Offering Hope to Hopeless Kids

Summary

Summary of "Offering Hope to Hopeless Kids" Episode on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

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Introduction

In the March 10, 2025 episode of Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, hosts Jim Daly and John Fuller delve into the profound challenges faced by at-risk youth in today’s society. The episode features a heartfelt conversation with Tyrone Flowers, the founder of the Higher Impact ministry, who shares his inspiring journey from a troubled past to becoming a beacon of hope for countless young lives.

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Guest Introduction: Tyrone Flowers

Tyrone Flowers joins Jim Daly and John Fuller to discuss his personal experiences and the mission behind Higher Impact. With firsthand knowledge of the struggles faced by vulnerable children, Tyrone provides invaluable insights into effective mentorship and support systems.

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Personal Stories and Background

Tyrone begins by recounting his tumultuous upbringing:

• Early Life Struggles: Raised in a single-parent home by his grandmother alongside 12 siblings, Tyrone faced significant hardships. His father was murdered when Tyrone was just ten years old, and his mother, a teenager herself, was largely absent emotionally and physically. This environment exposed Tyrone to drugs, alcohol, and unstable relationships.

  “I grew up in a single parent home. My grandmother raised me with her 12 children. My father was murdered when I was 10, and my mother made it very clear she didn't want to be a mother.” (09:03)

• Juvenile System: At seventeen, after enduring three years in various foster care facilities, Tyrone was released from the largest youth facility in Missouri. Despite his athletic prowess in basketball, he struggled with identity and belonging, leading to conflicts that culminated in a life-altering event.

• Life-Altering Incident: Just two weeks before graduating high school, a verbal confrontation on a city bus with a fellow basketball player escalated when Tyrone was shot three times with a .357 Magnum. This tragic event left him paralyzed from the neck down.

  “He pulled out a .357 Magnum and shot me three times. Hit me in the shoulder, Neck area. That's what nicked my spinal cord and paralyzed me in my hand and my leg.” (16:08)

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The Importance of Relationships in Helping At-Risk Youth

A central theme of the episode is the transformative power of positive relationships:

• Troy’s Story: Jim Daly shares the story of Troy, a pro-life advocate motivated by his wife's trauma from a past abortion. This narrative underscores the ministry’s commitment to supporting families through real-life experiences.

  “By working together, we can be a lifeline for preborn babies and their moms and we can help bring godly truth and healing to families like Troy's.” (00:30)

• Tyrone’s Mentor: Tyrone recounts a pivotal moment when a compassionate social worker's smile made him feel truly seen and loved for the first time.

  “It was the first time I felt like I had a mother in a traditional way because she was closer to my age.” (11:39)

Jim Daly reflects on similar experiences, emphasizing how small gestures like a smile can significantly impact a child's sense of hope and acceptance.

“The smile on her face, it was a confidence that she gave me that I was okay.” (04:46)

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Higher Impact Ministry

Tyrone Flowers founded Higher Impact in 1993 to address the needs of high-risk urban youth in the Kansas City, Missouri area. The ministry focuses on:

• Basic Skills Training: Providing practical skills that empower youth to navigate daily challenges.

• Mentoring: Building strong, trusting relationships that offer guidance and support.

• Spiritual Discipline: Integrating faith-based principles to foster personal growth and resilience.

• Leadership Development: Encouraging and nurturing the leadership potential within each child.

  “We try to take a kid that may be in that environment, but he's a thinker, even if he's a leader, even if he's leading in the wrong direction, like a gang member.” (06:46)

Tyrone emphasizes targeting individuals who show potential despite their circumstances, aiming to redirect their paths toward positive futures.

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Overcoming Trauma and Forgiveness

A significant portion of the discussion centers on Tyrone's journey toward healing and forgiveness:

• Initial Relationship with God: Tyrone describes his early, transactional relationship with God, which deteriorated due to witnessing hypocrisy in religious practices.

  “At the age of 13, I stopped making deals with God. I didn’t want to be a hypocrite.” (17:14)

• Turning Point: After being shot, Tyrone experienced a spiritual awakening. The act of forgiveness became a cornerstone of his healing process.

  “This is real. No matter what you've been through as your childhood, you gotta choose who you're gonna serve.” (18:30)

  “I am blessed to work with you. Yeah, God has put you in my life. I've chosen you.” (14:27)

• Choosing Forgiveness: Tyrone made a conscious decision to forgive his attacker, not out of feeling good, but as an act of obedience and release from past burdens.

  “In all honesty, it was just a choice. It wasn't a feeling. I didn't feel good about it. I didn't want to.” (19:27)

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The Mentoring Process

Tyrone outlines his approach to mentoring, focusing on both emotional and spiritual development:

• Identifying Strengths: Emphasizing the positive attributes of each child to build self-esteem and encourage growth.

  “We spend time initially identifying and focusing on and highlighting their strengths.” (22:04)

• Practical Support: Addressing immediate needs such as education, basic necessities, and daily life skills to provide a stable foundation.

  “These kids need shoes. They need to understand the process of how to get in school and how school can impact your life.” (22:04)

• Normalization and Integration: Helping youth find ways to fit into societal norms while maintaining their unique strengths and potential.

  “They got to find ordinary ways to fit in in spite of their circumstances.” (22:04)

Tyrone’s methodology blends faith with practical assistance, creating a holistic support system for at-risk children.

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Conclusion and Calls to Action

The episode concludes with an inspiring message from Tyrone and the hosts, encouraging listeners to get involved:

• Support Higher Impact: Listeners are invited to connect with Tyrone’s ministry to aid in transforming young lives.

  “If God can do it in my life, I know he can do it in theirs.” (24:13)

• Foster Care Involvement: Highlighting the importance of programs like Wait No More, which support foster care and adoption efforts.

Jim Daly and John Fuller emphasize the collective responsibility of the community to nurture and support at-risk youth, reinforcing the episode’s central theme of hope and redemption.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jim Daly on Relationships:

  “The smile on her face, it was a confidence that she gave me that I was okay.” (04:46)

• Tyrone Flowers on Forgiveness:

  “In all honesty, it was just a choice. It wasn't a feeling. I didn't feel good about it. I didn't want to.” (19:27)

• Jim Daly on Community Effort:

  “Working together, we can be a lifeline for preborn babies and their moms and we can help bring godly truth and healing to families like Troy's.” (00:30)

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This episode of Focus on the Family with Jim Daly serves as a powerful testament to the impact of compassionate mentorship and the transformative power of faith. Tyrone Flowers' story exemplifies how personal adversity can be channeled into meaningful support for others, offering hope and guidance to those who need it most.

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Note: For more information on Tyrone Flowers and the Higher Impact ministry, listeners are encouraged to visit the Focus on the Family website or contact the ministry directly.

Transcript

[Jim Daly]

Troy is a pro life advocate because he saw firsthand the trauma and guilt his wife experienced for many years due to a past abortion. And that's why they became monthly supporters of the ministry.

[Tyrone Flowers]

We're always encouraged by what Focus on the Family has been doing and the impact that that has on life in general. I feel that it's more than a worthy cause and that if you can.

[Jim Daly]

Spend a little bit of money and.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Have such a great on life, it's.

[Jim Daly]

Really just a no brainer. I'm Jim Dailey. By working together, we can be a lifeline for preborn babies and their moms and we can help bring godly truth and healing to families like Troy's. Become a friend of FOCUS on the family by calling 800-THE LETTER A and the word family. Or you can [e-mail] families.

[Tyrone Flowers]

I was in a juvenile system after going through the foster care for three years in reformatory schools, state hospitals and all of a sudden I'm at this reformatory school and I was going through the mill line and this beautiful African American lady looked at me and smiled and said, you remind me of my son.

[Jim Daly]

Wow.

[Tyrone Flowers]

And at that moment, it was the first time I felt like I had a mother.

[John Fuller]

Well, that's Tyrone Flowers and he knows firsthand about the challenges facing at risk kids. Tyrone is our guest today on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly and we'll be hearing more of his remarkable story and the unique mentoring ministry he has now for at risk kids like he was. Thanks for joining us today. I'm John Fuller.

[Jim Daly]

John, I can resonate with some of what Tyrone has experienced, but only some of it. I mean he had an incredible upbringing in a very tough way. My parents divorced when I was young. Many of know that story and my father really was never a big part of my life. My mother died when I was nine and my siblings and I were suddenly orphans and we went into foster care and that was a mess. I was there for a year, reunited with my father and then he passed away. And then I lived with my brother who was only 19 and that's pretty much how I did high school. More and more that is the experience of children today and it's so unfortunate, the breakdown of family, the different things that are tearing families ap remember I was different back then. Today that's more normative and it's so unfortunate. We're going to hear from someone who has lived it and is now reaching back into communities to help these at risk children feel loved, to do better to know that there is a God that loves them and there are his servants who love them as well because of Christ. Yeah.

[John Fuller]

And Tyrone is very engaged. There are at risk kids in every neighborhood and community, and he wants to help lift your eyes up to see what you might do to help them. He started the ministry called Higher Impact and that was founded in 1993. And the organization helps identify high risk urban kids in the Kansas City, Missouri area and gives them basic skills training, mentoring, spiritual discipline, and really shows them their potential as future leaders. And you're going to hear Tyrone's heart for that work and why he has that heart today.

[Jim Daly]

Tyrone, welcome to Focus on the Family.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Thank you, guys. This is truly a blessing.

[Jim Daly]

We're going to get to your story, but first, the two of us, we have experienced some tough things, but when you get right down to it, what do these children need more than anything?

[Tyrone Flowers]

To me, it's all about relationship. I mean, at the end of the day, these kids need to know that they have a purpose on this earth. There is a reason why we all go through what we go through, but it's just been able to look in someone's eyes and say, why am I here? And do you accept me for who I am? And that means everything that comes with me accept them right where they're at in that particular moment. And we have found that when you accept them right where they're at, they open up.

[Jim Daly]

Well, I love that idea of hope, you know, that it gives them hope. Relationship brings hope. When people care about you, you feel hopeful that someone even notices me. I can remember that with a social worker that came to visit when I was 9 to that foster care family I was with. And it was not a good situation. She simply had a smile on her face. And it communicated to me that I understand what you're going through. Just the smile on her face, it was a confidence that she gave me that I was okay, I was right to be concerned about what was going on.

[Tyrone Flowers]

And you hit on the head attitude. A lot of times when we're working with these young people, you can have the right answer, you can be in the right position. But sometimes their attitude in the process, because you don't want to be around nobody that has, you know, not necessarily negative, but just not really open. But those smiles definitely make a difference, don't they? Makes a difference.

[Jim Daly]

And, you know, for the person that is the adult, I don't even think they understand the power of that smile and that confidence that they portray that a child can hang onto we do it as adults now without even thinking about it. But when you're engaged with a high risk child, those are the small things that are very big to them.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Exactly. Because the thing about it is what's traditional to the masses is non traditional to them. You grow up in an environment to where smiling is not a positive, because you got to have this image, you gotta have weakness, you gotta stay on the defense. You don't want to seem vulnerable. And because there's always people around you, it may not be life or death within your home, but it may be over a meal, it may be over what you're gonna wear tomorrow. It may be over a small opportunity. Now, you have issues with your own family members or you're a child that's in a foster care system with you or in a juvenile justice system with you, but then that continues to just peel off.

[Jim Daly]

And let me say too, I mean, there are so many great foster families.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Exactly.

[Jim Daly]

And we have done fostering. So I'm hopeful that we're one of those good ones. And I would encourage people to engage, focus on the family in that way. We have a wonderful program called Wait no More, and it is geared to helping particularly the church community awaken to this need of foster care, foster wraparound respite care, we call it, which is really grandparenting, taking the kids on a weekend and that. Tyrone, let's move to higher impact. What's the typical picture, paint it for us, of the kids, as we call them, at risk. What does that child look like? What's a portrait of that child?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Well, a typical higher impact kid. We try to take it to that next level because you have a lot of good kids in bad situations. And a lot of times if you're a minority living in a certain community, they all look like they're at risk or high risk. And if you think about it, we all at risk or high risk of something, that's for sure. Getting involved in drugs, sex, alcohol, anything that's inappropriate if you don't have the proper guidance and resources around you. So what we try to target is a kid that may be in that environment, but he's a thinker, even if he's a leader, even if he's leading in the wrong direction, like gang member.

[Jim Daly]

Right.

[Tyrone Flowers]

But he's making a choice. And so I try to take one of those kids. 99% of them don't have their fathers in their home, either dead or incarcerated or never met them. A majority of them, parents, are not actively involved, may be involved in the Juvenile justice system and a lot of them are behind academically, but at the end of the day they have that it factor that I'd be looking for and they have that leadership potential.

[Jim Daly]

Let me ask you this question. When I engage children, it's rare to find a child, I'm talking maybe 5, 6, 7 year old child, where they may have experienced some tough stuff, but their hearts, it's just like Jesus said, their hearts are pure as gold even in tough neighborhoods. They're not yet jaded and they haven't maybe been wounded in a way that they are becoming angry or those typical attributes of a little older child who is now figuring out what's going on, what happens. As you've seen these really high at risk kids, what changes that, what is that weapon of the enemy of our soul that starts to tear them down and they become bitter and angry and mad and want to take out their own form of justice on those around them.

[Tyrone Flowers]

And you hit it on the head when you say justice because a lot of times they just wanted to be understood. I mean, because if you think about it, when I first grew up, when I was starting out, I didn't know what I was going through was a negative. Sometimes difference is just difference. It doesn't mean right or wrong.

[Jim Daly]

Paint that picture for us. What was your childhood like?

[Tyrone Flowers]

I mean, I grew up in a single parent home. My grandmother raised me with her 12 children. My father was murdered when I was 10. I've only seen him maybe five times prior to him dying. And my mother, even though she was around, she made it very clear she didn't want to be a mother. She was a teenager. And so my grandmother had a choice, either stay at home and keep us out of trouble or go to work and provide. So she worked two jobs. And so I was basically raised by teenagers who are anywhere from 10 to 15 years older than you. And what do teenagers do? Even the good ones, they experiment with, you know, making their choices. And I was exposed to drugs, sex, alcohol. But what also I was interacting with basically adults. And even though things were difficult when it came to your basic needs as far as food, shelter, sometimes the lights were off and the water would get turned off and things of that nature food was a challenge. I still felt loved and acceptance. But the thing about it, even though you have love, I didn't have that proper structure and that guidance. And so some of the things that I was learning was inappropriate. And so I became angry because no one explained to me what was going on. You know, it wasn't my fault, you know, and don't attack my family, because a lot of times it's like, well, this environment is unfit and something wrong. So I started becoming defensive to protect my family and what I stood for. And after that, it was just on. And you get labeled after that. If you get in one fight, you're the aggressor. You know, you can never shake those.

[Jim Daly]

Well, and that was part of your experience. You became a fighter in school, right?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Exactly.

[Jim Daly]

I mean, you were going to settle scores, and this is how you did it. And people respected you. Did you, as a young man in that spot, did you feel that that brought you a certain credibility, a label that you liked? Tough guy?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Well, it wasn't necessarily you liked, but any label that you can get that will help balance the playing field. It helped. It made you feel necessary in some way. But, yeah, fighting. I was never a violent person, but I will defend what I consider as mine. But at the end of the day, it was more the mental fight and the spiritual, even though I didn't look at it then, that was more painful than the physical.

[Jim Daly]

Yeah. I think both of us shared wonderful adult figures in our lives that came along. Mine was a football coach who took an interest in me. I think yours. Her name was Ms. Collins. Ms. Collins. Ms. Collins. And what she provided for you at a young age.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Okay, well, fast forward about seven years. I was in a juvenile system after going through the foster care for three years in reformatory schools, state hospitals. And all of a sudden, I'm at this reformatory school, and I was going through the mill line, and this beautiful African American lady looked at me and smiled that smile like that social worker and said, you remind me of my son. Wow. And at that moment, it was the first time I felt like I had a mother in a traditional way because she was closer to my age. You know, your grandmother is your grandmother. You almost wanted to be a grandmother and have a mom. So I was like, man, I have a mother. And no conversation. Just in that smile.

[Jim Daly]

You just kind of quietly adopted her.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Yes.

[Jim Daly]

That's really interesting, but it was lovely. You made her. What did you make her in wood shop? You made her something there.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Well, we. Our interaction with over a period of a year was less than 24 hours, because it was only when I was going through the meal line and she made a comment about her son and providing for him, but she always smiled when she said it. It was the first time I've ever seen a provider that had a positive attitude about the child that they had to provide for. Because when I grew up, it was always this struggle. And so she helped me with that attitude. And the only way I can say thank you, I was getting ready to be kicked out and leave. I made her a jury box and I just handed it to her. We never exchanged words. That was my way of saying thank you.

[Jim Daly]

Tyrone, I want to really highlight something you just said. It's so critical that she had a positive attitude as the mother of her son. And what that spoke to you. People that haven't gone through this kind of arrangement, you typically get sour attitudes. You get downer people, why do I have to provide for you? Why are you in my life? You're a burden to me. Even that they don't get a lot of positive or observe a lot of positive. That's what you're driving at, right?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Yes. In any relationship, if you decide to take on that responsibility, you shouldn't put that burden on that person that's already going through that struggle. And often we do. It's. You're the reason why we have to go through X, Y and Z. And you want to just be accepted for who you are and where you at and try to be a resource to change things. But again, it gave me the attitude. And I tell every kid I work with, I am blessed to work with you. Yeah, God has put you in my life. I've chosen you. And it's nothing about your circumstances that's going to change that. Now, that doesn't mean you're not going to frustrate me or make me upset, but the dynamics of our relationship and everything that comes with it and you is embraced.

[Jim Daly]

Tyrone, I do want to get to your specific tragedy. You've had many tragedies in your life, but this one was lifelong impact. I mean, you're in a wheelchair.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Yes.

[Jim Daly]

And what happened? What led up to this encounter? What was the situation? What took place?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Well, it's interesting. From the period of 7 through 17 of going through all those facilities and relationship dynamics, I was released from the largest youth facility in the state of Missouri and told to go home and play basketball. That's all they saw in me. I'm six'four £220. They didn't see school, education or anything like that. And so I ended up living with a relative that loved me but didn't have the means of supporting me. And I learned something that most adults know very well is how to look good on the outside. But I was messed up on the inside. All of a sudden. I became very popular in School because of basketball. I'm the man. And now I'm dealing with these social dynamics that I've never really encountered. I was used being not the man in the C class. Now you're in the A class. And so that created some dynamics with some of the players that led to me having a personality conflict. And two weeks before graduating from high school, we got into it and I thought we were going to fight.

[Jim Daly]

And he put out you and another.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Player, starting point guard on my basketball team. He wasn't a drug dealer or a gang banger. We both love sports, but it was more so just peer pressure and jealousy. And what happened was, again, we got in a verbal confrontation on a city bus, and I thought we were going to fight. And he pulled out a.357 Magnum and shot me three times.

[Jim Daly]

Three times?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Three times.

[Jim Daly]

Hit you in the shoulder?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Yeah, he blew a hole in my neck. Shoulder, Neck area. That's what nicked my spinal cord and paralyzed me and in my hand and my leg, man.

[Jim Daly]

What did that communicate to you? I mean, you're trying to heal up. Did you at that point, are you going, God, are you there? Where is God in this whole picture for you?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Well, it's kind of interesting because I grew up religious and I used to make deals with God, you know, because I knew how on Sunday we were all God. And then every other day of the week, it was all about us. And so that was my relationship with God. And I always knew it was something more, but I didn't know what that was. But going through what I went through, we always prayed, God, if you do this for me, I go to church, I'll listen to my teacher. But I found myself becoming a hypocrite with God. All the people in my life that was hypocrites that would promise me something but would never show up. So at the age of 13, I stopped making deals with God. And I used to say, once I get married or once I turn 65 or right before the plane crash, I'm going to start going to church. Because I knew that it took more, but I wasn't willing to.

[Jim Daly]

Let me ask you this for the benefit of listeners. I mean, some people, they may not have a relationship with Christ and they're hearing you and they're going. I was making that same decision at 15, at 20 that you made at 13. Why? And did your heart grow cold toward God in that regard? You kind of turned that relationship off. It sounds like.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Well, it didn't grow cold. It was really more of A respect. I didn't want to be a hypocrite.

[Jim Daly]

Okay.

[Tyrone Flowers]

It's almost like just religious and tradition. It was fake. They didn't really reverence God. So I was like, I don't want to do it unless I'm ready and being fully committed. Fully committed.

[Jim Daly]

I think the Lord respects that, actually.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Yeah, he wants you fully committed. Exactly. And that's why when I got shot, it wasn't a why me, God and getting shot. Because in all honesty, I was more accustomed to. Negative things happen. It's the positive things that would scare you. I was expecting people not to like me, not to want me around. It's the people that said, come with me that made me nervous because I wanted to know your motives. This is new. This is different. So when I got shot, the thing that drew me to God was the way it happened. Because being an African American male getting shot in the urban core, everybody assumed that you was a drug dealer or a gang banger.

[Jim Daly]

Right.

[Tyrone Flowers]

So what? You know, and that you weren't either. Wasn't either. It was just peer pressure and jealousy. So when I went to God, I was like, why me? Why did it have to happen this way? I already got all these negative titles. And that's when he told me, this thing is real. No matter what you've been through as your childhood, you gotta choose who you're gonna serve. There's a heaven and a hell. Because sometimes kids think because you're going through so much that you're gonna get a pass. And that's not gonna happen. You gotta make a choice. And I had to choose that day. Was I gonna serve? A part of salvation is what forgiveness. And so I called him up and let him know that I forgave him. And then God gave me the strength.

[Jim Daly]

But describe that because some of us are living with unforgiveness help. Those that are living with maybe far less of an issue. But how did you really, Tyrone, forgive the guy that shot you and crippled you? And that's a phenomenal heart.

[Tyrone Flowers]

In all honesty, it was just a choice. It wasn't a feeling. I didn't feel good about it. I didn't want to. And another thing that made me more comfortable with it. I knew all that I have done that I wanted to be relieved from.

[Jim Daly]

So sinner saved by grace.

[Tyrone Flowers]

That's the part was bigger to me is just being obedient. And the deal I made with God was, you have one time to do me wrong. Because so many people have done me wrong. And if you commit, I Mean, this was like a real personal conversation, but it was. It wasn't biblically. I just wanted someone to be there for me. And I just said, if you don't lie to me, I will give this thing my all. And if that takes forgiving the guy who shot me, I will do it. And he promised me peace and understanding because I really wanted to understand what was the purpose of all this mess.

[Jim Daly]

How did your life begin to turn around then? I mean, you make this commitment to the Lord. He says, forgive the man that crippled you. Did things begin to turn around right away? Did you feel God's love? Did people express it to you? How did you start sensing that, okay, God is who he said he is?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Well, he started making sense of my past. And that's where it started. Because once I gave my life to Christ, I started noticing how kids were responding to me and other adults because I only wanted to save me. To be honest with you, I figured if I could make it into heaven, I was doing a world of favor. I didn't know anything about this ministry stuff. And then when I started seeing other people's response, then my past started making sense. Because when I shared what I went through and that kid started changing, that young adult started changing. That's what changed me and made me want to go further. Because most adults shut the door when I said I wanted to go to college, I wanted to be a lawyer or doctor. They said, no, that's not going to happen because of the color of your skin or your family's last name or where you lived.

[Jim Daly]

Wow.

[Tyrone Flowers]

And so that's what motivated me to show them that with God in your life and some hard work, you can go beyond natural circumstances.

[Jim Daly]

Yeah. Tayrone. So often we talk about our passion coming out of our pain, and that's obviously what the Lord has done in your own life and in your heart. Describe for us that mentoring process with these kids that you engage. What are the creative ways that you go about strengthening them emotionally and spiritually and helping them to think more highly of themselves in a healthy way, that I can achieve something that God does love me. Because they feel unlovable.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Yes. And it's very interesting because they don't realize that the worst is behind them in a lot of ways and that they really are prepared for everything and moving forward. It's just identifying those strengths so we don't focus on the fact if you're selling drugs or all the negative behavior. What I spend time initially is identifying and focusing on and highlighting their strengths, because once they See that it's human nature to let go of this in order to be able to do this. They know very well, like I knew very well, all of my weaknesses and shortcomings, but showing them those strengths. But also we gotta realize we live in a natural world. We can't just talk about all the spiritual and how great you are. These kids need shoes. They need to understand the process of how to get in school and how school can impact your life in a natural way, how to talk to someone. I was raised with all these people that we would scream. But that level of communication was so normal. So when I would talk to you and you'd say, stop yelling, I would take offense to that and I'd make it me against you. So I had to normalize myself in order to fit in, even though I wasn't normal. And so with these kids, they're extraordinary, but they also got to find ordinary ways to fit in in spite of their circumstances.

[Jim Daly]

You know, let me say, Tyrone, thank you for being that person. And we've got millions of people listening. And to their credit, they're saying, how do I plug in? What can I do? And many of you do in so many ways through your church, through Focus on the Family, in our Wait no More program. And you're a wonderful example of just saying, lord, what can I do to help these kids? Because I was one of them. And it's a beautiful story, Tyrone. And I want to say thank you. Thank you for being there for these kids. Who knows how you're being a father, spiritually speaking, to so many of these kids that are appreciative of that smile, that encouragement, the word of God that you're giving them. And I hope people will help.

[Tyrone Flowers]

And I also want them to know that this all didn't come together overnight. I didn't have a desire to work with kids until God gave me the purpose. And then I didn't have no social skills when I started. I've never been trained to do a group. So sometimes when we're waiting on the training, if God say, go, just go. You just jumped in. I want C3.1. Didn't know what a board of directors were. I just know that those kids needed help. And what God did in my life, I know he can do it in theirs.

[Jim Daly]

Tyrone, this has been wonderful, man. Thank you so much for helping these kids and for all you do at Higher Impact. And we will connect to your website so people can be in touch with you that way and go for it.

[Tyrone Flowers]

Thank you, guys.

[Jim Daly]

Jump in the river. All right.

[John Fuller]

Well, what a great conversation with Tyrone Flowers today on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. And we're going to have more information about Tyrone at our website. And the link is in the show notes.

[Jim Daly]

Well, I hope you were challenged and motivated by what you heard today because this is the heart of God, caring for widows and orphans. James 1:27 makes that so clear. And that's why we have Wait no More and in Canada, Waiting to Belong where we introduce families to foster care and adoption and this idea of bringing at risk children into your home and giving them a fresh start on life. Gene and I did it and we're still connected with sibling set. We're going to see them through until the day we go to heaven and, you know, probably take care of a lot of their needs. They just need that kind of Christian love. And there are many ways to get involved. One of the things we needed when we were fostering was respite care. You know, I have a pretty busy travel schedule and Jean would have to come with me sometimes. And we struggled finding a family that we could leave the kids with. But that is a great way to tip your toe into the waters of fostering and help a family in that way.

[John Fuller]

Yeah. And there's so much that we have for you. We'll encourage you to donate as well to our Wait no More and Waiting to Belong programs so we can reach even more families and help them get involved, as Christ calls us to do. And we welcome your support.

[Jim Daly]

That's right. This month we're looking for 1,000 people to join our Friends of Focus on the Family community where you can commit to a monthly pledge to Focus. Working together, we can be a lifeline to more marriages, more parents, and more families that are involved in foster care and adoption. And the biggest question is, can we count on your generous support today?

[Tyrone Flowers]

Yeah.

[John Fuller]

Please call today. Our number is 800, the letter A in the word family, 800-232-6459. You can also donate online. We've got the details in the show notes. On behalf of the entire team, I'm John Fuller inviting you back as we once again help you and your family thrive in Christ.

[Jim Daly]

If the fights with your spouse have become unbearable, if you feel like you.

[John Fuller]

Can'T take it anymore, there's still hope. Hope Restored Marriage Intensives have helped thousands of couples like yours. Our biblically based counseling will help you find the root of your problems and face them together.

[Jim Daly]

Call us at 1-866-875-2915. We'll talk with you, pray with you.

[John Fuller]

And help you find out which program will work best. That's 1-866-875-2915.