And actually the the next day I'm supposed to speak 300 00:19:26,670 --> 00:19:29,350 S2: at this conference, which I was supposed to I was 301 00:19:29,350 --> 00:19:33,710 S2: scheduled to speak at the national convention. And I said, oh, 302 00:19:33,750 --> 00:19:37,260 S2: by chance, have you heard of Awana? And he said, yeah, 303 00:19:37,260 --> 00:19:39,859 S2: I have. I was like, oh, wow, so you're a Christian? 304 00:19:39,900 --> 00:19:44,780 S2: He's like, no, I'm not a Christian anymore. So then 305 00:19:44,780 --> 00:19:48,340 S2: I was like, okay. I think to myself, okay, then God, 306 00:19:48,340 --> 00:19:51,820 S2: maybe this is my opportunity. And so we started talking and, 307 00:19:52,260 --> 00:19:55,220 S2: and uh, he asked a little bit about my upbringing, 308 00:19:55,220 --> 00:19:58,340 S2: my story, and I was like, oh, okay. Well, here's 309 00:19:58,340 --> 00:20:02,859 S2: an opportunity to, to share. And so I shared and, um, 310 00:20:02,859 --> 00:20:05,820 S2: and then I asked him a little about his story and, 311 00:20:06,140 --> 00:20:10,180 S2: and find out he had a really rough upbringing and 312 00:20:10,220 --> 00:20:16,540 S2: had a father that was really abusive verbally, emotionally, and, um, 313 00:20:16,540 --> 00:20:18,620 S2: and yet said he was a Christian, so he just 314 00:20:18,619 --> 00:20:24,860 S2: had this very bad impression of Christianity. Um, but, um, he, 315 00:20:25,140 --> 00:20:28,700 S2: he said, but I do remember one verse from Awana, 316 00:20:29,020 --> 00:20:31,939 S2: John 316 so right there in the middle of the 317 00:20:31,940 --> 00:20:35,340 S2: night at 4 a.m., we recited John 316 in the 318 00:20:35,340 --> 00:20:41,179 S2: ICU in our in our rooms. And um, um, and 319 00:20:41,180 --> 00:20:43,780 S2: then so he, we were talking a little bit and, 320 00:20:43,820 --> 00:20:45,619 S2: and he kind of made this statement. I think he 321 00:20:45,619 --> 00:20:49,700 S2: was asking kind of about, you know, some, some relationships. 322 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:52,580 S2: And he said, yeah, Christianity is about forgiveness. And I said, well, 323 00:20:53,820 --> 00:20:59,220 S2: it is, but it's so much more. And that Chris 324 00:20:59,220 --> 00:21:05,020 S2: get this. He asked the question, what then is Christianity? 325 00:21:10,260 --> 00:21:15,900 S2: I thought to myself, God, I can't believe this. I mean, 326 00:21:15,940 --> 00:21:18,260 S2: don't we beg for people to come to us and 327 00:21:18,260 --> 00:21:23,379 S2: ask us that question? What is Christianity? And I said, oh, 328 00:21:24,619 --> 00:21:31,460 S2: I said Christianity. It's about a person and his name 329 00:21:31,859 --> 00:21:38,209 S2: is Jesus and I just started sharing the gospel and 330 00:21:38,210 --> 00:21:42,250 S2: I said, we are made in God's image. God made us, 331 00:21:42,250 --> 00:21:47,290 S2: he created us. But then we sinned. And that means 332 00:21:47,290 --> 00:21:49,969 S2: we didn't do the you know, you know, Adam and 333 00:21:49,970 --> 00:21:52,650 S2: Eve sinned and and fell and that changed everything. And 334 00:21:52,650 --> 00:21:54,970 S2: that means that we all now have a sin nature. 335 00:21:54,970 --> 00:21:57,209 S2: That doesn't mean that we're the worst, worst that we 336 00:21:57,210 --> 00:21:59,250 S2: could ever be, but that means that everything we do 337 00:21:59,250 --> 00:22:04,570 S2: is tainted by imperfection. And then this is so interesting, Chris. 338 00:22:05,609 --> 00:22:09,570 S2: My pain level went from about a one or a 339 00:22:09,609 --> 00:22:15,409 S2: two to a nine, and I was even having trouble breathing. 340 00:22:15,410 --> 00:22:17,650 S2: And I was like, I just want to get through 341 00:22:18,170 --> 00:22:22,490 S2: just this gospel presentation, God get through. And I couldn't. 342 00:22:23,369 --> 00:22:26,409 S2: And I said, can you actually please call the nurse? 343 00:22:26,410 --> 00:22:30,129 S2: I'm having a lot of pain right now. And the 344 00:22:30,130 --> 00:22:35,689 S2: nurse came in actually gave me some pain meds. But 345 00:22:35,690 --> 00:22:40,010 S2: here's why that pain happened. So that the nurse came 346 00:22:40,010 --> 00:22:42,649 S2: in and sat with us. And I started at the 347 00:22:42,650 --> 00:22:47,730 S2: very beginning and shared the gospel again. So I was 348 00:22:47,730 --> 00:22:50,810 S2: able to share the gospel to not only my suitemate, 349 00:22:51,010 --> 00:22:55,450 S2: but also to, uh, the nurse as well. And so 350 00:22:55,490 --> 00:22:59,330 S2: we kind of kept going and we talked a little more, 351 00:23:00,290 --> 00:23:01,810 S2: and I said, let me pray for you. And I 352 00:23:01,810 --> 00:23:05,490 S2: was like, it's 5:00 in the morning, you know. Uh, 353 00:23:05,490 --> 00:23:07,570 S2: I think everything's going to start going. So, you know, 354 00:23:07,609 --> 00:23:09,889 S2: let's get some rest. Uh, but let me pray for you. 355 00:23:09,890 --> 00:23:12,610 S2: And so I prayed for him, prayed for God to 356 00:23:12,650 --> 00:23:14,330 S2: heal him. I mean, he was he was actually in 357 00:23:14,330 --> 00:23:16,530 S2: pretty good shape. Uh, probably just bumped his head and 358 00:23:16,570 --> 00:23:22,370 S2: had a little concussion. But we prayed and then went 359 00:23:22,369 --> 00:23:26,290 S2: to bed, and God was nudging me and like, you 360 00:23:26,330 --> 00:23:29,850 S2: can't let this moment go by. And I said, hey, 361 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,400 S2: are you still up? I said, you know, I don't 362 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:36,680 S2: want to let this moment go by. And I don't 363 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:40,920 S2: know if God is moving in you and he's speaking 364 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,160 S2: to you. He created you to put your faith in 365 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,760 S2: his son, Jesus, in the midst. You know, in spite 366 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,480 S2: of everything that has happened to you in your past, 367 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,800 S2: in your life, I want to give you that opportunity now. 368 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,040 S2: And it's like, I'm like, I don't want to force 369 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,840 S2: this on you. And he's like, how do I do it? 370 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,600 S2: And I said, well, we can just pray this prayer. 371 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,800 S2: And I said, it's not a you don't get saved 372 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,200 S2: by this prayer. Jesus saves you, but it's just an 373 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,080 S2: obedience to what Paul said in Romans ten that if 374 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:13,040 S2: you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and 375 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:14,600 S2: you believe in your heart that he rose from the dead, 376 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,399 S2: you will be saved. And I said, you want to 377 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:26,919 S2: do that? And he said, yes. So they're in ICU 378 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:28,080 S2: at 5 a.m.. 379 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,400 S3: We prayed the prayer of salvation. 380 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:39,040 S2: And after that I said, now that you pray this prayer, 381 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:45,560 S2: you need to be discipled. And, uh, you know, do 382 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,760 S2: you know of a good church by you? He's like, well, my, 383 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,960 S2: you know, my sister that that still does Awana. You know, 384 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,280 S2: she goes to this church and it's on the street. 385 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,440 S2: And I said, well, what's the name? He gave the name. 386 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,240 S2: And I said, I spoke there two years ago. 387 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:04,240 S1: Christopher, that story I that's what this is why I 388 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:07,880 S1: wanted to have you on the program, because that story, 389 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:12,200 S1: I'm sure, spoke to somebody who's listening today. And that 390 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:16,160 S1: curtain between at this point, you had not seen each other. 391 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,960 S1: You know, maybe at some point they pulled the curtain back. 392 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,000 S1: But I'm thinking of the curtain that keeps the holy 393 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,560 S1: of holies. You know, the people over here from the 394 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:28,350 S1: Holy of Holies. And God tore that curtain down himself. 395 00:25:28,750 --> 00:25:32,470 S1: And he entered. You know, when Jesus died, that curtain 396 00:25:32,470 --> 00:25:35,470 S1: was torn. And that's exactly what you're describing. Let me 397 00:25:35,470 --> 00:25:38,550 S1: take our midpoint break. We'll come back. You'll hear what 398 00:25:38,550 --> 00:25:42,470 S1: happened after that. And more from Doctor Christopher Ewen today. 399 00:25:42,790 --> 00:25:44,990 S1: This is Chris Fabry live. Go to the website Chris 400 00:25:45,030 --> 00:25:48,389 S1: Fabry Live. You can find out more about Doctor Ewen 401 00:25:48,390 --> 00:25:51,310 S1: and the things that he has done and is doing. 402 00:25:51,550 --> 00:26:06,830 S1: Go to Chris Fabry live. We are talking with Doctor 403 00:26:06,830 --> 00:26:09,990 S1: Christopher Ewen today on Chris Fabry Live. I am thankful 404 00:26:09,990 --> 00:26:14,109 S1: for his progress physically and what we're hearing about that 405 00:26:14,109 --> 00:26:17,270 S1: happened to him spiritually. I'm thankful for the people at 406 00:26:17,270 --> 00:26:19,950 S1: Carenet who help women and men who are dealing with 407 00:26:19,950 --> 00:26:23,590 S1: an unexpected pregnancy. And right now, as we're heading into 408 00:26:23,590 --> 00:26:26,229 S1: the season of advent, Carenet wants to help you and 409 00:26:26,350 --> 00:26:30,510 S1: your family. Consider what God did to provide us abundant life. 410 00:26:30,510 --> 00:26:34,390 S1: And he did that with an unplanned pregnancy 2000 years ago. 411 00:26:34,430 --> 00:26:36,790 S1: There was this young woman who had a whole lot 412 00:26:36,830 --> 00:26:39,790 S1: of questions about a message that an angel gave her, 413 00:26:39,790 --> 00:26:42,910 S1: but she said yes to God. And we still talk 414 00:26:42,950 --> 00:26:45,510 S1: about her faith and the mission that God gave her 415 00:26:45,510 --> 00:26:49,550 S1: to carry the Messiah, to give birth to the Savior 416 00:26:49,830 --> 00:26:53,230 S1: that Christopher Yuan is talking about today. Carenet is celebrating 417 00:26:53,230 --> 00:26:57,350 S1: that birth with a free devotional. It's titled praying through advent. 418 00:26:57,750 --> 00:27:00,390 S1: And as you prepare your heart for this celebration of 419 00:27:00,390 --> 00:27:04,109 S1: the word made flesh, you'll be reminded that God meets 420 00:27:04,109 --> 00:27:07,109 S1: us right there in the uncertainty and the doubts and 421 00:27:07,109 --> 00:27:10,750 S1: the questions we have. And he can write redemption into 422 00:27:10,790 --> 00:27:15,430 S1: your story. Go to npr.org. Click the Green Connect link 423 00:27:15,590 --> 00:27:20,030 S1: and you can download praying through advent. Experience the wonder 424 00:27:20,030 --> 00:27:23,710 S1: of God's greatest story and join in praying for life 425 00:27:23,710 --> 00:27:27,060 S1: and hope through him. Click the green connect link at 426 00:27:27,060 --> 00:27:32,900 S1: Chris dot. Doctor Christopher Ewen has lived an awful lot 427 00:27:32,940 --> 00:27:35,620 S1: of life in the last few weeks, and we're we're 428 00:27:35,619 --> 00:27:38,500 S1: hearing more about this. Take us back into that hospital 429 00:27:38,500 --> 00:27:42,260 S1: room though, and that that person who was you had 430 00:27:42,260 --> 00:27:46,940 S1: not seen him yet when you prayed that prayer with him, right? 431 00:27:47,660 --> 00:27:51,380 S2: That's right. And I was still in a neck brace. 432 00:27:51,380 --> 00:27:54,780 S2: I couldn't turn my head, even if they they did 433 00:27:54,820 --> 00:27:57,940 S2: turn the curtain back. Some I couldn't see. I think 434 00:27:57,980 --> 00:28:01,540 S2: he could see me. So I've yet to actually see 435 00:28:01,540 --> 00:28:05,139 S2: him and see his face. But what's so amazing is 436 00:28:05,140 --> 00:28:08,780 S2: when he told me I. It was so all of 437 00:28:08,780 --> 00:28:11,500 S2: it was God. But I just knew for certain that 438 00:28:11,500 --> 00:28:14,820 S2: it was God when he said that his sister goes 439 00:28:14,820 --> 00:28:16,780 S2: to church at a church that I'm familiar with. I 440 00:28:16,780 --> 00:28:20,460 S2: know the pastor. I know the the principal of the 441 00:28:20,460 --> 00:28:27,100 S2: Christian school. So that morning I called the the church 442 00:28:27,100 --> 00:28:31,980 S2: and the principal told them the whole story. And I asked, 443 00:28:32,020 --> 00:28:33,820 S2: you know, do you know this gentleman? He said, that 444 00:28:33,820 --> 00:28:37,300 S2: name sounds familiar. And so he talked to his football coach, 445 00:28:37,340 --> 00:28:40,700 S2: the athletic director. Turns out that's the athletic director's brother 446 00:28:40,700 --> 00:28:45,860 S2: in law called the athletic director and his and said, 447 00:28:45,860 --> 00:28:49,220 S2: put your wife on the phone. You know, told him 448 00:28:49,220 --> 00:28:52,900 S2: this whole story, and they were just weeping. They said, 449 00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:56,580 S2: we've been working on him for years. He's so he 450 00:28:56,580 --> 00:29:01,700 S2: was hardened to the gospel. And, um, just it's so God. 451 00:29:01,700 --> 00:29:06,500 S2: And so I've, I've touched base since then. And the 452 00:29:06,500 --> 00:29:10,580 S2: principal said that this gentleman went to church and even 453 00:29:10,580 --> 00:29:16,300 S2: brought a friend. Isn't that amazing? God is so good. 454 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:20,460 S2: God is so good. But, um. Yeah, but it doesn't 455 00:29:20,460 --> 00:29:24,530 S2: stop there. So they moved me to intermediate. So, you know, 456 00:29:24,570 --> 00:29:27,970 S2: I was in ICU, so I was in intermediate. And 457 00:29:28,090 --> 00:29:30,730 S2: then when I was intermediate, I was in a room 458 00:29:30,730 --> 00:29:36,410 S2: with a fellow from he was shot in Mexico three times, 459 00:29:36,410 --> 00:29:40,370 S2: was able to get across the border. He's a US citizen. Um, 460 00:29:40,370 --> 00:29:46,570 S2: and he, uh, just a miracle that he's alive. Missed 461 00:29:46,570 --> 00:29:49,890 S2: his heart, but got his lungs hit. His liver just. 462 00:29:49,890 --> 00:29:54,570 S2: He was in bad, bad, bad shape. And his mother 463 00:29:54,810 --> 00:29:58,730 S2: was visiting, and I don't know a lot of Spanish, 464 00:29:58,730 --> 00:30:01,530 S2: but I just know enough. And I just sensed that 465 00:30:01,530 --> 00:30:05,410 S2: she was a Christian but didn't think her son was. 466 00:30:06,050 --> 00:30:11,210 S2: And so we started talking. And of course, because we're 467 00:30:11,250 --> 00:30:14,130 S2: next door, we can hear each other, uh, as the 468 00:30:14,130 --> 00:30:16,810 S2: doctors are talking. And what happened and said and I 469 00:30:16,810 --> 00:30:19,570 S2: told them, I said, you're a miracle. You're a miracle. 470 00:30:19,570 --> 00:30:22,690 S2: You're alive. And I told them, God still has a 471 00:30:22,690 --> 00:30:27,490 S2: plan for you. And we started talking. We started because 472 00:30:27,490 --> 00:30:32,610 S2: I was in intermediate for a longer time and we, I, 473 00:30:32,650 --> 00:30:35,010 S2: I also had the opportunity to share the gospel with 474 00:30:35,010 --> 00:30:39,490 S2: him and, and also had the opportunity to to pray 475 00:30:39,490 --> 00:30:43,850 S2: the prayer with him. And so it's just God answered 476 00:30:43,850 --> 00:30:48,170 S2: my prayer, my simple prayer of just let the gospel 477 00:30:48,170 --> 00:30:52,090 S2: go forth. There's so much that we need to be 478 00:30:52,090 --> 00:30:55,090 S2: thankful for. And I think our response to God for 479 00:30:55,090 --> 00:30:58,010 S2: the gospel, the good news is to do what he 480 00:30:58,010 --> 00:31:02,770 S2: has commanded us to do is to tell others, proclaim 481 00:31:02,770 --> 00:31:04,729 S2: the gospel to the ends of the earth, and to 482 00:31:04,730 --> 00:31:08,530 S2: make disciples. So it was just so, so exciting about 483 00:31:08,530 --> 00:31:15,730 S2: the opportunity that he had given me there in San Diego. Yeah. 484 00:31:16,730 --> 00:31:19,850 S1: Then and in your weakness, in your weakness, not in 485 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,320 S1: your strength. You know, not standing up in front of 486 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:25,640 S1: a lot of people just with the curtain pulled. Just 487 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:30,600 S1: the pure organic gospel message made the difference. 488 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,360 S2: You know, we take so much for granted. The little 489 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:38,720 S2: things like, I can't I couldn't open a Ziploc bag 490 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:43,400 S2: for the longest time, and now I can I can't 491 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:45,680 S2: tie my shoelaces. And just this morning I was able 492 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:48,479 S2: to tie my shoelaces. All these little things. But I 493 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,680 S2: told my mom when I was at the hospital in 494 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,480 S2: San Diego, I said, I don't have my body, but 495 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,880 S2: I have my voice, and I don't know what God 496 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:03,200 S2: has for me. But the enemy can't take away my. 497 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:07,440 S2: He hasn't taken away my voice. And I'm going to 498 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:13,520 S2: continue to use my voice, my last breath, to proclaim 499 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:16,680 S2: the good news of Jesus Christ. I love how someone 500 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:23,360 S2: said that we are commanded to preach the gospel only 501 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:31,040 S2: in two seasons, in season and out of season. So 502 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,960 S2: that's at all times. And I'm ready, you know, here 503 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:39,720 S2: I am. Send me. You know we there's. Yes. You know, 504 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:43,720 S2: it's it's a mini tragedy what what has happened to me. 505 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,720 S2: But we need to count all our blessings, the blessings 506 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:50,000 S2: in disguise. You know that song by Laura Story? I 507 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:53,320 S2: love that story which had so much meaning before. And 508 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:57,560 S2: it was so much meaning now, uh, in the suffering 509 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:02,960 S2: in our, uh. And I can't even I almost sometimes 510 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:06,520 S2: embarrassed to say my suffering. What I have is not 511 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:13,960 S2: even really suffering. But we can count it all joy 512 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:17,000 S2: and we can still. 513 00:33:18,030 --> 00:33:18,670 S3: Point. 514 00:33:18,670 --> 00:33:21,990 S2: People to the joy that we have in Christ. I 515 00:33:22,030 --> 00:33:26,310 S2: was convicted of what job said. You know, when God, 516 00:33:26,550 --> 00:33:31,110 S2: when everything was taken away. And he said, the Lord 517 00:33:31,110 --> 00:33:36,750 S2: gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the 518 00:33:36,750 --> 00:33:40,270 S2: name of the Lord. So that was kind of like 519 00:33:40,270 --> 00:33:44,830 S2: my call the first few weeks. Blessed be the name 520 00:33:44,830 --> 00:33:49,030 S2: of the Lord. No idea what's happening. I had no 521 00:33:49,030 --> 00:33:51,710 S2: idea what if. Whether I'm going to get anything back. 522 00:33:53,030 --> 00:33:58,230 S2: But you know, within. I was in the hospital in 523 00:33:58,230 --> 00:34:05,070 S2: San Diego for longer than expected, mainly because, um, we 524 00:34:05,070 --> 00:34:07,430 S2: were trying to figure out the rehab. So within two weeks, 525 00:34:07,430 --> 00:34:12,270 S2: I was actually beginning to get some function back. I 526 00:34:12,310 --> 00:34:16,709 S2: was able to move my legs and I was able 527 00:34:16,710 --> 00:34:21,390 S2: to get some of my, um, I was able to, uh, 528 00:34:21,390 --> 00:34:25,670 S2: you know, get some of my urinary and all that back. 529 00:34:25,670 --> 00:34:30,590 S2: So that was a big blessing because often that comes later. 530 00:34:31,950 --> 00:34:36,670 S2: So they were being quite hopeful. So the next step 531 00:34:36,670 --> 00:34:43,550 S2: now was rehab. And many of the nurses said, if 532 00:34:43,590 --> 00:34:47,550 S2: you can try to get to Denver, there's a place 533 00:34:47,550 --> 00:34:54,750 S2: called Craig Rehab. And we, um, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth is 534 00:34:55,110 --> 00:34:57,790 S2: a friend, and we asked if she could help us 535 00:34:57,790 --> 00:35:01,549 S2: connect with John Erickson. Tada. And she did. And Johnny 536 00:35:01,750 --> 00:35:04,630 S2: said was so gracious to respond and said, if you 537 00:35:04,630 --> 00:35:06,750 S2: can try to get to Craig. So we thought, okay, 538 00:35:06,750 --> 00:35:08,950 S2: we're going to do everything we can to try to 539 00:35:08,989 --> 00:35:11,630 S2: get Craig. It's one of the top. It is the 540 00:35:11,670 --> 00:35:14,510 S2: top rehab center in the in the United States that 541 00:35:14,580 --> 00:35:20,980 S2: only focuses on spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. 542 00:35:22,780 --> 00:35:27,500 S2: So there were several hurdles in the way and God 543 00:35:27,500 --> 00:35:32,980 S2: just opened up some amazing doors. The I asked I 544 00:35:33,020 --> 00:35:36,939 S2: I've got a lot of good friends in in here 545 00:35:36,940 --> 00:35:42,140 S2: in Colorado from Summit Ministries, Jeff Myers, John Stonestreet with 546 00:35:42,180 --> 00:35:46,580 S2: Colson Center for Christian Worldview, also my friends at Colorado 547 00:35:46,580 --> 00:35:49,780 S2: Christian University. And I thought, there has to be someone 548 00:35:49,780 --> 00:35:53,940 S2: that has maybe some connections and kind of those those 549 00:35:53,980 --> 00:35:57,220 S2: wells dried up. But I asked a really good friend 550 00:35:57,219 --> 00:36:00,340 S2: of mine who also happens to be my Moody Bible 551 00:36:00,340 --> 00:36:04,739 S2: Institute classmate, Josh Wideman, and it happens to be, you know, 552 00:36:04,780 --> 00:36:06,700 S2: he has a sister that works there. And we made 553 00:36:06,700 --> 00:36:10,859 S2: some connections there and the wheels started turning. It took 554 00:36:10,900 --> 00:36:14,489 S2: a took a little while, but finally was able to 555 00:36:14,489 --> 00:36:20,250 S2: get here. They they medevaced me here. Uh, took extra long. 556 00:36:20,290 --> 00:36:24,850 S2: Maybe an extra two weeks just to get here. But 557 00:36:24,850 --> 00:36:27,970 S2: I got here and I was on rehab for about 558 00:36:27,969 --> 00:36:31,290 S2: three weeks. I think they kind of considered me sort 559 00:36:31,290 --> 00:36:36,890 S2: of a fast tracker. And, um, I got here and Chris, it's. 560 00:36:36,930 --> 00:36:39,850 S2: This place is really amazing. It's not just the staff, 561 00:36:39,850 --> 00:36:47,490 S2: but the people here that in the midst of their situations, many, many, 562 00:36:47,489 --> 00:36:53,330 S2: many are more complex and complicated than mine. They all, 563 00:36:53,770 --> 00:36:58,450 S2: you know, still are hopeful and have joy. And I 564 00:36:58,450 --> 00:37:02,490 S2: feel like my ministry here has shifted to instead of 565 00:37:02,530 --> 00:37:07,529 S2: more evangelism, but one of encouragement and have been able 566 00:37:07,530 --> 00:37:12,009 S2: to find several strong believers and been praying with them 567 00:37:12,130 --> 00:37:15,609 S2: and their family members during these difficult times. 568 00:37:16,010 --> 00:37:19,649 S1: Well, that is what you're doing today. Christopher. That's what 569 00:37:19,650 --> 00:37:22,009 S1: you're giving. And I'm sure I'm going to get email 570 00:37:22,330 --> 00:37:26,089 S1: from people about your story and the hope that it 571 00:37:26,090 --> 00:37:29,810 S1: is giving them and their situation, whatever that is. And 572 00:37:29,810 --> 00:37:33,250 S1: it may be a person in your family, you know, 573 00:37:33,250 --> 00:37:35,489 S1: a family member or friend that you kind of have 574 00:37:35,489 --> 00:37:38,850 S1: given up on that you'd say, you know what? I'm 575 00:37:38,890 --> 00:37:41,049 S1: going to keep praying. I'm going to keep, you know, 576 00:37:41,090 --> 00:37:44,529 S1: speaking the truth about the gospel to this person and 577 00:37:44,530 --> 00:37:46,810 S1: not give up on them. So we have one final 578 00:37:46,810 --> 00:37:50,930 S1: segment to go. I guarantee you, there's more encouragement straight ahead. 579 00:37:50,930 --> 00:38:05,290 S1: This is Chris Fabry live online at Chris. There are 580 00:38:05,290 --> 00:38:09,170 S1: many moments on Chris Fabry live on this day before Thanksgiving. 581 00:38:09,530 --> 00:38:12,610 S1: Hope you're enjoying the join the conversation with Doctor Christopher Yuan. 582 00:38:12,650 --> 00:38:16,170 S1: This is not the conversation that we thought we were 583 00:38:16,170 --> 00:38:19,370 S1: going to have a few weeks ago, a few months ago. 584 00:38:19,370 --> 00:38:21,770 S1: But it is where God has led him and taken 585 00:38:21,770 --> 00:38:26,410 S1: him through this injury that is, he's experienced. And I 586 00:38:26,410 --> 00:38:30,570 S1: just love what's happening when I see the videos of 587 00:38:30,570 --> 00:38:34,850 S1: him up and walking and, you know, a little tentative 588 00:38:34,850 --> 00:38:38,050 S1: here and then getting a little stronger. So there's there's 589 00:38:38,050 --> 00:38:40,650 S1: been a lot that's happened. One one more question about 590 00:38:40,650 --> 00:38:43,450 S1: the injury. Did you feel the prayers of the people 591 00:38:43,450 --> 00:38:44,210 S1: for you? 592 00:38:45,610 --> 00:38:52,489 S2: Absolutely. I was quite amazed. I simply just asked Ethan, 593 00:38:52,489 --> 00:38:56,410 S2: our assistant, just post it on my social media channels. 594 00:38:56,850 --> 00:39:01,410 S2: I figured the people that have been following me, following 595 00:39:01,450 --> 00:39:04,890 S2: me will pray for me, which is so, so important. 596 00:39:05,210 --> 00:39:07,489 S2: But I think it got picked up by, I think, 597 00:39:07,489 --> 00:39:10,799 S2: a World News Christian, the Christian Post, and it was 598 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:15,400 S2: even translated into Chinese and different foreign languages. So it 599 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:20,680 S2: really was around the world. I think I had like 600 00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:24,000 S2: over a million views on some of my posts. It 601 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,719 S2: was so amazing. I even heard some people like they 602 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:31,520 S2: hadn't heard of this person, Christopher Yuan, and was able 603 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:35,840 S2: to get connected with our ministry and be encouraged by that. 604 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:40,440 S2: So it really, I definitely was so blessed by the 605 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:44,560 S2: people who were praying for me and and cheering me 606 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:50,279 S2: on and, uh, pointing to the Lord for what he 607 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:52,920 S2: has done in me and in us. 608 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:56,560 S1: And your work continues. I mentioned some of the books 609 00:39:56,560 --> 00:40:00,280 S1: and then the website, the Holy Sexuality Project, I see 610 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:02,600 S1: as I pull it up here today as we're recording 611 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:09,120 S1: this preteen course launching soon. So you are You're still 612 00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:10,160 S1: at work, right? 613 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:15,799 S2: Well, you know, I think one thing that that the 614 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:21,240 S2: Lord has really impressed upon me just in the past, 615 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:25,439 S2: you know, from two months ago was the urgency. I 616 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:29,200 S2: think I had always had a sense of urgency. But 617 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:34,000 S2: I think attached to that urgency is a need to 618 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:41,120 S2: be bold. I think maybe a decade ago there was 619 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:43,760 S2: a sense when the world was a bit different where 620 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:47,359 S2: we could all have our different views. You know, people 621 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:51,400 S2: might think our view is weird or or hateful. It 622 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:57,480 S2: has really shifted where now Christianity has become harmful to 623 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:03,000 S2: the point people even think it's it's abuse or it's 624 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:05,600 S2: hurting people. So there needs to be a shift to 625 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:10,830 S2: be bold, Old not to be mean at all. So 626 00:41:10,870 --> 00:41:15,510 S2: I've I've become even more courageous to do what God 627 00:41:15,510 --> 00:41:18,350 S2: has called me to do, which lines up with what 628 00:41:18,390 --> 00:41:22,270 S2: mom and I and dad have been doing. And we're 629 00:41:22,270 --> 00:41:27,150 S2: so excited because this is not just an intellectual exercise. 630 00:41:27,150 --> 00:41:30,790 S2: It's not something just to teach your kids something. This 631 00:41:30,790 --> 00:41:34,189 S2: is the gospel, and we make this very clear for 632 00:41:34,190 --> 00:41:39,390 S2: the teens that every single lesson that I finish, I 633 00:41:39,390 --> 00:41:45,510 S2: tell the teens, now go and follow Jesus. You know, 634 00:41:45,590 --> 00:41:48,830 S2: it's not about behavior management. It's not about a list 635 00:41:48,830 --> 00:41:53,590 S2: of do's and don'ts. It's about following Jesus Christ, which 636 00:41:53,590 --> 00:41:56,710 S2: means deny yourself and take up your cross. And so 637 00:41:56,710 --> 00:42:02,110 S2: I'm so excited that the pre-teen version. So fortunately we 638 00:42:02,110 --> 00:42:05,230 S2: recorded in August, the month before my injury because right 639 00:42:05,230 --> 00:42:09,230 S2: now I. My hands are a little bit robotic. I 640 00:42:09,670 --> 00:42:13,150 S2: my neck is still very stiff. I could still move 641 00:42:13,430 --> 00:42:16,950 S2: left and right. Uh, and I'm working on that. I 642 00:42:16,989 --> 00:42:20,110 S2: won't be able to really look up because of my 643 00:42:20,110 --> 00:42:24,790 S2: fusion C3 to T1. I'm walking, but you can tell 644 00:42:24,790 --> 00:42:27,469 S2: that I still need a little bit of assistance and 645 00:42:27,469 --> 00:42:31,390 S2: I'm walking slow. But we recorded in August. Uh, so 646 00:42:31,390 --> 00:42:34,670 S2: that was all done. But now the animation team, 38 647 00:42:34,670 --> 00:42:39,110 S2: animators and illustrators and videographers, they're all working on this together. 648 00:42:39,110 --> 00:42:41,629 S2: And they were waiting on me, and we were delayed 649 00:42:42,310 --> 00:42:45,270 S2: this entire time. But we are picking it back up. 650 00:42:45,310 --> 00:42:48,069 S2: We're so excited. So please pray for us. If you're 651 00:42:48,070 --> 00:42:51,470 S2: listening for this, this is going to be for for 652 00:42:51,469 --> 00:42:55,630 S2: kids 9 to 12 year olds for preteens. But hold 653 00:42:55,630 --> 00:42:58,069 S2: on for this. Here's the exciting part. We are so 654 00:42:58,070 --> 00:43:02,030 S2: excited because I think once now that I'm on outpatient, 655 00:43:02,030 --> 00:43:04,819 S2: I have a little bit more time. We already have 656 00:43:04,820 --> 00:43:09,500 S2: our team set for kids, and we're going to be 657 00:43:09,500 --> 00:43:14,260 S2: starting our new version, a new series for little kids 658 00:43:14,260 --> 00:43:16,460 S2: 4 to 8 years old. And I know some of 659 00:43:16,460 --> 00:43:18,700 S2: your audience right now. Chris might be thinking, wow, we're 660 00:43:18,700 --> 00:43:21,170 S2: going to talk to your kids about sex at 4 661 00:43:21,170 --> 00:43:25,540 S2: to 8. Most likely we won't really be talking about that. 662 00:43:25,540 --> 00:43:28,900 S2: We will be talking to them about what is fact, 663 00:43:28,940 --> 00:43:31,859 S2: what are feelings. We're going to be talking about how 664 00:43:31,860 --> 00:43:34,780 S2: God created you and God's image. You're a boy, you're 665 00:43:34,780 --> 00:43:38,060 S2: a girl, and nothing can change that. Simple things that 666 00:43:38,060 --> 00:43:41,340 S2: we took for granted, Chris. Right. But not anymore. So 667 00:43:41,340 --> 00:43:46,700 S2: we are very, very excited. And whereas in the teen version, 668 00:43:46,700 --> 00:43:50,460 S2: we we did what they call live action. In other words, 669 00:43:50,460 --> 00:43:52,680 S2: you saw me speaking in a studio for about two 670 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:55,500 S2: thirds of the time, and then one third was animation 671 00:43:55,940 --> 00:43:59,220 S2: for the pre-teen version. We're upping that and we're doing 672 00:43:59,260 --> 00:44:04,060 S2: two thirds animation and one third it will be showing me. 673 00:44:04,100 --> 00:44:07,940 S2: Of course it will be all of me. VoiceOver and oh, Chris, 674 00:44:07,940 --> 00:44:11,100 S2: this animation studio. Actually, I thought the animation for our 675 00:44:11,100 --> 00:44:17,220 S2: teen version was fantastic, but this animation studio is exceptional. 676 00:44:17,219 --> 00:44:20,859 S2: I can't wait for people to see this. But now 677 00:44:20,860 --> 00:44:23,379 S2: for the little kids, 4 to 8 year olds. We're 678 00:44:23,420 --> 00:44:29,100 S2: actually planning to do this full animation and we're going 679 00:44:29,140 --> 00:44:32,580 S2: to it's going to be high quality, very, very exciting 680 00:44:32,580 --> 00:44:36,100 S2: and engaging for these little kiddos because they need to 681 00:44:36,140 --> 00:44:41,940 S2: know about God, about Jesus, about the gospel, and how 682 00:44:41,980 --> 00:44:45,899 S2: that impacts our understanding about being a little boy and 683 00:44:45,900 --> 00:44:46,740 S2: a little girl. 684 00:44:47,940 --> 00:44:52,020 S1: It's a streaming video series. Parents, grandparents, and their teens. 685 00:44:52,020 --> 00:44:57,100 S1: Available now. The Holy Sexuality Project, Holy sexuality. Com we'll 686 00:44:57,100 --> 00:45:00,820 S1: have a link at Chris Paul and then the preteen 687 00:45:00,820 --> 00:45:03,850 S1: and then the children's version of that. I can tell 688 00:45:03,850 --> 00:45:06,330 S1: how excited you are. I remember when you reached out 689 00:45:06,330 --> 00:45:08,170 S1: to me a few years ago and say, hey, you 690 00:45:08,170 --> 00:45:11,530 S1: know anything about animators? Like, I don't know, I've never. 691 00:45:11,890 --> 00:45:15,210 S1: And you, you contacted the right people, it sounds like, 692 00:45:15,250 --> 00:45:19,330 S1: and is moving forward. The gospel is moving forward. That 693 00:45:19,730 --> 00:45:23,569 S1: that curtain, that wall between God and people has been 694 00:45:23,570 --> 00:45:27,850 S1: torn down because of Jesus. Christopher, thank you for being 695 00:45:27,890 --> 00:45:30,730 S1: faithful with I say this a lot with, you know, 696 00:45:30,770 --> 00:45:33,649 S1: the struggle and the pain. Thanks for being faithful with 697 00:45:33,650 --> 00:45:38,810 S1: the pain and not letting that keep you from sharing 698 00:45:38,810 --> 00:45:42,529 S1: your heart and and reaching into other people's hearts. You've 699 00:45:42,530 --> 00:45:45,890 S1: done it here even today. So thank you for, uh, 700 00:45:45,890 --> 00:45:48,410 S1: for spending the time with us today. God bless you, friend. 701 00:45:48,410 --> 00:45:50,649 S1: And I will ask our listeners to be praying for 702 00:45:50,650 --> 00:45:52,969 S1: you in this project. And your mom. I know she's 703 00:45:52,969 --> 00:45:55,770 S1: had some of her own struggles as well throughout this 704 00:45:55,770 --> 00:45:59,330 S1: whole process, but, uh, thank you for being faithful. 705 00:45:59,690 --> 00:46:02,370 S2: Well, thank you so much for having me on, because 706 00:46:02,850 --> 00:46:05,650 S2: any type of suffering or difficulty that we have can 707 00:46:05,650 --> 00:46:09,410 S2: not compare to what Christ did for us on the cross. 708 00:46:09,450 --> 00:46:13,529 S2: And so that just means one thing gratitude and a 709 00:46:13,530 --> 00:46:16,890 S2: persistence to proclaim the good news to the ends of 710 00:46:16,890 --> 00:46:17,370 S2: the earth. 711 00:46:18,330 --> 00:46:20,969 S1: I knew this would be encouraging to you today, on 712 00:46:20,969 --> 00:46:24,330 S1: the day before Thanksgiving. God bless you, friend. I hope 713 00:46:24,610 --> 00:46:28,050 S1: the conversation has been a balm to your soul. And 714 00:46:28,050 --> 00:46:30,450 S1: come on back tomorrow for another conversation here at the 715 00:46:30,450 --> 00:46:33,730 S1: back fence. Go to the website Chris Fabry Live. You'll 716 00:46:33,730 --> 00:46:37,410 S1: find out more about Doctor Ewan, what he's working on 717 00:46:37,450 --> 00:46:41,450 S1: right now. The video series that I just mentioned, Holy sexuality. 718 00:46:42,690 --> 00:46:46,690 S1: We'll just go to Chris Lives. Our program is a 719 00:46:46,690 --> 00:46:50,770 S1: production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. 720 00:46:50,810 --> 00:46:51,930 S1: Thanks a lot for listening.