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The units stap 26 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 3: makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 27 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 3: funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 28 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 3: Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 29 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 3: fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 30 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 3: when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 31 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 3: you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 32 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 33 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 34 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 5: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 35 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 6: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 36 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 6: blessing and share it with a friend. 37 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 5: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 38 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 5: your life. 39 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 4: Well, God bless you. It's always a joy to. 40 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 5: Come into your homes, and if you're ever in our area, 41 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 5: please stop by and be a part of one of 42 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:04,919 Speaker 5: our services. 43 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 4: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 44 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 5: But thanks so much for tuning in today, and thank 45 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 5: you again for coming out. I like to start with 46 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 5: something funny and I heard about these four Catholic ladies. 47 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 5: They were bragging on their sons. The first one said, 48 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 5: my son is a priest. When he walks in the room, 49 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 5: everyone calls him father. The second said, my son is 50 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 5: a bishop. When he walks in the room, everyone calls 51 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 5: him your grace. The third said, my son is a cardinal. 52 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 5: When he walks in the room, everyone calls him your eminence. 53 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 5: Fourth lady said, my son is six foot three, has 54 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,399 Speaker 5: broad shoulders, is incredibly good looking, dresses impetably well. When 55 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 5: he walks in the room, all the ladies say, oh 56 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 5: my God. All right, come on, say it like you 57 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 5: mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 58 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 5: says I am. I have what it says I have. 59 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 5: I can do what it says I can do. Today 60 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 5: I will be taught the word of God. I'll boldly confess. 61 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 5: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 62 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 5: never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 63 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 5: I want to talk to you today about don't waste 64 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 5: your pain. 65 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 4: We all go through. 66 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 5: Disappointments, setbacks, loss, pain is a part of life. It's 67 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 5: easy to get discouraged, even bitter. I think, why is 68 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 5: this happening to me. But one of the best principles 69 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 5: I've learned is don't put a question mark where God 70 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 5: has put a period. All of us have things we 71 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 5: don't understand. One reason is we can't see the big picture. 72 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 4: For our lives. 73 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 5: If you have a puzzle on the front of the box, 74 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 5: there's the picture. You see what it's supposed to look like. 75 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 5: Maybe it's a sunset overlooking the ocean. As a whole, 76 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 5: it's fantastic, so beautiful. But if you were to take 77 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 5: one piece and isolate it, you would think, look at 78 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 5: this fun looking peace. 79 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 4: It's a mistake. It's not gonna fit anywhere. 80 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 5: It's in odd shape, there's nothing beautiful about it. But 81 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 5: the fact is that peace has a perfect place. It's 82 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 5: already been fitted, planned designed. When the other pieces come together, 83 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 5: it will fit in. The reason you can't see it 84 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 5: now is because they all are not in place yet. 85 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 5: In the same way, sometimes we look at pieces in 86 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 5: our lives that don't make sense, Joel, I went through 87 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 5: a divorce, I lost a loved one, I'm going through cancer. 88 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 5: My business went down. This piece couldn't be a part 89 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,119 Speaker 5: of God's plan. But you have to trust that even 90 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 5: in the painful times, the times you're hurting, you're lonely, 91 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 5: you're taking the treatment. On the surface, that piece doesn't 92 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 5: make sense. But God doesn't make any mistakes. He's already 93 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 5: designed your life, laid out all the pieces down to 94 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 5: the smallest details. God never said that we would understand 95 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 5: everything that happens along the way. He didn't promise that 96 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 5: we'd never have any heartache, pain, disappointment, loss, setbacks. 97 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 4: But he did promise that it. 98 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 5: Would all work out for our good, and that peace 99 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 5: is painful, doesn't look like it makes any sense. When 100 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 5: everything comes together, it will fit perfectly into place. The 101 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,239 Speaker 5: key is what we do in our times of pain. 102 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 4: Pain will change us. 103 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 5: Heartache, loss, disappointments, they don't leave us the same. When 104 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 5: I lost my father, I didn't come out like I 105 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 5: was before. 106 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 4: I was changed. 107 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 5: If you go through a divorce, a legal battle, a 108 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 5: friend betrays you, Eventually that will pass. You'll get through it, 109 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 5: but you will be different now. 110 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 4: How the pain changes you is up to you. 111 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 5: You can come out bitter or you can come out better. 112 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 5: You can come out with a chip on your shoulder 113 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 5: blaming God, or you can come out stronger with the 114 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 5: greater confidence in God. You can come out and defeated, 115 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 5: giving up on your dreams, or you can come out 116 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 5: with a new passion, a new fire, excited about the 117 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 5: new opportunities in front of you. All of us experience pain. 118 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 5: My challenge, don't just go through it, grow through it. 119 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 5: That difficulty is an opportunity to get stronger, to develop character, 120 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 5: to gain new confidence. Anybody can give up, anybody can 121 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 5: let it overwhelm you, but you know what that's doing, 122 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 5: wasting your pain. That pain is not there to stop you. 123 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 5: It's there to prepare you, to increase you, to develop you. 124 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 5: The scripture talks about how God is in control not 125 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 5: just of our lives, but he's in control of our enemies. 126 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 5: Satan had to ask God for permission to test job. 127 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 4: The enemy may turn on. 128 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 5: The fire, but the good news is God has his 129 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 5: way hand on the thermostat. God controls how much heat, 130 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 5: how much pain, how much adversity. 131 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 4: He knows what we can handle. 132 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 5: If it was going to harm us, rather than help us, 133 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 5: God would have turned back the intensity. 134 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 4: In those tough times when. 135 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 5: You're uncomfortable, going through a loss, dealing with an illness, 136 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 5: you could easily let it overwhelm you. It's helpful to 137 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 5: remind yourself. I may be in this fire, but I 138 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 5: know who controls the temperature, the God who breathed life 139 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 5: into me, the God who is for me and not 140 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 5: against me, the God who crowned me with favor, the 141 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 5: God who takes pleasure in prospering me. He's in complete control. 142 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 5: He's not going to let it get too hot. He's 143 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 5: not going to let it defeat me. I may not 144 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 5: like it, but I'm not a whiner. 145 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 4: I'm a warrior. I know I can handle this. 146 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 5: You have that attitude, you'll come out stronger, increase, promoted, 147 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 5: better than you were before. We've all heard the same 148 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 5: no pain, no gain. If everything was always easy, we wouldn't. 149 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 4: Be prepared for our destiny. 150 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 5: Some of the things I faced today, if I were 151 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 5: to have faced them ten years ago, they would have overwhelmed me. 152 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 5: I couldn't handle it back then. God knows what you 153 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 5: need when you need it. Every struggle is making you stronger. 154 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 5: Every difficulty is growing you up. Every painful time, even 155 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 5: though you don't like it, it's developing something in you 156 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,839 Speaker 5: that can only be developed in the tough times. Don't 157 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 5: complain about the pain without the pain we couldn't reach 158 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 5: the fullness of our destinies. Researchers did an experiment with bumblebees. 159 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 5: They took them up into space to study the effects 160 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 5: of weightlessness on them. The bees floated through the air 161 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,719 Speaker 5: with great ease, didn't have to use their wings. I'm 162 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 5: sure they thought, this is the way we were made 163 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 5: to live, no struggle, no adversity, no resistance. For a 164 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 5: few days, everything was great. But on the fourth day 165 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 5: something happened. 166 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 4: They all died. 167 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 5: They loved it being easy, no adversity. But the problem 168 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 5: was they weren't created to not have any resistance in 169 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 5: the same way we were not created to float through 170 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 5: life on flowery beds of ease. We're going to the 171 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 5: sweep by and by, but we are living in the 172 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 5: nasty now and now we love. Do not have any pain, loss, disappointments, heartaches, betrayal. 173 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 4: That's not reality. 174 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 5: Difficulties are a part of life. Have the right perspective 175 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 5: in those tough times. 176 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 4: God is getting you prepared. 177 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 5: If it was too much, he would have turned back 178 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 5: the temperature. He's got his hand on the thermostat. Now 179 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 5: quit telling yourself you can't take it. You're not weak, you. 180 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 4: Are well able. 181 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 5: You are armed with strength of this battle. You are 182 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 5: full of can do power. The reason the fire is 183 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 5: so hot is because God has something amazing in your future. 184 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 5: He's getting you prepared for the next level of your destiny. See, 185 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 5: God doesn't just randomly say, let me give them some 186 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 5: pain to make their life miserable. Let me hit her 187 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 5: with the sickness, let me hit him with some marriage problems. 188 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:18,439 Speaker 4: There is a. 189 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 5: Purpose for the pain. We may not always understand it. Joe, 190 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 5: Why did I get sick? Why did I lose my 191 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 5: loved one? Why did my marriage not make it? I 192 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 5: can't answer that, but I can tell you if God 193 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 5: allowed it, he knows how to bring good out of it. 194 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 4: This is what faith is all about. God. 195 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 5: I don't like the pain, but I trust you. I 196 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 5: believe you're in control. 197 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 4: Now. I'm not gonna just go through it. I'm gonna 198 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 4: grow through it. I'm gonna keep a good attitude. 199 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 5: I'm gonna count it all joy, knowing that this pain 200 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 5: is leading to my gain. 201 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,439 Speaker 4: Sometimes we bring pain on ourselves. 202 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 5: We make poor choices, get in a relationship we know 203 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 5: is not good, or maybe get over our head and 204 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 5: our spending. Now it's painful. We're having to deal with 205 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 5: the consequences. And God is full of mercy. He'll always 206 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 5: give us the grace to get out of it. But 207 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 5: the way to not waste your pain is you have 208 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 5: to learn the lesson. Be big enough to look back 209 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 5: and say, Okay, here's where I missed it. I ignored 210 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 5: the warnings. I got involved in something that I shouldn't have. 211 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 5: I got out of God's time and got in a hurry. 212 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 5: Not going to do that anymore. There's a lesson in 213 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 5: the pain. Don't be hard headed and have to keep 214 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 5: going through the same pain again and again. A man 215 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 5: I know has struggled with diabetes most of his life. 216 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 5: He ended up a month in the hospital. I saw 217 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 5: him recently. He looks better than ever, he said Joel. 218 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,719 Speaker 5: That stay in the hospital was a wake up call 219 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 5: for me. I've lost forty pounds, I've changed my diet, 220 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 5: I exercise every day. 221 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 4: I feel like a new man. What was he doing? 222 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 4: Not wasting the pain? He learned the lesson. 223 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 5: We talk a lot of about letting go of the past, 224 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 5: letting go of the mistakes, the failures, the divorce, and yes, 225 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 5: that's true, but another way to say it is remember 226 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 5: the lesson, remember what you learned in the experience, and then. 227 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 4: Let go of the negative event. 228 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 5: But if you go through a painful time and you 229 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 5: don't come out with what you were supposed to learn, 230 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 5: you're doing yourself a disservice. I talked to a man 231 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 5: a while back, and he was about to get married 232 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 5: for his fifth time. And I didn't know and I'm 233 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 5: not judging him. I don't know his story, but he 234 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 5: made a statement, Joel, pray for me. All of my 235 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 5: wives end up running around on me. I didn't say it, 236 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 5: but I thought to myself, the one common denominator in 237 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 5: this thing is you. There is a lesson in that 238 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 5: pain somewhere that he's missing. Don't keep repeating the same 239 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 5: mistakes again and again. It's like this guy heard he 240 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,719 Speaker 5: was driving his car and had an accident. Got out, 241 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 5: so upset went over to the other driver, said, lady, 242 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 5: you need to learn how to drive. You're the fourth 243 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 5: person this run into me today. Here's my question, are 244 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 5: you bringing pain on yourself? Are you struggling in a 245 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 5: relationship not fulfilled because you keep saying everything you feel 246 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 5: like saying. Here's a newsflash, the pain will stop if 247 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 5: you zip it up. 248 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 4: Don't just go through it, grow through it. 249 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 5: Other times we experience pain that have nothing to do 250 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 5: with our choices. Wasn't our fault. We were doing the 251 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 5: right thing and the wrong thing happened. The scripture says, 252 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 5: rain falls on the just and the unjust. You can 253 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 5: be the just, honoring God, being your best, helping others, and. 254 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 4: It rains in your life. 255 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 5: There are forces of darkness trying to keep you from 256 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 5: your destiny. 257 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 4: God could have stopped it, but he didn't. 258 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 5: Even though it's painful now, if you'll stay in faith, 259 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 5: that will lead you towards your destiny. The age of 260 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 5: forty eight, my mom was doing the right thing, raising 261 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 5: five of us children, helping my dad pastor the church. 262 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 4: Life was good. 263 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 5: Then it started raining. She was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, 264 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,079 Speaker 5: given a few weeks to live, and that was not 265 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:18,679 Speaker 5: only uncomfortable physically, obviously, but it was also painful emotionally, 266 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 5: thinking about possibly leaving her children, leaving her husband. But 267 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 5: my mom didn't get depressed, she didn't get better and 268 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 5: start blaming God. Her attitude was, God, my life is 269 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 5: in your hands. I know you promised the number of 270 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 5: my days you will fulfill People don't have the final say. God, 271 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 5: I know you have the final say. And it didn't 272 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 5: happen overnight. But little by little, my mother got better 273 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 5: and better. Today, thirty four years later, she's. 274 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 4: Not only still healthy and whole. But here's my point. 275 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 5: In that difficult time, out of that pain, God burst 276 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 5: something new on the inside. She started going around worrying 277 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 5: for other people who were sick. Till to this day 278 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 5: she goes up to the medical center every week and 279 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 5: has a prayer service in the chapel. 280 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 4: The very thing that. 281 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 5: Was meant to destroy her, God used it to push 282 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 5: her into a new level of her destiny. Friends, God 283 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 5: knows how to take your mess and turn it into 284 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 5: your message. Take what was meant for harm and use 285 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 5: it to your advantage. There are timesck with my mom. 286 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 5: God will allow us to go through a season of 287 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 5: difficulty so he can burst something new on the inside. 288 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 4: Paul said in Corinthians. 289 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 5: The comfort we receive in our difficulties, now we can 290 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 5: share that same comfort with other people in their time 291 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 5: of need. When you go through something you don't understand 292 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 5: doesn't make sense. Stead of getting negative, bit or God, 293 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 5: why did this happen? 294 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 4: Have a new perspective. 295 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 5: The reason God allowed it is because he can trust you. 296 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 5: He knows he can count on you to take the 297 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 5: same love, the same healing, the same encouragement, and share 298 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 5: it with others. Even though that struggle with cancel was 299 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 5: very difficult for my mother, she talks about how she 300 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 5: wouldn't change it, She wouldn't have it any different. 301 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 4: The pain was for a greater purpose. 302 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 5: Maybe you've been through something you don't understand, like my mom, 303 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 5: a sickness, abuse, infertility, you're raising a difficult child. Life 304 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 5: hasn't turned out the way you'd hoped. 305 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 4: It's painful. 306 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 5: It's easy to take on a victim mentality, Joel. If 307 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 5: God was good, why did this happen to me? Why 308 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 5: did these people mistreat me growing up? Why did I 309 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 5: have this bad break? It's because God knows he can 310 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 5: trust you. The forces of darkness tried to take you out, 311 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 5: but God had his hand on the thermostat. He said, 312 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 5: not so fast. That's my son, that's my daughter. I've 313 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 5: got an assignment for them to fulfill. Just like God 314 00:16:56,120 --> 00:17:00,040 Speaker 5: said to Satan, you can test job, but you can't. 315 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 4: Take his life. 316 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 5: He's not gonna quit serving me. I know what job's 317 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,160 Speaker 5: made of. God is saying the same thing about you. 318 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 5: It may be painful, but I know what they're made of. 319 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 5: It may be difficult, may not be fair, but I'm 320 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,120 Speaker 5: not only gonna bring them out, I'm gonna bring them 321 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:20,120 Speaker 5: out better, and I'm gonna use them to help other 322 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 5: people who are struggling in the same areas. God can 323 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 5: trust you, there's a purpose for that pain. Do you 324 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 5: know how many businesses, charities, ministries have been birthed out 325 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 5: of pain. May of nineteen eighty, Cindy Lightner received a 326 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 5: phone call saying that her thirteen year old daughter, Carrie 327 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 5: had been hit by a car walking to church. Unfortunately, 328 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 5: Carrie lost her life that day. 329 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 4: This mother was devastated. 330 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 5: She didn't think she could go on until she learned 331 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 5: the man driving the car was under the influence of 332 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 5: alcohol and he was a repeat offender. When she heard that, 333 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 5: some then rose up in her like she had never 334 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 5: felt in her. 335 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 4: Late daughter's bedroom. 336 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 5: She started a new organization, no money, no influence, no experience. 337 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 5: She called it Mad Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Today her 338 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 5: organization has saved hundreds of thousands of lives, change laws, 339 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 5: influence policy. Cindy Lightner understands this principle. 340 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 4: She didn't waste her pain. 341 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 5: No, it didn't bring her daughter back, but she knew 342 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 5: there was a purpose for that pain. She could have 343 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 5: sat around depressed, bitter, blaming God, but she didn't put 344 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 5: a question mark where God put a period. That peace 345 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,959 Speaker 5: in her puzzle didn't make sense at the time, but 346 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,120 Speaker 5: she believed that when everything came together, it would fall 347 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 5: perfectly into place. That's exactly what happened today. 348 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 4: She's impacting the world. 349 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 5: Most of us will never experience anything as tragic as 350 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 5: Cindy did. But if she can one of the greatest 351 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 5: pains in life and turn it around to become a 352 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 5: force for good, I believe you and I can find 353 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 5: a purpose in our pain. Don't get caught up and 354 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 5: wear this piece to my puzzle fits Joel, doesn't make sense. 355 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,399 Speaker 4: This is an ugly piece. Keep moving forward. Do like 356 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 4: she did. Go out and encourage somebody else. 357 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 5: Healing comes when you get your mind off of your 358 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 5: own pain, what you lost, what didn't work out, and 359 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:30,959 Speaker 5: you go help others. 360 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 4: But as long as you stay focused. 361 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 5: On yourself, you're going to get stuck. There's a blessing 362 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 5: in that pain. You have something to give others. You 363 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 5: can encourage people who are going through what you've been through. 364 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,400 Speaker 5: A lady I know got a bad medical report and 365 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 5: doctors found what they thought was a cancerous tumor. 366 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 4: And we prayed right here that the. 367 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 5: Report would come back negative, but indeed they found out 368 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 5: it was cancer. She's been coming to Lakewood for a 369 00:19:58,880 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 5: long time. 370 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 4: She's not a victim, She's a victor. 371 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 5: She knew God wouldn't allow it unless he could bring 372 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 5: good out of it. Like my mother, she didn't get defeated. 373 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 5: Her attitude was, God, I know I'm in the palm 374 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 5: of your hand. Nothing can snatch me away. 375 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 4: God. 376 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 5: I don't understand it, but I trust you. For one 377 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,880 Speaker 5: year she took chemotherapy. Wasn't easy, she lost all her hair, 378 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 5: got very sick. But today she is eleven years cancer free. 379 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 5: You know what she does now, She goes back to 380 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 5: the same hospital as a volunteer and she encourages the 381 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 5: people that are fighting cancer. She tells them, I know 382 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 5: what you're going through. I've been there. I've taken the 383 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 5: chemo and look, God did it for me. 384 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 4: He can do it for you. 385 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 5: She's not wasting her pain. Her test has become her testimony. 386 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 5: We've all been through things that are uncomfortable. We didn't 387 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 5: like it, but God made a way when we didn't 388 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 5: see away. If it wasn't for his healing, his favor, 389 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,640 Speaker 5: his goodness, his mercy, we wouldn't be here. God's counting 390 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 5: on us to let our light shine. What you've been 391 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,679 Speaker 5: through can help somebody else get through it. Be on 392 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 5: the lookout for somebody you can encourage. Don't waste your pain. 393 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 5: My friend, coach Dell Brown at LSU told about a 394 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 5: young lady named Lolo Jones. You probably heard of her. 395 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 5: She's a star sprinter. She holds the world record in 396 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 5: the hurdles. Two thousand and eight, she was at the 397 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 5: Olympic Games, heavily favored to win the gold medal. Nobody 398 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 5: had even come close to her time. She lined up 399 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 5: on the track, the starter fired the gun, she took 400 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 5: off running. Everything was going great. She was in first place, 401 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 5: like expected. Eight hurdles down, two to go, and she 402 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 5: wins the gold. A dream comes true. But somehow, on 403 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 5: that ninth hurdle, her timing got off. She hid it, stumbled, 404 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 5: fell to the ground that allowed the other runners to 405 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 5: pass her by. She didn't win the gold, a huge disappointment. 406 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 5: She trained her whole life for that twelve second race. 407 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 4: Now it was over. 408 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,200 Speaker 5: They interviewed her a little afterwards, and she said, in effect, 409 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 5: yes it's painful. 410 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 4: Yes I'm disappointed, but I know now I can help 411 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 4: other people who have fallen. 412 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 5: When you've been through something, in one sense, you've been 413 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 5: given a gift. You are uniquely qualified to help others 414 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 5: struggling in that same situation. 415 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 4: Don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. 416 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:37,360 Speaker 5: Go out and lift somebody else up. Friends, everything happens 417 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 5: to us for a reason. Nothing is a coincidence. Some 418 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 5: things are to help us grow, mature, come up higher. 419 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 5: Then there are times God will allow us to go 420 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 5: through a difficult season so later on we can be 421 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 5: instrumental in helping somebody else overcome. Can God trust you 422 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 5: with the pain? Can God trust you to be uncomfortable? 423 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 5: Will you get negative? 424 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 4: Better? God? Why is this happening to me? 425 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 5: I say this respectfully, It's not all about you. What 426 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 5: if God allowed it so three years from now you 427 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,919 Speaker 5: can help somebody else move forward? Can God trusts you? 428 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 5: When my father went to be with the Lord, You've. 429 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 4: Lost loved ones very painful. 430 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 5: I didn't like it. I was uncomfortable. But do you 431 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 5: know how many people tell me, Joel, when you talk 432 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 5: about your father and how much you loved him, and. 433 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 4: How you stepped up to pastor, to the church that helped. 434 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 5: Me to overcome when my loved one went to be 435 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 5: with the Lord. With the comfort I've received, I can 436 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 5: share that comfort with others. 437 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 4: We all have something to give. 438 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 5: We've all been through a hurt, a loss of disappointment. 439 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 4: Don't see it as all men. This is so bad now. 440 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:50,920 Speaker 5: You may not have liked it, but there's a purpose 441 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,439 Speaker 5: for that pain. I saw a report on the news 442 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 5: about this lady. She was a larger woman, and she'd 443 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 5: always been perfectly healthy. She started feeling a little nauseated. 444 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 4: Couldn't figure out what was wrong. 445 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,880 Speaker 5: Over the next few months, her back started hurting, her 446 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 5: feet swelling, couldn't sleep at night. 447 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:12,199 Speaker 4: She went to the doctor early on. 448 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 5: They thought it was some kind of virus that would 449 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 5: soon pass, But month after month, different symptoms popped up. 450 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 4: She was uncomfortable, swollen, gaining weight. She didn't like it. 451 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 5: One day, she started feeling incredible pains in her stomach area. 452 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,399 Speaker 5: She tried to endure it, thinking that it would pass, 453 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:34,120 Speaker 5: but kept getting worse and worse. Finally, she couldn't take 454 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 5: it any longer. In excruciating pain, she had her husband 455 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 5: rush her to the emergency room. 456 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,439 Speaker 4: The doctor examined her said, I know exactly what's wrong. 457 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 5: Ninety minutes later he handed her her new baby boy. 458 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 4: She was pregnant and didn't know it. 459 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 5: All those symptoms she was feeling, the pain, discomfort, nausea. 460 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 5: There was a purpose for it. A chain was taking place. 461 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 5: She was about to give birth. Many times like her, 462 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 5: we're pregnant and we don't know it. All we can 463 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 5: feel is the pain. God, I'm uncomfortable. The pain is 464 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 5: a sign you're about to give birth. If you'll stay 465 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 5: in faith, eventually the pain will pass. You'll give birth 466 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 5: to new strength, new talent, new ministry, new charity, new friendships, 467 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 5: a new level. The pain is for a purpose. A 468 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 5: change is taking place. When you're in a difficult time, 469 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 5: don't focus on the pain. Focus on the fact that 470 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 5: a new level is coming. The scripture says Jesus endured 471 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 5: the pain of the Cross looking forward to the joy 472 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:45,880 Speaker 5: that was set before him. 473 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 4: If you only focus on where you are on the pain, 474 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 4: you'll get negative. 475 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 5: Have a new perspective, the right perspective. God, I don't 476 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,159 Speaker 5: like this situation, but I know this pain is not 477 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 5: here to stop me. It's here to promote me. Sign 478 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,120 Speaker 5: I'm about to give birth to something new. That's what 479 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 5: my friends Craig and Samantha did. Craig, at the time, 480 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 5: was the head of our children's ministry at Lakewood. They 481 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 5: had two beautiful children. Samantha was expecting the third child. 482 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 5: When little Connor was born, they soon realized. 483 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 4: Something wasn't quite right. 484 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 5: He wasn't talking, developing as fast as the other children. 485 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 5: Connor was diagnosed with autism. And while they loved Connor 486 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 5: just as much, of course, they were a little taken 487 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:34,719 Speaker 5: aback by it. It's not what they were expecting. But 488 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 5: Craig and Samantha understand this principle. They didn't put a 489 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 5: question mark where God put a period. They knew the 490 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,400 Speaker 5: reason they had Connor was because. 491 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 4: God could trust them. They didn't waste their pain. 492 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 5: Craig told me how at that time we didn't have 493 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 5: any classes for special needs children here at the church. 494 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 5: Many parents couldn't attend a main service like this because 495 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 5: their children needed Connor attention. He said, Joel, why don't 496 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 5: we start a special needs class for these children. We 497 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 5: can call it the Champion's Club. In that time of pain, 498 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 5: Craig recognized he was pregnant. He was about to give 499 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 5: birth to something new. We started our Champions Club. The 500 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,639 Speaker 5: first few months, three hundred new families joined the church. 501 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 4: Other churches heard about it. 502 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:28,120 Speaker 5: Craig helped them launch their own special needs class. Today, 503 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 5: there are over thirty Champions Clubs in seven different nations 504 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 5: around the world. 505 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 4: Here's what I'm saying. When it's painful, don't get discouraged. 506 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 4: Get ready. You're about to give birth. That discomforts your feeling. 507 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 5: It's not just a random pain. Those are birth pains. 508 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 5: There's a blessing in that pain. There's a gift in 509 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 5: that pain. There's a ministry in the pain. There's a 510 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 5: new level in that pain. 511 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 4: Don't waste it. Do like Craig, be on the lookout. 512 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 5: Look for opportunities you can encourage else. Can God trust 513 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 5: you with that pain? 514 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 4: Will you get. 515 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 5: Negative, bitter or will you say God, I don't understand it, 516 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 5: but I know there's a purpose for this pain. Remember, 517 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,439 Speaker 5: God has his hand on the thermostat If it was 518 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 5: too much, he. 519 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:18,160 Speaker 4: Would have cut back the heat. Don't just go through it, 520 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:19,120 Speaker 4: grow through it. 521 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 5: If you'll do this, I believe and declare, your pain 522 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 5: is about to be turned into your gain. You're gonna 523 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 5: come out stronger, increase, promoted, new levels out of that pain. 524 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,120 Speaker 5: It's going to birth you into the fullness of your 525 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 5: destiny in Jesus' name. 526 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 4: If you receive it today, can you say amen. We 527 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 4: never like to close our. 528 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 5: Broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 529 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 5: lord of your life. 530 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? 531 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 532 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 5: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 533 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 5: if you prayed that simple prayer, believe you got born again. 534 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 5: Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. 535 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 5: He's gonna take your places that you've never dreamed. 536 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 6: Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. Help 537 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 6: us continue to share the message of hope with those 538 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 6: all over the world. Visit joelostin dot com slash give 539 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 6: Hope to give a gift today. 540 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 541 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 542 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 5: podcast to keep you. 543 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 4: Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 544 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 4: know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.