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- [00:00]
Jack Hoops
Hey, everybody, stay tuned because if you want to have your life changed, this is gonna do it. You might think, by the way, that you're living on the edge for Christ. We're gonna ask you to open up your heart and mind and take in what we were about to bring to you. It's gonna blow your mind. So we're sitting down right now with two people that I would say probably a couple of months ago of an assistant of mine said, you've gotta see this. And, and it was a video that he showed me and it was Rocky Coyle speaking to either a podcast group or no group at all. But he was addressing the camera about his life's experience with he and his wife Debbie on adoption. And that immediately grabbed my attention because adoption is part of our life as well in my household. And so, Rocky and Debbie, it's great to have you with us right now. It's an honor to have you and hopefully you guys are okay settling in. You just come out from the east coast and you're a three hour difference,
- [01:06]
Rocky Coyle
but it's been great.
- [01:08]
Jack Hoops
We're going to abuse you for a little bit.
- [01:10]
Rocky Coyle
That's all right. We're glad to be here.
- [01:12]
Jack Hoops
We're glad to have you. So a little bit of background so our audience knows who you guys are and how you, how you came about. Of course you got to talk about some baseball, of course. But to lay the foundation, how did you guys meet and your relationship with the Lord. And then we'll dive into really the heavy lifting of this program and that is this topic of adoption. So who are you guys?
- [01:42]
Rocky Coyle
Okay, Dan, why don't you start where we met.
- [01:44]
Debbie Coyle
So we met at the University of Arizona. Go Wildcats. And we met and married within nine months. Which.
- [01:53]
Jack Hoops
Wait, wait, if you know, you know.
- [01:57]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah, there you go. Okay. So we met and married in nine months our junior year. And then we were gonna wait several years to have children. Two months later I'm pregnant. I'm like. So that was the beginning of God going. You thought that you were in charge. Let me explain to you how this works.
- [02:12]
Rocky Coyle
That's right.
- [02:13]
Debbie Coyle
So anyway, so we had Josh And Josh is 43 now. We have also a 37 year biological daughter. And then the five adopted. But so that, that began my journey with Rocky. I am from New Jersey. My husband landed in New Jersey by third grade. My parents from Indiana in the military. My dad was so grew up in New Jersey in a small Southern Baptist church where, where I came to know the Lord and. But my husband always tells me he Goes, you don't sound like you're from Jersey, but you have the attitude.
- [02:47]
Jack Hoops
You know this. Yes.
- [02:49]
Debbie Coyle
So I go, well, I can't deny that. So. But being married with Rock has been an adventure. Being a baseball wife was a very interesting season and we met a lot of really interesting people, got to go to a lot of really neat places.
- [03:03]
Rocky Coyle
And so it's been good 44 years and we're married and hanging in there. So for me, I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, and I grew up in a large family. My dad was a coach. He played basketball at the University of Arizona. All my brothers are over six. I got my mom's height and her looks, hopefully because I was shorter, but three sport letterman. My dad was a coach. Amazing, amazing guy. He was the oldest living member of the University of Arizona basketball program. He just passed away, what, about a year and a half ago now?
- [03:39]
Debbie Coyle
Almost two years.
- [03:40]
Rocky Coyle
And so he was an amazing, amazing man. And I came to Faith through my dad was a coach. We weren't Christians. And through Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Fellowship of Christian Athletes is the reason my whole family knows Jesus Christ. My dad in his 40s, he, you know, he gave his life to the Lord and then he started sharing the gospel, you know, Romans Road.
- [04:04]
Jack Hoops
Absolutely.
- [04:04]
Rocky Coyle
And I had never heard. I didn't understand. I thought I was a good guy, you know, I was raised Roman Catholic, you know, kind of, but I just thought, you know, hey, if you do good things, you do those types of things. But my dad shared with me about what it meant to be a sinner. And, oh, dad, you know, I, you know, I'll be okay. And, you know, I'm a good guy. And then I was playing basketball. I was a guard, obviously, but I played basketball, baseball and football. And I was, I was going up for a shot and I broke my hand. And for the first time in my life, I wasn't in control of my life. The doctor said that he might not play sports again.
- [04:38]
Jack Hoops
It was that bad of a break.
- [04:40]
Rocky Coyle
I smashed it really bad. It was a bone that they said could possibly affect your career. And I really had a desire to play baseball, but I was playing football. So I was in high school, I'm like, we won the state championship in football. I'm a running back. It was all that stuff. It was all about, you're the guy on campus. And then all of a sudden I was a nobody. And then. So even though I didn't know how to pray and I didn't know how to understand the word of God and all that but my dad had shared those scriptures with me, and I saw the change in my father. It wasn't that he became perfect. I just saw a brokenness in him. And I was in that doctor's office, and I said, lord Jesus, you know, if you're real, come into my heart. And, you know, my life has never been the same.
- [05:24]
Jack Hoops
He transformed me, right?
- [05:26]
Rocky Coyle
And I didn't always understand, but there was that small voice within me that later on I understood through adoption, all that. But I just knew that he was real. And people will go, how do you know God's real? I go, he, you know, changed my life. And the real thing, the foundation of it really, was my father. Ever since I was a little boy, he was a Golden Gloves boxer. He was a. He was a basketball player. He was a man's man. But even as a little boy, my dad. The first time I was in Little League, you know, I started playing. If you ever saw the movie Sandlot, of course. Yeah. That movie is my favorite. But our.
- [05:55]
Jack Hoops
Absolutely share that with you.
- [05:57]
Rocky Coyle
You know what I mean? So.
- [05:58]
Jack Hoops
Absolutely.
- [05:58]
Rocky Coyle
So I. You know, I had a field like that growing up, and I was the ninth boy born into my neighborhood, and they made a team. They were waiting for you. So I was in a diaper pretty much. You know, I started playing outfield.
- [06:15]
Jack Hoops
Maybe that's home plate.
- [06:17]
Rocky Coyle
Exactly. And then my dad played with me. So by the time I played Little League, I was like a star. But I'm one of these guys that always wants everybody to like you and everything and, you know, so. But kids kind of start envying because I would be hitting home runs all the time. So really, for most people to listen, the foundation of my life, of being a dad. And the foundation helped me later with adoption. My dad. I was playing that Little League game, and the whole year, I couldn't get out. They didn't get me out. I'm up to bat and I. Foul tip, two strikes. Kid caught it. I'm out. Strike three. My first strikeout. Well, I handled it fine, but when I went back to the dugout, my team was cheering that I got out. You know, like, yay. He finally got out. And, like, I'm.
- [07:01]
Jack Hoops
That's weird.
- [07:02]
Rocky Coyle
I'm like, what is that? I didn't. Later on, I figured maybe the parents of my own kids were. Or teammates were cheering and they were mobbing the picture.
- [07:09]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah.
- [07:10]
Jack Hoops
We finally feel better about ourselves.
- [07:13]
Rocky Coyle
It was like. It was. So I didn't. It wasn't that I failed because my dad taught me. That's a Part of life.
- [07:18]
Jack Hoops
Yeah, that's right. Sure.
- [07:19]
Rocky Coyle
But when I saw my buddies happy that I failed, I. At 7, I cried. My dad saw it, and. Because everybody's like, hey, in your face, you know. And so I went home, and for anybody listening as a dad or anybody, and really, in my heart, my dad's. I was in my room. My real name is Rock. RLC K. Which, later on, you know, Peter the Rock.
- [07:43]
Jack Hoops
You know, that's actually your legal name.
- [07:44]
Rocky Coyle
That's my real name, Rock. Yeah. So my dad sat me down and he always used to put me in his lap and look me in the eyes. And in high school, I didn't like that, but that's another story. But he said, what are you crying about? I said, dad, I failed you. I'm so sorry. And he said, look at me. And he said, let me tell you something, Rock, before you start this thing called life. He goes, I don't care if you get four hits in a game. I don't care if you're an All American. I don't even care if you play pro ball. One day, he said, you look at me. He goes, I love you because you're my son.
- [08:17]
Jack Hoops
Boom.
- [08:19]
Rocky Coyle
And so people said, why'd you play so good? The restaurant? I said, because I had no fear.
- [08:23]
Jack Hoops
There you go.
- [08:24]
Rocky Coyle
And so that was the foundation. Then later on, when I'm 18, and he tells me about Jesus, and I see that there's the foundation. So that's how. That's my foundation of all that. And, you know, you don't forget that. And then later on, when I left pro baseball to go into the ministry, my dad called me and he said, all these people, you're crazy. Why are you leaving? This is the peak of your career.
- [08:47]
Debbie Coyle
This is.
- [08:47]
Rocky Coyle
This is what you. And I didn't understand, a calling, because I wasn't raised in church. But I knew that he was doing something with me. I didn't think I was smart enough. I had, you know, I probably had learning disabilities, all that stuff. I was the last guy I thought in my head that I could possibly do this. And I called my dad and he told me. He said, hey. He said, do you remember when you were a little boy when you struck out? And I said, yeah, I think I remember that. He said, I'm as proud today as I was then for you to go and do what God called you to do.
- [09:16]
Jack Hoops
Wow. So you were fathered by an excellent example.
- [09:19]
Rocky Coyle
I know. And that's why I love kids nowadays, because I know everybody doesn't get that So I try to be where I can be, you know, in a role. And he's used me a lot for that. My ministry hasn't been on the front with everybody else. Mine has been in the. In the. You know, on the fields, in the backgrounds, where the hurt is in the
- [09:39]
Jack Hoops
trenches, where the wars are actually won.
- [09:41]
Rocky Coyle
That's why it's amazing that we're here, because I'm like. I was actually praying a prayer after my cousin was in. He's the guy that got released and the Taliban released the American. It was recently just got released, and I was praying for him. And I was saying, God, in this day and age we're living in, if you need me. I said, I'm down this dirt road doing lessons and raising these girls. I know there's a message of hope for people. And I said, please open the doors if you want me to. And then three days later, your people called me and I was like, God's amazing. So that's kind of our. That's kind of our story. That's kind of where. Who I am and, you know, we're just servants. You know, we're just. We just said, yes, that's all.
- [10:25]
Jack Hoops
Is it a joy? Isn't it a joy? You know, I was sharing the Lord with someone not too long ago, and I had mentioned to them they were very. For months, they had been thinking this through. It wasn't like a momentary, will you accept Jesus? This was a methodical. And when I had mentioned to this individual, I said, it's like this. It's like Jesus becomes our master and we become his slave. But in that is true liberty and freedom. And that was a stumbling block because this guy was taking it seriously. He said, wait, did you say slave? And I said, yeah. And he goes, I can't do that. Well, I appreciated his honesty. He said, I can't do that. And I go, well, okay, but you do have two sons, don't you? And he goes, yeah, what does that have to do with anything? And I said, what would you do for your sons? He said, I'd do anything for them. Now, I gotta tell you, I don't think this sharp on the spot, but it was the Holy Spirit, because I was impressed later, and I said, well, who brought them into the world but you and your wife? Oh, that's true. Who pays for their food and the roof? Well, I do. Okay, but yet you're willing to die for them? Absolutely. Drop of a hat. And I said, are you not a slave? He said, no. I said, let me Ask you again. Are you not a slave to your sons?
- [11:50]
Rocky Coyle
That's right.
- [11:50]
Jack Hoops
And you could see him hit, get hit. And he, that's right. A week later, he accepted the Lord. So Debbie, what about you? What was your upbringing?
- [12:04]
Debbie Coyle
So I became a believer, went to nights, like I said, little small Southern Baptist church in New Jersey. There are no big Southern Baptist churches in New Jersey. You're Jewish or Catholic.
- [12:13]
Jack Hoops
Jewish or Catholic.
- [12:16]
Debbie Coyle
So became a Christian at 9. I'm sure I did not totally understand the whole kit and caboodle, but I got that I needed Jesus, that he loved me. And my parents got divorced when I was in eighth grade. So it changes the trajectory of your life. My mom did a great job of keeping us there, keeping us in church. And my brother and I know Jesus because my mother took us there or whatever. And then from there I had been going to a school in New Jersey, broke up with the guy and went. I just wanted to go do something else. And so I went out and went out to the University of Arizona and I knew this is where I was supposed to go. Just. Well, my mom had a best friend that lived in Phoenix. And so I looked at Arizona State and Arizona in Tucson and came home, still went back to school, applied, got in and went, okay, I'm out of here. And never, never left, went back. I just, wow, I don't make a good. I may sound like it sometimes, but I don't make a good Jersey girl. So that's too. I'm much more calm. Arizona's influenced by California and it's just got that nice slower vibe. And it's too hot to get all dressed up in New Jersey. You dress up to go to the grocery store for pizza.
- [13:29]
Jack Hoops
That is true. Huh? That's.
- [13:31]
Debbie Coyle
I'm a better westerner than that.
- [13:33]
Jack Hoops
Interesting. So did you guys meet at asu?
- [13:38]
Rocky Coyle
At U of A. Oh, U of A.
- [13:40]
Jack Hoops
Sorry.
- [13:40]
Rocky Coyle
If you say asu, that's like. Sorry.
- [13:42]
Jack Hoops
We'll edit that. We'll edit that.
- [13:44]
Rocky Coyle
That's the devil.
- [13:45]
Jack Hoops
Yeah, that's the devil.
- [13:46]
Debbie Coyle
We're Wildcats.
- [13:47]
Jack Hoops
Yeah, Wildcats. Is that where you.
- [13:49]
Debbie Coyle
We did. We had a class together and the first day of class I had to take a non majors class because I'm elementary ed. She was pe, Full PE teacher.
- [14:02]
Rocky Coyle
They go over sometimes.
- [14:03]
Debbie Coyle
Well, so I had to take this one non major class and this other guy who was with me was there with. And 20 minutes classes in and Rocky comes in 20 minutes late. And what was worse is the teacher goes, hey, Terry. His dad, he had been his dad's coach. Hey, Terry, are you in this class? And I go, oh, my gosh. So Rocky's, like, wanting to hide under the desk, but that was his first entrance into my life. Late. Should have been assigned things to come. Just saying. But that started it. And we actually really got together through Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I was attending that, and so was he. And there was a guy. Rocky tells the story better, but there's this Gus. Gus, what is it?
- [14:47]
Rocky Coyle
Big African American kid. He's a football player. And she was looking. I mean, you know, I thought she was out of my league, you know. Cause, you know, that's always a good sign, you know, I was like, you're
- [14:57]
Jack Hoops
on the right path.
- [14:58]
Rocky Coyle
That's when you relax because you're like, I don't have a shot at this girl, so I'm just going to be nice. But she was there all the time. And I'd saw her on campus. I saw her on campus a few times. But this big dude, one of the football players, we had been kind of talking to each other, and he just grabbed us both and he pushed us, like, close together. And he said, you guys would make a great couple. And I actually saw her blush. I go, I think this chick digs me a little bit, you know, or something. And that's how it started. You know, it was all real. Everything was like, really, you know, we got married at the Newman center on campus, all that stuff. And, you know, one of our teachers did the wedding. And so, you know, so, you know, and so that's how we got married and then started, you know, pro ball. And, you know, poor Deb was in every. From Utica to all the different towns we. That we were in. But. But when her tell about recent. You know, how dad. Our. Your dad, you know, came back into your.
- [15:49]
Debbie Coyle
Yes. Well, yeah, that's really very fun. My dad came back. He was never, like, gone. My dad flew for American Airlines, so he. I was used to my dad being gone.
- [15:58]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [15:58]
Debbie Coyle
And he could be gone for stretches and just you're. You're a teenager and you're normal. Whatever. Doesn't. Everybody does it.
- [16:04]
Jack Hoops
That's right.
- [16:05]
Debbie Coyle
So. But my dad had moved to North Carolina, and we were living in Alabama, and he said, hey, Rock, you know, there's a church here that's looking for a youth pastor. My church. Are you interested? And so Rocky goes, yes. So he applied for the job. And so to let my dad and I come back together. And my brother, who was actually living in la, he got a job also.
- [16:27]
Rocky Coyle
He worked for Siemens. And of Course, sure. And he wanted to re. So this was an opportunity for Debbie, a hole in Debbie's heart to be, you know. So we moved to where her dad was so she could reconnect with her dad. Her brother came from California.
- [16:43]
Debbie Coyle
Wow. We bought. Bo and I bought property next to each other. So we've been together for 30 years raising our kids. Really fun.
- [16:50]
Jack Hoops
How great.
- [16:51]
Debbie Coyle
And then about six or seven years ago, my dad and his wife wanted to scale down and said, if that house ever comes on the other side of you available. So now my dad lives here.
- [17:04]
Jack Hoops
This is like a Monopoly game, dude.
- [17:05]
Rocky Coyle
It's like crazy. It's crazy.
- [17:06]
Debbie Coyle
Rachel.
- [17:07]
Jack Hoops
I'll take Park Avenue.
- [17:08]
Rocky Coyle
All this dysfunction. All this dysfunction from across the world.
- [17:14]
Debbie Coyle
And then my son Josh, when he. Josh, actually when he grew up, said, I will never come back to Hillsborough.
- [17:20]
Rocky Coyle
That's North Carolina.
- [17:21]
Debbie Coyle
In Hillsboro. Yeah, North Carolina. I'm going out west because that's where I'm the happiest. So they did. They went to Vancouver, Washington. Lived there for several years, but then. God's funny. And they had an unexpected blessing of a baby boy that they thought they were done having children and just really wanted to come back. So they came back and, you know, he ends up in. We live in a cul de sac. And he bought the house that went up for sale on the cul de sac. So it's my dad, Rock. Rock, and I, my brother, and now my son and my oldest daughter, we
- [17:52]
Rocky Coyle
own the cul de sac.
- [17:53]
Jack Hoops
And the city is gonna rename the street.
- [17:55]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah, right.
- [17:55]
Rocky Coyle
My daughter, who's Foil Lane. Yeah, that's right. My daughter, who is a. Our daughter, 37 year old. Our biological daughter. She's a dry humored girl. She goes, you guys now have a cul de sac. It's a cul de sac. You know, she calls it.
- [18:09]
Jack Hoops
Got it.
- [18:10]
Rocky Coyle
And she goes, I'm not gonna live in the cul de sac. You know, she's single, lives by herself. So the coiled cul de sac. So this dysfunction. It's cool to see her dad. You know, for me, it was huge because as her husband, I mean, I saw the huge hole.
- [18:24]
Jack Hoops
That's right.
- [18:25]
Rocky Coyle
Her dad and he became a Christian.
- [18:27]
Jack Hoops
Wow.
- [18:28]
Rocky Coyle
And so they're believers. And here's the. This isn't funny now. Her mom lived in New Jersey. Her husband died, and she moved by us. And then unfortunately, she had a terrible fall. And now we have all the girls, and her mom lives with us now. And it's. The other day, I was driving out of the Driveway. And I look up and there's Dennis.
- [18:48]
Jack Hoops
You adopted your parents?
- [18:49]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah. So we have another girl, dude. That's why it's good to talk to you, because I need some men in my life. You know what I mean? No, but I just. But she. It's like I want to go in the backyard and beat my chest. Yeah. Just say yes, eat some dirt, say yes to the dress. I can only handle so long, you know, so. But anyway, the. I look outside and there's Debbie's mom, her dad and his wife, and they're sitting around talking about, you know, the Lord and stuff.
- [19:16]
Jack Hoops
Wow.
- [19:17]
Rocky Coyle
So it's like I go, God, you're an amazing person.
- [19:21]
Debbie Coyle
My testimony probably is more. I really believe that in restoration. It may take years, but I believe in that God's desire, even in the worst of the worst, is restoration. And when it is, it's very sweet. It's not perfect.
- [19:34]
Jack Hoops
No.
- [19:35]
Debbie Coyle
And it doesn't take away the mess, but restoration with him is amazing.
- [19:39]
Jack Hoops
I'm so grateful for you saying that because. Yes, I so agree with that. That when Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 5, that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation because we have been reconciled to Christ through him.
- [19:55]
Rocky Coyle
And Amen.
- [19:56]
Jack Hoops
That the natural Christian action. You don't have to be Billy Graham, you don't have to be the natural Christian spirit led act, is to go about making reconciliation among friends and family or whoever. And that is just such a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
- [20:16]
Rocky Coyle
Amen.
- [20:17]
Jack Hoops
And you're right, it's not perfect, it's messy. But the thing is, as imperfect as we are, that ministry of reconciliation is a divine call, and it's upon every Christian. Nobody can be watching this program right now and say, well, that's the call for Debbie. No, no, no. If you claim to know Jesus, then the words that you use, the actions that you take, are all wrapped up with a bow of reconciliation. And that matters if you go to a restaurant or if you're with family, if it's Christmas or you're at a Dodger game, you know, people are watching you bear the name of Christ. And what's the whole point? I've been redeemed. He has reconciled me. And so my mission, all of our mission in life is, well, Paul told Timothy, do the work of an evangelist. We're not all evangelists, but we are to do the work of an evangelist, which I absolutely love. This is a good point for us to pivot and. And please let me say this. You guys are probably so well schooled. In this. But I'm thinking we want to talk about adoption. We want to talk about your experience because it's such a great example. And yet at the same time, please do me a favor and weave in your natural born children so I can know them too.
- [21:39]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [21:40]
Jack Hoops
Because those that are watching right now, there's going to be those who only have adopted child or children, or they have natural and adopted children. And before I turn you loose, I'll say this one final thing. We have an adopted granddaughter and my daughter, when they adopted her, I mean, they were there, they cut the cord.
- [22:05]
Rocky Coyle
Wow, that's so cool.
- [22:07]
Jack Hoops
It was amazing.
- [22:08]
Rocky Coyle
Amen.
- [22:09]
Jack Hoops
In fact, that arrangement was made while the young mother was pregnant. That said, what's amazing is people will say to us today, she's, now she's, I think she's gonna be 16, like in a week or two. People will say to us, oh, what a nice family. And boy, is that your granddaughter? She looks just like you guys. And we're like going, oh, yeah, hey, we don't even remember that she was adopted. People will remind us. Does that make sense to you?
- [22:38]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [22:38]
Jack Hoops
It's like, wait, oh, yeah. Yep, she was adopted. It's like. But it comes down to who adopted who, because again, going back to that slavery of love, it's that, you know, we'll die for her.
- [22:49]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [22:50]
Jack Hoops
And so for me, as believers, for us, yes. We forget. We weren't. We weren't exactly. Yes. We were born again into the family of God. But being born again into the family of God, not born, born again.
- [23:03]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [23:04]
Jack Hoops
That comes from adoption. Book of Romans tells us that God adopts us. So here's what, here's the, here's the push. Tell us about your remarkable, awesome adoption calling by God and the ministry that you have.
- [23:21]
Rocky Coyle
It's really powerful. I mean, sometimes I look back and I'm amazed because God's so amazing. Anybody who's listening, if you just learned his voice from when that first time he spoke to you and when he tells you to do something, it might be scary, it might look hard, but when you, when you follow and you're obedient, the results of it are unbelievable. It's so powerful. Don't be afraid and just step and do it. And for us, it was like that, you know, because we, it was, you know, first of all, our children, Josh, my son Josh, who's 43, he's. That's our natural. He was our firstborn. And he's been, he actually part of him coming to North Carolina, back again was he wanted to be a big brother to my. To his. It's almost chokes me up because that's, you know, he wanted. And he's like that. He gives him a hard time, and he loves him, and, you know, that's what big brothers do, and that's what do. He gives them hard times.
- [24:20]
Debbie Coyle
One of the. One of my daughters says, she goes, that's all he does. He just. He teases. And I go, that's wrong. You only have one. One is enough. One is enough.
- [24:30]
Jack Hoops
Someday you're going to miss it.
- [24:31]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah, I see it.
- [24:31]
Rocky Coyle
And he's like that. He's a man of character. He's a man of integrity. And I rem. One of the reasons I left pro professional baseball, I was playing, and we were playing the Tigers, and Debbie, they. They try to catch up to you when you're in pro ball. You know, it's really hard on families. And Joshua was just about ready to start kindergarten, and he, you know, I was his guy, you know, of course. And so I'm going to go into the salad bar to get something. And I was walking away, and he's screaming, daddy, are you leaving again? And he was holding on to my coat, onto my pants, my Levi's. And I just turned around and looked at him and I was like. And that's when God started working in my heart. One of the reasons I left baseball was I needed to be his dad, you know, and so I didn't know it was gonna choke me up like that. But he's so. I remember seeing his face, and I was like, wow. And I was playing a sport that everybody was telling, you're great. And so. And I know it's maybe not for everybody what happened, but God started working in my heart. And he was beginning with the ministry part, but it was about really being a dad. And so next spring training, you know, I went in and, you know, I got my release and I started, came back and a guy offered a place at an inner city church in Alabama, and I started helping him and working towards, you know, knowing more about how to be a pastor. I didn't know I was gonna be a minister, but anyway, so Josh started in kindergarten, so just to kind of go through it quick, you know, I was with him at his little league games. I was with him at everything. And so I take him, he gets a scholarship for baseball to NC State years later, and Josh's a man. A few words, but they're powerful words. He's not like me. I'm more outgoing.
- [26:16]
Jack Hoops
He's a wise man.
- [26:17]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah, he's like that. And so I'm walking out. You don't do things as a man to go later. Hey, we as men, men of God, we do it. We just do it because that's what God calls us to do. We don't want accolades. We're not looking for people to. And so he was. He was in the dorm room and I'm leaving him in his dorm room and I'm walking out.
- [26:39]
Jack Hoops
Oh, no.
- [26:40]
Rocky Coyle
He goes, hey, dad said, I know what you did. He goes, thanks.
- [26:50]
Debbie Coyle
Wow.
- [26:51]
Jack Hoops
For me and my dad. Wow. So he.
- [26:55]
Rocky Coyle
I'm driving down 40 like ball.
- [26:59]
Jack Hoops
It's raining inside now. Was it sunny day?
- [27:01]
Rocky Coyle
Was it easy? Did the enemy mock me when the A's won the World Series and they were my friends and the Blue Jays won it? The two teams I played for. And I'm watching everybody on national television and I'm emptying garbage cans in a church in the inner city. The enemy's saying, you know, you're a failure.
- [27:20]
Jack Hoops
Wow.
- [27:21]
Rocky Coyle
He did. The accuser of the brethren, he comes right after you. But yet I was in the big leagues. I was, you see, because. And men that are listening. People are listening. It's worth laying it down. As a man. It's worth laying it down. That's all I say. You know, you don't get that even now I down this little dirt road, a little shed. I do. Heading go home at night to my girls and my family. And you pay the price, but it's worth it. It's worth it all.
- [27:53]
Jack Hoops
You pay the price. But God's dividends. You're a rich man. You're a rich family.
- [27:59]
Rocky Coyle
So that's the relationship with Josh. And then you can talk about Rachel too.
- [28:03]
Debbie Coyle
Rachel's a little fireball. Came in as a fireball. She's a lot of fun. She's nothing like Josh. She is more like Rocky and just people person. She's a hairstylist. That's why I look good. Because of Rachel.
- [28:18]
Jack Hoops
That's right.
- [28:18]
Debbie Coyle
Thanks, Rachel.
- [28:19]
Jack Hoops
Good job.
- [28:21]
Debbie Coyle
But she is. She's a defender like Rocky. She was playing basketball in seventh grade and she's short. She's 5:1 on a good day. But she's strong and rocky. And there was. They were coaching the middle school basketball team. The coach had a special needs daughter who just, you know, it's going to be five her whole life. But she loved Rachel and Rachel was really good to her. And. And then when they went to high school, little Lena was being picked on by some of these Big kids in the high school and Rachel, 5:1, goes thumping up in people's chests and goes, do not ever.
- [29:00]
Jack Hoops
Right on.
- [29:01]
Rocky Coyle
Ever.
- [29:01]
Debbie Coyle
If you do, I will take you out.
- [29:03]
Jack Hoops
That's righteousness, by the way.
- [29:05]
Debbie Coyle
But that's Rachel. And so Rachel, even with the girls, you know, she's allowed to talk trash about the girls. But don't you talk trash about the girls? Only I get to do that, you know, so she's very loyal like that.
- [29:17]
Jack Hoops
I love it.
- [29:18]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah. So she's a fighter and she's.
- [29:22]
Rocky Coyle
We went through a lot of medical issues with her. God worked through. It was a miracle. You know, she almost died of blood clot and a bleed in the brain. She survives.
- [29:29]
Jack Hoops
At what age was that?
- [29:30]
Debbie Coyle
16.
- [29:31]
Rocky Coyle
16. They had just played for the state championship, volleyball, and they said she was going to die. You know, I held her in my arms and almost lost her. And God heal she.
- [29:40]
Debbie Coyle
Well, they don't. They. They know now that she has Crohn's disease and that causes blood clots. And she had gotten a virus, got dehydrated, but we didn't know that then, so we just thought she had a virus. And they kept saying, when did she hit her head? Never. But she's. That's been a very hard journey. That's been a long, hard journey for Rachel. But I think, you know, you talked about just this kind of segue into the adoption pieces of it. There were things that God was doing to prepare that I could not have adopted these girls when I was 20s. In my 20s, I needed to know the normal progression of what child development looked like. And I had Josh and Rachel for that. And then because of Rachel's medical issues, we don't have a ton of medical issues with girls, but there's enough that I need to know what they're talking about and go through. We have Duke, Duke and unc. Great. These two huge world renowned hospitals. And so it's been really. And again, I don't have tons of experience, but just I need them every now and then, Duke, to do some things with some of the girls. And so that was. I learned a lot about navigating some of these things and also trauma. So that that brought trauma into Rachel's life and sort of changed the trajectory from her of what she was going to have to end up working through, of almost dying at 16 and not wanting to look at it and blah, blah, blah. So with the girls also being older, adoptive, they remember where they come from, they remember China, they remember India, and there's just things to work through. You know, one of them remembers, you know, walking the streets of India for three days on her own, the monkeys. And, you know, that's trauma. That's scary. That's like never. I'm never going to let that happen to myself again type of thing. And yet God spared her for that, you know, from some really bad things. So I think that Josh and Rachel, I had to have them, and I kind of had to grow up myself. And then I think also, even spiritually, I think there were things that I was doing. I was attending Bible study fellowship. I attended. I became a precept Bible study teacher. There was things spiritually because, you know, I've told the girls many a time, yeah, I've given you all the tools. I've taught you how to make your bed. I've taught you how to do dishes, to cook, blah, blah, blah. But I also taught you about Jesus, because you know what? That's the only thing that. When it matters, that's the only thing that matters. Because, yeah, I make your life comfortable here on earth, but I'm not here just to spend time with you here.
- [32:05]
Jack Hoops
That's right.
- [32:05]
Debbie Coyle
I'd like to spend time with you in heaven forever.
- [32:08]
Jack Hoops
Most importantly.
- [32:08]
Rocky Coyle
Huh? She taught him the word Kay Arthur. Precept.
- [32:12]
Jack Hoops
Absolutely fantastic.
- [32:13]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah, she. Debbie, was disciplined in that with our kids, and that's the foundation of that. So.
- [32:21]
Jack Hoops
Isn't that so true?
- [32:23]
Rocky Coyle
And then our fifth, you know, when we go to adopt now, she does it.
- [32:27]
Jack Hoops
Yes. So as we go through this. So adoption number one, how did it happen?
- [32:31]
Debbie Coyle
So it has a long story. So Rachel is in. Rachel was a junior in high school, and Josh is already out of the house and married. And I was thinking to myself, what am I gonna be when I grow up? Now Rachel's gone, and I could be a PE teacher if I wanted to be. I'm like, nah, I'm not gonna do that. So praying prank for two years, and in the midst of it, I was working for Hallmark.
- [32:57]
Jack Hoops
Did you say Hallmark or Walmart?
- [33:00]
Debbie Coyle
No, Hallmark cards.
- [33:01]
Jack Hoops
Card.
- [33:01]
Rocky Coyle
Cards.
- [33:02]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah, the cards. I was working in Hallmark and just part time, and there was a woman that I had knew, and she walks in with the little boy in a stroller, and he is Latino. And she says. I said, she's not, and she's not. And he calls her mommy. So I said, what is this? And she tells me the story, and she goes, I'll call you later. So while she's talking to me and I don't have a ton of these experiences, I just have very few. I hear God say, after praying for two and a half years, what am I supposed to do with myself? I hear God say, pay attention, because this is what I have for you. And I go, okay, yeah.
- [33:42]
Jack Hoops
By the way, he doesn't have to say that very often in their lives. And that's probably a good thing.
- [33:47]
Rocky Coyle
When you hear that, there's a reason
- [33:49]
Jack Hoops
why one mission enough, consume your entire life.
- [33:53]
Debbie Coyle
Yes. So Rocky's course working at night. He's teaching batting lessons, and I am not a night person. So I go to bed. So in the morning, we're hanging out, and I said, hey, Rocky. I told him what happened with this friend, and I said, rocky. I go, what would you think of adopting? And he goes, this is too weird. Just yesterday, I was thinking to myself, I would love to adopt. Debbie will never go for it.
- [34:20]
Rocky Coyle
So because we're almost 50 now, our kids are.
- [34:22]
Debbie Coyle
We're 49 when we start this process. And Rock needs two seconds. Debbie needs two years, because that's who I am. I need a plan. I'm not a spur of the moment person.
- [34:31]
Jack Hoops
I've married that same person.
- [34:33]
Rocky Coyle
We're like, I mean, yeah, I can say, let's go.
- [34:37]
Jack Hoops
Lysa will say, we need to pray about it. And after we're done praying, we need to plan it and then pray again. That's right.
- [34:45]
Debbie Coyle
So we ended up doing so then. Now I'm all in, and I'm doing whatever I can. And God pretty quickly shut down domestic for us. We did look at the foster care, and I'm like, nah, I just didn't, you know, when God's leading. And that wasn't it. And so Rachel, who's now a freshman at NC State, she goes, mom, have you ever thought about international going to India?
- [35:10]
Jack Hoops
This is you.
- [35:10]
Debbie Coyle
Oh, Rachel, no.
- [35:12]
Jack Hoops
The spirit of God.
- [35:14]
Debbie Coyle
Too far. And I don't know anything. I don't know the language.
- [35:17]
Jack Hoops
Love the food.
- [35:18]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [35:18]
Jack Hoops
But that's.
- [35:19]
Debbie Coyle
Oh, you know, 10 different majors, that's
- [35:21]
Rocky Coyle
the furthest place you can play in the world.
- [35:24]
Debbie Coyle
Well, because we're old, we didn't fit into a lot of places. And so India was perfect for us. And so we ended up in India. But that was a real problem for Rocky because Rocky didn't want to go to India.
- [35:37]
Rocky Coyle
That was all the terrorist stuff in India. You know, far away in the four. You know, in your head. I totally get it as a person.
- [35:43]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [35:44]
Rocky Coyle
I was like, God, we can't go here. I work with these kids here. And, you know, in America and.
- [35:49]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [35:49]
Rocky Coyle
And so that way I got. It's hard to admit as a man, but you're going, man, I don't want to go all the way over there. You know, in your flesh.
- [35:55]
Jack Hoops
Isn't that amazing?
- [35:56]
Debbie Coyle
He was a pill. It's more than in your flesh.
- [35:58]
Jack Hoops
I get it.
- [35:59]
Rocky Coyle
Which isn't like me normally. No, I was like, why am I like, why am I acting this way?
- [36:03]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [36:03]
Rocky Coyle
You know, because. Why can't we go here? You know, because you're thinking yourself, long flight and you know those. You know those. Yeah.
- [36:10]
Jack Hoops
God, I'm willing to follow you anywhere. Just make it comfortable.
- [36:14]
Debbie Coyle
Easier.
- [36:15]
Jack Hoops
Easier, right?
- [36:17]
Debbie Coyle
Can you just.
- [36:18]
Rocky Coyle
Can I watch the Dodgers from there? You know, I'm just kidding.
- [36:21]
Debbie Coyle
So we launch into the process and the lady sends me six little girls. And I just knew. I knew Swati was the one.
- [36:34]
Rocky Coyle
And before she knew it, I looked at the picture and I looked through all of them and I said, this girl right here, really. She had been burned. It's hard for me to talk, but. Burned and left to die on the side of the road.
- [36:47]
Jack Hoops
How old?
- [36:48]
Rocky Coyle
They don't know, but she was like 13 pounds.
- [36:51]
Debbie Coyle
They say she was. They say she was two. I think she was closer to four.
- [36:55]
Jack Hoops
Yeah. Because of all the.
- [36:56]
Rocky Coyle
Later.
- [36:56]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah.
- [36:57]
Rocky Coyle
But she. Later on we found out she saw her mother murdered and she was just left. She had scabies, Lice was left on the side like nothing.
- [37:06]
Jack Hoops
You know what's tragic about what you're saying is I've had friends that have done mission work in India.
- [37:10]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah.
- [37:12]
Jack Hoops
And it's hard for Westerners to believe, but what you're saying is not uncommon.
- [37:15]
Rocky Coyle
No. You pull up in a cab, they're around.
- [37:17]
Jack Hoops
Americans, Californians don't even want to think about this.
- [37:20]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah.
- [37:21]
Debbie Coyle
No.
- [37:21]
Rocky Coyle
It's everywhere. You pull up in a car, they're coming up to your car and knocking the little, little tiny ones for something,
- [37:26]
Jack Hoops
for water, for food, for something, anything.
- [37:28]
Debbie Coyle
Yes.
- [37:29]
Rocky Coyle
So. So then I, we saw the picture and then, you know, God started working in my heart. Cause I'm like, I'm open. I said, lord, just do whatever.
- [37:38]
Debbie Coyle
But you need to tell the story. Cause you weren't that open.
- [37:41]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah.
- [37:41]
Debbie Coyle
And so Rocky had his little beat up Forerunner and he had put the picture up on the Forerunner and he's on the visor and he's going with. I mean, we're on our way to doing this, but you can see he's like this. So then finishes because it's.
- [37:58]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah, she's right. I mean, it's hard to admit as a man I mean, in front of everybody. But it was, you know, God was working in my heart to do it. And I was driving down the road and his. The spirit of God was so strong. And I just said I had to pull over and I just flipped that visor and I was looking at her picture.
- [38:15]
Debbie Coyle
Wow.
- [38:17]
Rocky Coyle
I said, I said, if she needs a dad, I'll be her daddy.
- [38:24]
Jack Hoops
God heard you. It's that will, you know, the changing of the.
- [38:28]
Rocky Coyle
Will you say yes. And then I was like, I'll go to the. I don't care where I go.
- [38:33]
Jack Hoops
There you go. Isn't that amazing?
- [38:34]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah.
- [38:35]
Debbie Coyle
Yes.
- [38:35]
Jack Hoops
You know, you can. You can detonate a nuclear bomb somewhere in the planet.
- [38:39]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah.
- [38:40]
Jack Hoops
And it can't change the will of a man.
- [38:42]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah.
- [38:42]
Jack Hoops
Will of a woman. Can't happen. Doesn't have that power.
- [38:45]
Rocky Coyle
No.
- [38:46]
Jack Hoops
Oh, it's all devastating power. It's a devastating power, but it's powerless against the changing of a man's will. Only God can be that.
- [38:53]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [38:54]
Jack Hoops
Nuclear agent in our soul.
- [38:55]
Rocky Coyle
Yep.
- [38:56]
Jack Hoops
It's amazing.
- [38:57]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah. So that, that's, that's where it started. And then, so then it was. And let me tell you something, folks that are listening, even when we came here, the amount of warfare for us to get here, I already know what that is because I've been in ministry. I mean, I've been a follower of Jesus and God has always called me to have, you know, to speak truth. But the warfare, the amount of warfare for us. I know you do, but we hear this, but I'm telling you, to get here was like even getting here today. I knew how to get here and it. I went a wrong way, you know, and I was like, what's going on? Then I got on your campus and I couldn't get out of the. That other camp or the other church campus because they had it all blocked. But anyway. But so the warfare.
- [39:40]
Jack Hoops
Twilight Zone.
- [39:41]
Rocky Coyle
The warfare to go get her was. Was unbelievable. It was. I can't imagine it should have been
- [39:49]
Debbie Coyle
like a year and a half. And it was two and a half years and we ran into everything from a strike in the city was. Shut the government agencies down, bribery in the government. It was just. But she is a gem.
- [40:02]
Rocky Coyle
So.
- [40:02]
Debbie Coyle
Yes, she is Leah. So her name is Swati. We give you. We keep your country name, although none of the girls know what their biological names were. I mean, they're biological moms, but we keep your country name and then we give you whatever we feel like God is saying. So because I already had a Rachel. I named her Leah. I Felt like that was just from the given. I had a Leah. So. Josh, Rachel and Leah and Rachel love each other. There's always. Rachel has always had a special connection with Leah and has tried to make her pretty. And when she came over, Leah liked to be a girl, of course. And with the hairstyling, Rachel would mess with her, but was really sweet.
- [40:47]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah. When we went there, we finally got to go. We had to make two trips. That province, it's against the law to just get them in one trip. So. Bro, I'm telling you something, man.
- [40:58]
Jack Hoops
It sounds like something California would do, so.
- [41:00]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah, exactly. So every province has a different laws. Like here, you know, like states. So we. This. But it was so difficult. So we fly all the way to India. We're our first time. We're already kind of, you know, intimidated. Not, you know, just kind of what's going on. Here's these where these fifth almost 50 year old. We're running around India and if you've ever been to India, if you haven't, there's something to that. We go, we're going through this area and we find this orphanage and it's, you know, they. I know they're doing the best they can, but kids don't have shoes, scabies, lice, they're sleeping on the floor. They have these little mats. And so anyway, they bring her out and you know, you're praying all this time and those of you that are listening, you know, watching the, you know, the power of it, what God does, they bring her from around the corner. This is what we've been praying for forever. And she was just this, you know, scarred and just this tore apart. And you know, I'm a ball player, I'm a Christian. And I felt like this big.
- [42:06]
Jack Hoops
That's right.
- [42:07]
Rocky Coyle
I just looked at her and I heard the Lord speak and say, this is the kingdom of God. That's right where you are.
- [42:16]
Jack Hoops
Yep.
- [42:17]
Rocky Coyle
Where the broken and the hurting are.
- [42:19]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [42:20]
Rocky Coyle
And this was you before you knew me.
- [42:22]
Jack Hoops
That's right. Oh, so good.
- [42:24]
Rocky Coyle
You were broken and scarred. You had no hope. And I just looked in her. I had to lift her little face up because she was like.
- [42:34]
Jack Hoops
Felt like nothing. No reason for her to look up.
- [42:37]
Debbie Coyle
Right.
- [42:37]
Rocky Coyle
And I just looked at her. So you're my little girl. And then the hardest thing, man, was we had to leave her to go back here. And I knew she was getting.
- [42:49]
Jack Hoops
Did they communicate to her that. Did they somehow said you're going to come back?
- [42:53]
Rocky Coyle
We don't know what they would tell her because they Said somebody, we found out.
- [42:56]
Debbie Coyle
She. Yeah, that was. That was a bad day. That was a bad day.
- [42:59]
Rocky Coyle
But the day we left, man, was bad. Remember how I didn't want to go there?
- [43:02]
Jack Hoops
Yeah, I got it. I got it.
- [43:04]
Rocky Coyle
And then I didn't want to leave, and then I wanted to come back right away.
- [43:08]
Jack Hoops
You wept all the way back?
- [43:09]
Rocky Coyle
Oh, I did. And then you're hearing babies crying on the plane, and I'm going, I didn't get. And you knew you were. As a protector of. That's my girl. I did not want to leave her there. And that was in my life. Of all the things besides death of people I've loved, that was one of the hardest days of my life. And I don't share that a lot. Just the emptiness and the hurt of having to fly 16 hours back and leave that little girl in hell. In hell?
- [43:35]
Debbie Coyle
Yes.
- [43:36]
Rocky Coyle
And so we came back, and then it was even longer. It was supposed to be six weeks, and it was six months. So we finally fought. And then when we got there, even in India again, it still was a fight. They didn't want to give her up. So there's more to the story, but it's like we finally got her. And then tell them about when we got on the plane.
- [43:54]
Debbie Coyle
We get on the airplane because at night, all the flights out of India, we're at night. So it's 2am in the morning, and we sit there, and we finally have her. We're gonna leave Delhi, we're gonna fly home. And she's sitting in the middle of us. And all of a sudden, the captain gets on and says, you know, this is really unusual, but fog has settled in on the area. And this woman sitting next to me is Indian. She goes, there's no fog in January. This is what I looked. Honey, you are sitting next to me.
- [44:25]
Rocky Coyle
You're with us today.
- [44:26]
Debbie Coyle
Let me tell you why there's fog.
- [44:27]
Jack Hoops
I can tell you how much I understand that.
- [44:29]
Debbie Coyle
And so Rocky and I looked at each other, and Rocky grabs my hand and he goes, in the name of Jesus, remove the fog. We were in the air in 20 minutes. So I know. I go, so.
- [44:39]
Rocky Coyle
And then I got sick on the way home. So it was brutal.
- [44:42]
Jack Hoops
So it's like, well, Satan went from the fog to the flu.
- [44:45]
Debbie Coyle
He was so sick, the fog didn't work.
- [44:47]
Jack Hoops
I'll try the flu.
- [44:48]
Debbie Coyle
Leah was filling his water bottle with Indian water. And I had told him, I go, don't touch my water bottle.
- [44:53]
Jack Hoops
No, it's like a zoo inside that bottle.
- [44:55]
Debbie Coyle
Oh, he would so Sick. So sick months.
- [44:59]
Rocky Coyle
So that's how we. That was our first. And also, people, when folks are adopting, we are crying to people back in America, pray we're in the middle of warfare.
- [45:08]
Jack Hoops
Oh, yeah.
- [45:08]
Rocky Coyle
You know. You know, it's like. I mean, it's a life or death here, you know?
- [45:13]
Jack Hoops
And they're thinking, oh, they're having warfare. Their hard drives seized up. Their power cord's not working.
- [45:20]
Debbie Coyle
Yeah, no, no.
- [45:22]
Rocky Coyle
I'm trying to pay this guy to release her, you know, and bribe him to get her out of there. You know, we always called it a ra.
- [45:29]
Jack Hoops
We have to hurry up. I can't believe we're running a long time. No, no, I'm sorry. This could go on for hours. But you talk about we. Actually, I've been to Russia over 20 times, and I learned from the first trip there regarding church planting. I mean, it's sad, but, you know this. You literally have to keep a certain amount of money in your pocket for bribery in those countries where they come to you and say, well, I could let you guys use this stage for your service tonight, but I would have to have $20. And you gotta go like this. And it's like. And I remember having a hard. Ethically, I had a hard time with that.
- [46:12]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [46:13]
Jack Hoops
Until the Lord just smacked me and said, jack, you're grumbling over 20 bucks that number one I gave you for this trip. It's my money, Jack, and I am not gonna let 20 bucks stand in the way of reaching hundreds of Russians right now.
- [46:27]
Rocky Coyle
That's right.
- [46:28]
Debbie Coyle
So I'm gonna clarify this. Let me clarify this really quickly in case anybody's adopting from India and India sees this and gets really mad. We did not pay any extra money. Was there somebody asking for extra money? Yes, we were.
- [46:44]
Jack Hoops
Twice.
- [46:45]
Debbie Coyle
I want to say this was all done on the up and up and that we did not. No extra money went. At least not that we knew of. Not from us.
- [46:54]
Jack Hoops
Sure.
- [46:55]
Debbie Coyle
I just want to clarify that in case somebody sees that in India.
- [46:58]
Jack Hoops
And I want to clarify that my situation in Russia was completely illegal. There was mafia charging us to meet on those streets.
- [47:08]
Rocky Coyle
Oh, yeah, they were.
- [47:09]
Jack Hoops
And it turned out that the Russian police department got involved, and they actually helped us get the mafia off of our back because of what they were extorting us. But that said, with the time remaining, we have, like, 10 minutes. I know that's. That's almost sinful. Go through. That's.
- [47:24]
Rocky Coyle
That was one. That was the first one. And then when we got back, Savita, who's the One we shared with you. Savita was the next one. She was in Delhi. Leah was in southern part of India. She was in Hyderabad. Hyderabad. So now you're up on top. So Savita, I saw her picture online at the site, and I said, debbie, this looks like. And she goes, no way. She's still there. She's so beautiful. We called, they said she's available. And so we. Then we started. Right after we got back, we started another process to go get Savita in Delhi. And so we raised. You know, we came back, started raising the money, doing the paperwork. Debbie is amazing. She's a superstar. Paperwork and labor and hard work that. To get all that stuff done. Don't let it overwhelm you, man. It's worth the fight. So then we fought and we went back to get her. Probably a year later, right?
- [48:22]
Debbie Coyle
No, not even a year.
- [48:23]
Rocky Coyle
Not even a year.
- [48:24]
Debbie Coyle
Well, literally a year. Yeah. And then we did the Chinese girls. We have three from China. One of the first ones who's on the video with Rocky. Chi Chi. Chi Chi is Chi Chi and Savita are the only ones that we have kept their country names. Chi Chi is Chi Chi. She is not Tabitha. She is a Chi Chi.
- [48:41]
Rocky Coyle
Her name was Ling Chi. They gave him the first name. Whoever came in that year, they gave him a last name. Then we took that off, and her name was Chi.
- [48:50]
Debbie Coyle
She's hilarious. But she came first, and she. There are so many stories about Chi Chi. She was. When we adopted her. The funny story. Real quick. We can do it, Marcus. Yeah, yeah. Funny story. I had to go do paperwork with whatever. And so Rocky had her. They'd gone to the pool, came back from the pool, and it was a kitchenette thing.
- [49:09]
Rocky Coyle
First of all, she's in the pool. She dove in the pool in the deep end.
- [49:12]
Debbie Coyle
She tried to drown.
- [49:13]
Rocky Coyle
She jumped in. And I was walking and I go, do you how to swim? She just wanted to swim.
- [49:17]
Debbie Coyle
She's nine.
- [49:18]
Rocky Coyle
She's got. She's nine. And she thinks she knows.
- [49:20]
Debbie Coyle
I mean, she goes, we think she can swim.
- [49:22]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah. And she's like. And I look and she's in the bottom of the pool. And I'm around water my whole life, and I go, dear Lord, I'm going to drown my daughter.
- [49:29]
Jack Hoops
I just did.
- [49:30]
Rocky Coyle
So I dove in, and I get her up, and she comes up. She's laughing. I go, don't. She didn't know Chinese. I go. And then I get her out. She jumped in again.
- [49:40]
Jack Hoops
Oh, gosh.
- [49:41]
Rocky Coyle
And so then I grabbed the floaties and I put them on her arm. I said, no, no, no.
- [49:45]
Debbie Coyle
But Rocky was taking her and flipping her.
- [49:47]
Rocky Coyle
Flipping her.
- [49:47]
Debbie Coyle
And so she's just a gamer.
- [49:49]
Rocky Coyle
So then we go upstairs, and everybody has to hear this because I go upstairs, Debbie's doing paperwork. I'm getting. She's in her suit, and I'm getting the kitchen little area. And I hear, huah, yah, kah, yah, woo ha. And I turn around, she's got two of the biggest knives from the kitchen. And she's going. And she knew how to do it. And I was like, oh, my goodness. We adopted a ninja. A ninja.
- [50:14]
Jack Hoops
You're the security.
- [50:14]
Rocky Coyle
She had her legs, like. And I went, yeah, you know, good job. And then she flips the knives and grabs the handles and she hands them to me.
- [50:23]
Jack Hoops
No, you do it.
- [50:24]
Rocky Coyle
She has. And she has. She only has stump on this hand, and she only has three fingers on this hand. She was doing it with, you know, a little stump hand.
- [50:33]
Jack Hoops
That's my excuse.
- [50:34]
Rocky Coyle
I go, how do you do that? I couldn't do that. So that's how. That was Chichi, you know, so we got her and then the little girl who was. Who was found on the streets in
- [50:46]
Jack Hoops
a box in China. Yeah.
- [50:48]
Rocky Coyle
Wrapped in a little pink blanket.
- [50:51]
Jack Hoops
How long ago is this?
- [50:53]
Debbie Coyle
She is almost 21. 21.
- [50:56]
Rocky Coyle
So they saw her defects and they disabanded her. And then she had her umbilical cord still attached when they found her. And then Abigail, they found the other little girl who had been in the same bed with her since they brought him in as infants. They found her at a train station in a little box. So they grew up together. So when we got Chichi, they brought Abigail out to have lunch with us. Normally, you don't go back to the orphanage. And they invited us back, and they said that nobody ever adopts children this age. And so they were thankful. And then when they brought us to have the luncheon, they brought her out and I told Debbie. I mean, Chichi had been screaming for two days. And Debbie, I think this is our next one. And Debbie's going, are you out of your mind? You know, it's like I leaned over.
- [51:40]
Debbie Coyle
He goes, debbie, Debbie, I think this is the next little girl we're supposed to adopt. And there's no screamer. No, that's right.
- [51:45]
Jack Hoops
Which is probably an angel who poked her so that she would get your attention.
- [51:49]
Debbie Coyle
I just told Rock. I go. I go, we haven't finished with this adoption officially. I need you to eat your lunch. Don't even talk to me. So then it was my turn to listen to God and have to go. And I had to. I go.
- [52:04]
Rocky Coyle
We went right back and got Abigail first. She wasn't up for adoption because we saw her. They put her up for adoption. They said she was.
- [52:10]
Debbie Coyle
She wasn't in the system.
- [52:11]
Rocky Coyle
That's what their words were and that. And she was dumb and nobody would want her and blah, blah, blah. And I said, we want her. So we went back, got her. So I know we have a little bit of time. But then when we got back, we were done. We were done adopting four kids, all the hard work, and we had a party. Everybody who has supported it, we had them there. So we're sitting around the table eating, and they're talking in Chinese. And then one of the daughters was talking about this other little girl there in China who. I had seen her. I saw her. She has a big. She had a big wine stain, red mark on her face. And nobody. They said that she's. Nobody would want her.
- [52:48]
Jack Hoops
No one's gonna want her.
- [52:49]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah. And so anyway, we found out she had. She used to hide her food, and she would keep people from hurting the other two little girls at night. She would hide her food and come feed them. And they told us at the table. And I was like, so we're in the bathroom, the only place we have privacy, and I'm getting a shower. And in the shower, I'm telling you. What happened was I was sitting there and I knew God was saying to do it, but I was so tired after four. And it was this moment. I've never had it happen since. Or 4. I heard God's voice and I said, lord, I don't know if I could do this again. And this warmth just came over me. It was a piece that I. And he just said, it's going to be okay. Just do it. And Debbie was getting her makeup and stuff on or whatever, working, and she said, you heard him at the table. And I was like, yeah. She said, we gotta have to go get her. And that's how we. And we found out the bad thing was that Debbie, you called.
- [54:00]
Debbie Coyle
We only had four months to get her out, and she was going to age out, and it takes a year and a half to get each of the kids. But everybody did it quicker. China agreed to do it expedited, and we did.
- [54:15]
Rocky Coyle
So they said, it's not impossible that you have to. And we prayed, say God, it was down and raise the money.
- [54:23]
Jack Hoops
God actually created the problem. Put it on.
- [54:26]
Debbie Coyle
That's a great thing.
- [54:26]
Jack Hoops
So, Lord, you got this is your gig.
- [54:29]
Rocky Coyle
And so our congressman, we didn't even know, you know, he went for it and helped put a person on us. Everything that didn't happen, you know, and all this stuff, and I love it. And then all of a sudden, boom, they call us and all the money came in. You know, we're, you know, youth minister. You know, it's like every kid 60, you know, but. But we're debt free on it. God, it was all. God took care of it, you know, 40,000. Yeah, but anyway, so. But God, you know, if anybody who's desiring to adopt, if he puts it on your heart, if it's his will, it's his bill, he will take care.
- [55:04]
Jack Hoops
Right on.
- [55:05]
Rocky Coyle
He will. He will provide. People walk up, guys will walk up when we needed it quick, and they're 20,000, 30,000, or you 10,000.
- [55:13]
Debbie Coyle
There's also an agency in Texas that doesn't look like you're taking from the government, that you can donate money in a family's name and then they pay your fees and you. And you get a tax write off.
- [55:23]
Rocky Coyle
And anybody who's out there, if, you know people who are adopting privately without anybody knowing, you stick. If you have financial stuff, you go bless them. Because it takes so much pressure off because people are fighting for these kids, and that's the hardest thing. You know, people just don't acknowledge it and see it, you know, but they're, you know, that's just. But we're grateful, man. We're. You know, the other day I was just praying to the Lord, I said, we have just a heart of gratitude. We're so thankful. People always come up and said, you guys are such here. I said, whoa, whoa. The only thing I deserved was hell.
- [55:54]
Jack Hoops
That's right.
- [55:55]
Rocky Coyle
You and I both. I said, that's all. I know that everything that God put this on our heart, that it's him, it's his power. He needs to be glorified. Because people always try to tell adoptive people, oh, or missionaries, oh, there's a special place ahead of every.
- [56:12]
Debbie Coyle
No.
- [56:13]
Rocky Coyle
I said, debbie and I are just. We're saved by grace.
- [56:15]
Jack Hoops
Amen.
- [56:16]
Rocky Coyle
And we just love Jesus. But boy, the results of it. When we look at those girls, when my little girl who couldn't. Savita was malnourished, when she couldn't hardly walk to the mailbox when we got her, I looked at her run up those steps at Liberty University, that one building that has the steps, and I pulled up and saw her run up and wave at me. Oh, man, it's worth it all. When you see them come to Jesus and you see the power of God, that's what people you don't. You know, we're the ones blessed, not them.
- [56:48]
Jack Hoops
That's always the case when we obey him.
- [56:50]
Rocky Coyle
That's what I got to tell folks.
- [56:52]
Jack Hoops
The slavery.
- [56:53]
Rocky Coyle
It's worth it all.
- [56:54]
Jack Hoops
The slavery to Jesus is the ultimate freedom.
- [56:57]
Rocky Coyle
Yes, amen. That's exactly right.
- [56:59]
Jack Hoops
You know, so many people, they may not say it this way, but. But what they're really saying is, well, you know, Christianity, It's not really working for me. Well, the problem is that you've still allowed yourself to exist rather than surrendering to him. He knows nothing about spectator Christianity and the joy. You guys are just personifications of Jesus. Said, if you give up your life, you'll find it this divine, sanctified contradiction. Give up your life, you're gonna find what it really means to be life. While you guys have been sharing, several thoughts came to my mind where clearly one of God's names is Waymaker.
- [57:50]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [57:51]
Jack Hoops
And he did that for you guys, and he's doing it for you guys. And before that thought was how God honored his Word. You know, Psalm 138 says, and this is a heavy. I don't even know if I understand this. In Psalm 138, God says, I have honored my word above my own name. That's hard for me to handle because I know that the Lord and the Word that encapsulates his name and he's inseparable from himself, that's impossible. He can't be separated. But when you realize that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that there's no other name Jesus among men given whereby we must be saved. Jesus is that name. And then God announces in His Word. But I've esteemed my word above my own name. Now, glory be to God, the word of God. And the name of God is Jesus. That said Amos3.3 says, How can two walk together unless they're in agreement? And I don't think humans can be in agreement without God. Now somebody might say, well, we're not Christians and we've had a marriage for. I'm not knocking that. But we're looking at the two of you who lived not a life to get the house at the beach or the Porsche in the garage or the plane at the airport. Not knocking that. But if that's. Listen, you guys are examples of kingdom first. Yes, kingdom first. And when that happens, that is against everything Satan stands for. He Hates you. He hates God. He hates everything about your witness and story. And so he causes the fog or the flu to pop up. He just has to do something. You know, Satan never has a good day, if you think about it, because there are people just like you who have yielded their frail lives to an almighty God.
- [59:50]
Rocky Coyle
Amen.
- [59:51]
Jack Hoops
And the result of your faithfulness is these kids are walking around planet Earth, and they cannot, no matter what they say, they cannot deny that God has intervened in their lives, no matter what journey. It's absolutely awesome. Really quick, where can people find out more about you guys? How do they connect?
- [60:13]
Rocky Coyle
Well, you know, I have a little website for Life, Inc.
- [60:19]
Jack Hoops
It ain't so little. For life.org.org for life4-4-life.org and it's no little website, by the way. It's very well done.
- [60:31]
Rocky Coyle
Oh, good. Yeah, we tried to. Our original one got hijacked by the Russians, of course. And so they tried to take that.
- [60:38]
Jack Hoops
We resembled that.
- [60:39]
Rocky Coyle
They wanted, like, 50,000. I said, not me. We'll just make it four dash life. So. Yeah. And then on there, it has. You know, obviously, I do my little camps, and my main thing is I do camps, mentor kids. And then I've been praying for more of an opportunity for us to share what God's done, you know, and so they can go there, and it has a support thing or whatever. You know, we don't. We're a small nonprofit. It's real small. And we just. You know, that's. I've been really praying at a point where I don't have to do the lessons.
- [61:08]
Jack Hoops
I think that should change, you guys. I think that should change. They shouldn't be a small nonprofit with what they're doing. So, I mean, you guys should Definitely go to four-life.org Go check out that website and see what they're doing. And your ministry should be very big because this is pure Kingdom stuff, and it's incredible. We want to see you guys explode, whatever that means. Let God define it. Yeah. But. Yeah. What a testimony. And I know you guys have so much more to say. We should probably do this again sometime.
- [61:46]
Rocky Coyle
We'll do it. We just. We love you and appreciate you having us here. It's an honor.
- [61:50]
Jack Hoops
Well, hopefully this is the start of a new and long relationship. We'd love to see like that.
- [61:56]
Rocky Coyle
Thank you so much. Thank you.
- [61:58]
Jack Hoops
God bless you, Debbie. Thank you so much.
- [62:01]
Rocky Coyle
Amen.
- [62:03]
Jack Hoops
Hey, everybody, listen up. We actually wound up breaking a rule to bring you what we're about to bring you so in sitting down with Rocky Coyle, the conversation was wonderful, but it didn't talk about enough. Not enough of what we needed to discuss and so on. On the other side, we sat down and breaking the rule means this. I had him sit down with a bunch of men from our church, which I normally do, but this time we recorded it. And we're going to let you in on that. It's going to be insightful, it's going to be powerful. And if it's a blessing to you, if it really touches your heart, I would love for you to share it with other people. So let's dive into this. I think you're going to find it fascinating. I am blown away with what God can do in people's lives, not only those in whom, you know, he rescues, like us, but then he turns right around and he uses us to rescue others. And the economy of God is exactly that way. No wonder why he told the demoniac in Gadara when he cast the legion of swine out of that demon possessed man when he said, jesus, allow me to follow you. And Jesus said, no, no, you're not going to do that. I want you to go home from where you came from, which is the Decapolis. And he said, I want you to go and tell people what good things God has done for you. And that is the economy of God. Augustine said that when we preach the gospel, if you have to use words, then use words. In other words, use your life first. That is absolutely awesome. So Rocky Coyle, who you're going to meet this evening, had his career in professional baseball. He'll talk maybe a little bit about that, but I'm going to have him dive right into the deep stuff that we need to hear because he and his wife Debbie, their life story is incredible. Tonight, it'll just be Rocky and I out here for now, but we're hoping that in the future God opens up a door where we can connect and experience the miraculous work of God more and more. I also want to encourage you. You're going to hear a lot tonight about adoption. And I have to. I have to tell you, Rocky's not invited, though. Regarding us promoting adoption, when I saw and I heard Rocky exhibit a life that's yielded to Jesus. That's why he's here before you guys. Excuse me, ladies. I'm so programmed to saying the guys, y' all here right now because this guy, for me, encapsulates so much of what we want to achieve. And it's amazing. It just so happens God used adoption in his life in a powerful way. Adoption was the tool that God used in his life to make him a rescuer. And we're going to learn a lot tonight. We're going to have a table talk this evening, so listen carefully. But his career, you can look at that in detail later on. But he was a man accomplished in his own right. He'll share a little bit about that. But I want to get into the life changing, deep stuff. And so, Father, I pray that this evening, though there's not many of us in here tonight, we know that later on this will be broadcast and we hope that it reaches millions of people because it is certainly true that wherever the concept and the idea and the option for adoption is present, we know that abortion decreases. We know that when adoption is elevated, more babies are born rather than terminated. And Lord, I pray that this influence that Rocky and Debbie have had on Lisa and I translates into real active ministry in the state of California to present an alternative to this bloodthirsty state that is bent on abortion. And God, we pray for your. We pray that you'd have freedom tonight to move in our midst. And so we ask it, Lord, now in Jesus name and all God's people said amen. So I want you to give a warm welcome to Rocky Coil. Okay, Rocky, I want you to dive in. These people are going to be shocked tonight about how little I talk because we need to hear from you. But who are you, brother? Who are you and what, what's God doing?
- [67:42]
Rocky Coyle
Well, God is doing some great things.
- [67:44]
Debbie Coyle
Thank.
- [67:44]
Rocky Coyle
First of all, thank you. The people here have been so loving and kind to my wife and I. You can sense the spirit of God and it's just powerful and it's an honor to be here. For me, I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Yeah, you've got an Arizona person there. So I was raised in a sports family. My dad was a coach and my dad was a basketball player. I tried to tell everybody, they're laughing, but my brothers are all six feet and I'm five seven. So, you know, I got my mom's height and her looks, you know, that's about all I got. But, but my dad's athletic ability. So I was born and raised in a sports family and we basically with. With my dad was a coach and so we was around sports. So. Anybody see the movie? I was sharing this on the podcast. Anybody see the movie
- [68:40]
Jack Hoops
Sandlot?
- [68:40]
Rocky Coyle
Anybody? You guys love the Sandlot? Well, I grew up in, in a neighborhood where I was born and I was the ninth boy Born into my neighborhood. So I was out there playing in diapers and was playing baseball from when I was a little guy. And so when I started playing Little League, I was better than everybody else. So my. And also my dad was coaching me and my dad was always teaching and. And a lot of kids today don't have a good father. And I was very fortunate to have a great father. But he was a man's man. He was a boxer, he played basketball. He was the oldest living. He just passed away. And he was the oldest living member of the University of Arizona basketball. And so he was a really good player. And if you look his stats up, he was good. I didn't know how good he was until I looked up the stats. So by the time I started playing Little League, I was already kind of like a legend. And so when you're playing Little League against kids that were younger than you, it was. It was insane. Every time I got up, it seemed like I hit a home run. Everybody was trying to get. And I have one of those names, Rocky, that everybody kind of like, hey, Rocky's up. You know, hey, Rock. My real name is Rock. Rock Joseph. But. But later on I realized Peter was the Rock. You know, my dad didn't know it at the time. So, you know, my roots were this, were sports and those things. So when I was playing my last Little league game, I was up to bat and I had two strikes and the guy pitched the ball and I foul tipped it and the catcher caught it. Well, I got out and I handled it fine. My dad was one of these guys. Have you ever been to Little league games or travel ball? Parents never show the themselves very good, do they? You know, so it's like. But my dad was this big strong guy. He would always stand way down the left field line and just stand there with his arms like this and he would not interfere. And so he saw the whole thing happen. Well, the bad thing was I was only like 7 or 8 years old. I didn't understand that people were like envious of you for doing things. I was just a little guy and I wanted to make everybody happy all the time. And I go back to the dugout and my own teammates are cheering that I got out. My own teammates. And I was like, why are they cheering that I got out? Then they were mobbing the pitcher that he got me out because I was getting home runs all the time. So they're mobbing the pitcher. We were winning 11 to nothing and they're mobbing the pitcher because he struck Me out. And then the parents of my own teammates were cheering that I got out. So I'm like 8 years old and I'm not sad because I got out. I was getting a taste of way the world is sometimes. And so I started crying. Not because I got out, because I was confused. My dad, the men that are in here, I want you to hear this because this is so powerful. I'm 66 now. This is so powerful for you guys to hear this because it can make the difference in a young man's life or a young lady if you. You just have girls. And my dad saw it all happen. I rode my bike home and he came in the back room and he sat me on his lap. And I hated him looking at me eyes when I was in high school, but that's another story. But he always made me look at him in the eyes and he said, what are you crying about, son? And I said, dad, I'm sorry I failed you in front of everyone. I'm embarrassed. And I'm sorry that in front of everybody I did that. And he looked at me and he said, let me tell you something, Rock Joseph. He goes, I want you to hear this before you start this thing called life. He goes, I don't care if you get four hits in a game. He goes, I don't care if you're an All American. He goes, I don't even care if you play pro ball. He said, you look at me and you never forget this. And men, you need to hear this, because we can speak life or death into our. Into our. The people that are around us. And it makes a huge impact in this world. These little ones are looking for men who will speak life into them. This. This generation is crying out for truth and life. And I was as a little boy, and my dad said. Said that to me. He goes, I don't care if you get four hits if you're an All American. I don't care if you play eos. I want you to listen to me. Listen to me close, right? And he leaned towards me and he said, I love you because you're my son. He said, you just do your best and be the best you can be. And that's what he said to me. And it was powerful for a young man. And, you know, all these kids nowadays, their parents are yelling, get your kid. You know, they're screaming and they're so. They're judging them. And my dad wanted me to do well. He saw it wasn't fair, but he was trying to teach to and you know what? I'll tell you, when you put that in a young man's heart, he becomes a warrior. He becomes a warrior. And that's what I had no fear to ever fail again. The funny thing was I went on to be an all American and I went on to be a pro, but that had nothing to do with it. And that's. And that. So my life started in athletics and those things. And then there was another movement of my father a little later that, that you know about my faith and things like that, too.
- [73:57]
Jack Hoops
So. So that they know who you are. Real brief. You know how we spent a lot of time on the podcast. We spent a lot of. On that. We don't need to do that now because what we're. No, that was my fault.
- [74:07]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah.
- [74:07]
Jack Hoops
What we're going to do, we're going to blend, by the way, we're going to blend what we experience here tonight on. On video. And we're going to put the podcast in up front and then put this in behind it and make sure that we release that out because people need to hear what he's about to say. So we're going to skip all of that part. We're going to go to the ministry. Knowingly or unknowingly, there was the ministry that God was bringing you and Debbie into that would soon change your life and the trajectory of both your lives forever and other people's lives. Where can you start on that?
- [74:50]
Rocky Coyle
Well, we, Debbie and I, were going into our 50s. We had raised a family. We have a son who's 43 and our daughter's 36. Debbie and I have been married 44 years. So the real hero, I was telling everybody else is my wife, Debbie. She is amazing. We. We have a birthday on the same day, by the way, same year, except I always look older. She never gets old, you know, so. But we were. Debbie was looking, you know, Debbie was a PE teacher. She. And she was working at Hallmark. And what happened was God started working in her heart about being. About adopting. And then this lady came into Hallmark and she talked to her and then she. The lady had adopted a little child and the Lord was telling her, you need to listen to closely then. And for Debbie, it, you know, takes. Debbie and I are complete opposites, by the way. Anybody who's married and you're complete opposite, that's Debbie and I. And so it's. It's a powerful thing. So God started working in Debbie's heart. And then she came to me and said, what about adoption? So in our fifth. Just about almost 50 years old. Debbie and I started in, in the adoption and we decided, we looked, you know, around, you know, close to home. But then our daughter came to us and said, what about India? And we found a little girl online or with the agency sent us a picture of our, our first little girl, Swati. And she had been burned and she was burned and left to die. And she was 13 pounds when they had found her and, and they showed that picture of her and we decided that this was our girl right here. This was the girl we're going to do. But for me, for all you guys out there, at first I was saying, there's no way I'm going to do this, go all the way to India and do all these things. And God started really working in my heart. And I had put her picture like you saw on the video. He really started working in my heart and God started really convicting me to really hear his voice. And I put her picture above my truck. And one day on the way to work, I flipped it down, I said, lord, if she needs a daddy, I'll be her daddy. And that's really where it started for me. And it was a powerful, powerful thing to see what God had. The adoption story is an amazing thing for us and what God was doing in my life.
- [77:04]
Jack Hoops
How long is it?
- [77:06]
Rocky Coyle
Sorry.
- [77:06]
Jack Hoops
No, it's great. I want you to keep going. But how many years ago was that?
- [77:10]
Rocky Coyle
It was about 14 years ago and 14, 15. Deb. I can't remember. Debbie's better on time, but it was about 15 years ago, about now. So it was 15 years ago. So we started with one. And so we go there. We finally get to go. And when you go to India, some provinces are different than others. And so we went to, we go to Hyderabad and you have to go twice. Their laws say you have to go to court and then you have to leave and then go back and get her. So a guy who didn't want to go at first to go get her because I was kind of like, oh man, it's 16 hour flight. The Lord took us to the furthest place you could go on an airplane to India and China. You know, I'm like direct 16 hours, you know, and so we, we go there and Debbie and I are here. We, you know, these, we're in our 50s, we're going down through India and we get to the orphanage and it's hot. There's. Kids don't have shoes and there's all the, there's no. They sleep on the Ground. And. And you're watching, and you see all the poverty, and you see the. The brokenness. And, you know, so often you feel like you really know Jesus and you think you know him. I was a ball player. I was. I had been a youth minister. I thought I really knew Jesus. And they brought her around the corner, this little girl, and I just looked at her, and she had her head down and something with. I always do with my girls, because they're always. They were pushed down so much in their life. They have their head down and, men, you need to do this with your little ones. I lifted her chin up and I looked at her in the eyes. And as I looked at her, I heard the Lord speak to my heart, my pride and what I thought I was. And he said, hey, this is my kingdom. This is my heart.
- [79:16]
Jack Hoops
That's right.
- [79:17]
Rocky Coyle
It's the king. It's the least. It's the least. And, oh, Rocky, by the way, guess what? That was you. Before you knew me, you were scarred and broken, and you had no hope. It was the gospel right in front of my eyes in India. And I'm not saying everybody has to go. I don't. But if you hear the call of God, whatever it is, maybe it's somebody in the store or maybe it's at the nursing home or wherever God calls you. If it's that or whatever it is, if you hear his voice and you obey him. This is something I was learning. When you obey, obey him and you follow through. God pours out his spirit and his blessing, and it's powerful, even though it can be hard. And you know, you don't know, you don't always understand. But if he's in it, you win it. If he's a part of it, God will provide. And I got to experience by trusting God and obeying him. And it's not that Debbie and I are. No, we're. I'm a sinner saved by grace, the grace of God. And what pastor was talking about today, that spirit that's in you, when it comes out, you do great things for God. I mean, it's. You know, it's not you. You see God's power come out, and you see lives changed, and you see him work in ways that you exceedingly and abundantly above anything you could ever ask or hope for. When you're obedient to God, even if it costs you, everything is. It's worth it. And I saw that when I looked into her eyes, I saw the face of Christ. And I also saw my depravity and that I'm not. I don't have it together, but I know he does. And so that was the start of it. And the guy who didn't want to go to India, Debbie and I got to spend time with her, and then they took her away from us. And I knew what they were, what she was going through some tough times. We had to leave. And I tell you what, it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life to leave her behind and have to go back. They said it would be six weeks, and it was six months before we could go back and get her. And we finally got her. And, you know, and it was for you that are praying for people, the church, the warfare that's out there. What we were crying out for was our people to pray when, you know, people are doing things. The power of God and the power of prayer is so important. Important. And if you don't want to adopt, if you bless financially, people that are in that, you know, secretly bless, you know, just bless them to help them along because, you know, God's doing great things through that. But that's what the Lord was showing me and. And gave me a heart for the broken. And I had already been working with kids my whole life. When I left professional baseball, God called me into ministry. And I'm the last guy in the world that Eric was supposed to be a minister. You guys would think, you know, I was. You know, I got saved through Fellowship of Christian Athletes in high school. And it was. I mean, I had a teacher, mister. Mr. Hughes. He was my English teacher before I knew Jesus. I was in class, cutting up in class, in English class, college comp. And I was supposed to be doing something, and I was cutting up. And he was a really good guy. Came to all of our events in the middle of class. He goes, hey, coil. He said, you'd be a good minister. Preacher. I looked at him and I go. And all my friends started laughing because, believe me, I wasn't a preacher at that point. And he said, yeah. He goes, you would be a great preacher, Rocky. And he was speaking into my life way back there in high school. Thirty years later, my high school coach died, and I went back to do the funeral after I had become a minister. And I'm in the middle of the funeral, and I look out, and there's Mr. Hughes sitting there out there in the audience, and he's sitting there like this.
- [83:01]
Jack Hoops
Oh, that's great.
- [83:04]
Rocky Coyle
And I was looking at him in the middle of the funeral like this. And he goes, I told you. And I said, I know. And so, you know, you saw. But that was another thing where he was speaking into my life, and I didn't even know it.
- [83:15]
Jack Hoops
That's so true.
- [83:16]
Rocky Coyle
So through so faith and following Jesus. And after baseball, I was a Youth Minister for 25 years. And one of the reasons for you, everybody who's listening, when I was going around to different cities and, you know, I got to play with Mark McGuire. Mark McGuire was. I say, they played with me. But, you know, you know, when I was with the A's, I hit third, Canseco hit fourth, and McGuire hit fifth. Number three hitter was the best hitter, by the way. I just wanted to say that also, I'd be in the outfield. I'd be in the outfield, and people be going, look, it's an Oompa Loompa in the outfield. And they would say, follow the yellow brick road. You know, people from the stands, I heard it all being short. And so when you're on deck with McGuire and Conseco, it's like you look like their little brother, you know, but. But anyway, they, you know, so. But when I played baseball, what God was preparing was I. As I followed Jesus. And I was. You know, every place I went, God would have me speak at little places. But I started hearing the cries of this generation. My mommy and daddy broke up. My mom's a drug addict. And the cries of these kids over and over again for truth and for someone to love them. And I started hearing that in my heart. And I didn't know what it meant to be a calling on your life, to be a minister. And then God started working in me. And when I went. I left baseball. I went in and asked for my release. And God called me into baseball, from baseball, into the ministry. And everybody said, you're crazy, man, to leave baseball and to do all this. And one of the reasons why I had shared this before, my son Joshua was just about ready to start kindergarten, and Debbie and him caught up to me in baseball, and they caught up in this town, and. And we were at a restaurant eating, and I was going to the salad bar, and my son goes, daddy. And he grabs my pocket of my pants. He goes, daddy, you leaving again? Daddy, don't go. Don't go, Daddy, please. And I just looked at him, and God was really speaking to my heart, Said, you don't. You don't need to leave your son anymore. So one of the reasons I was called into ministry, but I wanted to have a relationship with my boy, he's 43 now, and he asked me to go to coffee every week because we have a relationship and he knows Jesus. But when I took him to college and, you know, I was dropping him off, he's real, man. A few words and I was. Dropped him off. Played baseball at the NC State University. He said, daddy, or he said, I was walking out. He goes, hey, dad. He goes, I know what you did, man. He goes, thanks. But all the money in the world, guys and families, all that stuff that's going to pass away, none of that stuff matters. None of it. Those riches and things that, you know, they're gone. But following Jesus has been the greatest experience of my life. That's the most important thing. And that dad, that dad that I told you about, my father Terry, he gave his life to Jesus in his 40s. And he came to me again, just like when I was a little boy. He said, rocky, if you die today, do you know where you go? And I'm going to go to heaven. All this stuff. But he did the Romans Road with me, and I heard for the first time that I was a sinner. And my dad, in his 40s, through fellowship of Christian athletes, gave his life to Christ. And that was the foundation that I had a father. Not only that, loved me there, but then he told me about Jesus. And, you know, and my whole. My sister became a missionary, and I became a pastor. All my brothers and sisters know Jesus. They're serving the Lord. And so we're at. And, man, if you want to hear something awesome, this wasn't. People say awesome, but my dad passed away recently, and all the family was there. All the generations know Jesus, because my dad came to Christ and stood for Christ and lived for Christ and all these generations. And my dad, I heard at the end of his life, would give 90% of his life money to ministries and all these things. And he was an encourager and a discipler. So he goes, he died. He's. When he's dying, he's. He's breathing his last. And you guys need to hear this, because all these things that we get busy with. My dad was taken. He was. You know, he was at that point where he wasn't moving. He was just breathing. And hospice had him. And all the family was around, and we had the video playing of my mom and dad's wedding, and all of us kids growing up, and all the siblings were in the. And the grandchildren were around his bed, and he was like. And all of a sudden, he hadn't moved for Two or three days. And he leaned up. And he fell back and he died. It was his last breath. And I looked. We looked up and a tear came out of his eyes. And my little brother jumped on his chest. And if the world watched this, they would think we were crazy. My little brother jumps on his chest and goes, go, dad.
- [88:15]
Debbie Coyle
Go, Go, Dad.
- [88:19]
Rocky Coyle
And he took the tear and he wiped it on all of the kids. A tear came out of his eyes. It was almost like he was leaning to the finish line at the end of his life. And then I stood up. I stood up like this. And I. I don't know why we did this, but I stood up and I started clapping. Standing ovation for the greatest man of God I ever knew. And everybody stood up and cheered. And I was sitting there going. People looked at this. We think we're crazy. But as believers, that's the blessed hope. Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to start preaching, but that's.
- [88:47]
Jack Hoops
There you go.
- [88:47]
Rocky Coyle
You go. But that's.
- [88:50]
Jack Hoops
What.
- [88:50]
Rocky Coyle
Amen. If you want. What really is truth, it's not in the fame and the fortune and all these things. It's in that little orphanage where you see the face of God. Whether it's a store clerk that is thinking about killing themselves, and you come in and speak life to them. We have the power of God in us, and we can change lives just by being just the ordinary folks that we are. But we're extraordinary for Jesus Christ, and that's just the way it is.
- [89:16]
Jack Hoops
Amen. That's awesome. I love it. Moving. So I don't know how much you want to share. I mean, you want to be discreet, I'm sure. But these. These young ladies that God brought into you in Debbie's life, these weren't little Hollywood starlets. These were you mentioned. We saw in the video today that two of the Chinese little girls were found in boxes.
- [89:46]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [89:46]
Jack Hoops
To be disposed of. Because I would imagine China's policy. Plus, remember, there's no God in China, so life's very low valued. But then you also, if I remember the video correct, the. The two Indian girls, they had been
- [90:09]
Rocky Coyle
abused, or if you guys think of any, you know, it's like everything you read about was probably happening, you know. And the first one, Leah, we knew, I shared with you, she had been burned and left to die. And she. Folks, by the way, she just got back from her second missionary trip with Ywam. She's sharing the gospel all over the world. That little girl, that first one, and she's a dynamo. I took you take her to the airport. Her backpack was three times bigger than her. And she's like, bye, dad. And I'm like, yeah.
- [90:39]
Jack Hoops
Oh, wow.
- [90:41]
Rocky Coyle
Because you've seen her from the beginning. And then Savita. Oh, my goodness. Savita is a Dynamo. She was 4 and she was abandoned at 4. And she said, daddy, I looked for my mommy for two days and I couldn't find her. And so she was abandoned. And then she. Someone helped her get food, and then a crazy person. She ended up having her throat cut and she almost died. She survived. She just recently. She graduated from Liberty University in one year, and she. She finished. She went to Juco Junior College for a little bit, but she finished in a year. Then she got her master's in seven months. I tell people she gets her brains from me, of course, but. And she's one of the greatest apologists I've ever met. She is. Frank, you watch out, because she is like, I know Frank was just here, but she's amazing, amazing woman. Just to watch her and see what she's done. Beautiful young lady, then. And Chichi. Chi Chi is our stylista, man. She is. When I first met her, she could talk English a little bit. She go, daddy, I get cell phone, put it here. And I walk like this, you know? And I'm like, what? You know? Now she's an esthetician and she loves Jesus. And if you watch the video online, it talks about her salvation, the full video. But Chichi was. Chichi was. They found her with her umbilical cord still attached and a box and with a little pink blanket. And I remember one day she asked me, she goes, daddy, do you think they still have that pink blanket? And I said, no, I don't think so. But just to see what God's done in her life is a powerful thing. Then Abigail's Chichi. Chi Chi was our third. And Chi Chi and the next little girl, Abigail, they were. Both found the box, like Pastor was saying. And when they were brought in, they slept in the same bed their whole lives from when they were babies all the way up throughout their life. So we went to get Chichi. We. We got her, they brought her. There's to explain. It's like if we live in North Carolina, Raleigh is the capital, when what they do is they bring the child from whatever province or state they're in. Like, if you were in Carolina. If I was in Carolina, they would bring the child from whatever area it was. If it was in California, they'd fly them all the way to Raleigh. Wherever they were. So they brought her to the Capitol. We did our business with the Chinese, and then we got invited back to the orphanage, which usually doesn't happen. So we go there, and while Debbie and I are there, they have this big luncheon. Nobody had ever adopted kids their age from that orphanage. We were the first ones. And people had shirts on and says, we will never forget you because we adopted these girls.
- [93:32]
Jack Hoops
Rocky, why is the eight? What age is that?
- [93:35]
Rocky Coyle
They were like six, seven, eight. You know, the older considered too old. Yeah, too old. It's considered too old. So it's just most people want babies, and nobody wants the older children. I don't. Especially women. Girls are really hard. A lot of times they steal kids out of the orphanage, and they use them for what you guys hear on TV about. And so there's a lot of abuse in there. So when I went. When Debbie and I went there, they had the luncheon, and they brought her best friend out, Abigail. And the funny thing was, Chi Chi had been screaming for two days because they told her if she wasn't good, that they would. The new people would eat you, like, for dinner. So she was afraid of us. And she had never seen blonde hair, blue eye people. She thought everybody in America was. I go, no, we are a wonderful country. You'll love it here. And so they. They bring in Abigail Ling Young Fei. She was right next to me. And this girl Chichi had been screaming for two days. And I look at Debbie. My wife's from Jersey. She doesn't mess around. And I said, hey, I think, God, we ought to adopt this other girl. And Debbie goes, have you heard this girl screaming for two days? And you want to adopt another one already? You know, and we were just, you know, going back and forth, and God moved in her heart. And we went after Abigail. A year later, we go after her, and we get Abigail. And when we got done, it was four kids in four years. And Debbie and I were exhausted. We were like, yay, okay, God, no more more. And. And this is how funny God is, Pastor. It's like, so we're done, and. And, you know, we're. And Debbie is the hero. I told these guys earlier, my wife deserves the major award. You hear in A Christmas Story. She deserves the major award. The paperwork, the homeschooling, the. The. The trauma, the. The specialists, the counselors, all the stuff that came with it. My wife is a. Is a champion. Believe me. She is the one that did what, you know, she's an amazing, amazing lady. So we get done And God is so powerful, you guys, how he does things. You don't see it coming. We didn't see the four adoptions coming. I wasn't looking at that. Debbie and I were antiquing together. Our kids were gone. We're like, let's go to Disneyland. Let's go to Disney World. We were having so much fun. And then God said, I want you to adopt. And next thing you know, I'm buying a Sienna van. I go, a van. Oh, my goodness. Another van. Gotta be kidding me. So we get done with the four, and we're. And we're around the table, and the Chinese are talking to each other in Chinese. And this is the United nations at your table. Oh, I know, man. Maybe Africa next, you know, that's what we were talking about. So we're around the table, and we had taken the paperwork, thrown away. We had a party at the church. Everybody came. All the people that supported us, all the people that financially gave to us and everything. We celebrated. We had videos, we had their scrapbooks of each kid out there. We get home that week or so, and they're around. The Chinese are around. And we had seen this other girl when we were at the orphanage, and she had a wine stain on her face, big red one. And they told me nobody would want her because she's so ugly. That was their words. And that she's not. She's cursed because of her face. And she was so sweet. And the Chinese girls were talking, and they're translating back and forth. And Debbie and I hear that An Wen. Her name was An Wen, she used to sneak food because a lot of times their food would be stolen from them by the workers and they couldn't eat. And so she would steal her. She would keep her food and go and give it to them at night and take care of them, and she would protect them from the older kids. And they said that at the table. And I was like, oh, no. Why did you have to say that? So. And the only place Debbie and I have any alone time is we're in the. We're in the bathroom because. So I'm. I'm. And I'm gonna tell you something. The power of God, how he does things when you walk with him. It's kind of an exciting adventure sometimes because you don't know what's gonna happen. But it's cool when you go on the ride and you're going, wow, all the way from leave baseball, become a pastor, go adopt at 50, you know, you don't know. So I'm in. Get in the shower. Debbie's putting makeup on and stuff. And this is. This hasn't happened since. But I was in there, and I knew God was telling me to go adopt that girl. But we were so tired. And the financial stuff you're trying to raise to do it is just overwhelming. And I was talking to the Lord. I said, lord, do you really want.
- [98:37]
Debbie Coyle
Do you.
- [98:37]
Rocky Coyle
I. Your. Your voice. I hear it. And there was a warmth. It wasn't the water. It was this. The Holy Spirit came over me, through my body into warm. And I said. And it was. He said, in my spirit. He said, don't be afraid. It's okay. I know you're tired. It's okay. And it was his presence like I'd never felt. And then Debbie's from Jersey, and she's at the. At the window, at the. In the mirror, going, did you hear that? At the table? She goes, we gotta go get those kids, don't we? That girl. I go, yeah. You know, so. So. But. But the incredible thing was when you go to adopt, it's an. It's for. It's hard to do in a year, raising the money, paperwork. So we call and they go, hey, you know, this little girl, you know, we probably can't come get her, right, because we're too old. And the lady goes, no, no, you're. You're not too old. I go, okay. And we said, well, you know, it's probably. And she goes, are you guys interested in that little girl? And the agency knows us. And so they checked it out, they call us back, and they said, hey, you can adopt her. I got good news and bad news. You can adopt her. But the good news is you can do it. The bad news is that she turns 14 in three or four months. And in China, you can't adopt them when they're 14. She's real little, so I didn't think she was that old. And Debbie and I prayed, and we decided to go for it. Let's go for it. Let's raise the money. And so we just started going, and people started out of nowhere. Here's 20,000. Here's 10,000. Here's 5,000. Our congressman, our senator, got a person on, and we started cramming. Debbie knew how to do the paperwork, and we're just going for it. Boom, boom, boom, boom, man. And started coming. The money came in. One guy, you know, one guy gave me. He's not even a Christian. He gave me 5,000 for every kid. He gave 25,000 total. He's an Italian guy. And he was like, oh, yo, what did you tell me? You were having another kid? And he goes, I got a five for you. At first I thought he said, five bucks. And he walks up, he gave me five grand. I said, whoa. And so he did. Another guy gave me 10 grand. So the money comes in, and all of a sudden they call us and say, come. And we go. And the guy's stamping our stuff in China. And he says, oh, you barely make it, man. And I said, yeah. And I said, stamp that thing quick, you know? And we get there, and what I don't tell you is when the last little girl left, that little girl that took care of them, she was holding the little. One of our daughters, and she was weeping when she was leaving, because she is. All of her friends were gone. Oh, we have video of her weeping. And a picture I took, turned around, took of all the kids up there. And her little face was up there watching her leave. And you know what she said to me when she could talk? She goes, daddy, I couldn't believe that you came back to get me. And she goes, my face, you know, I said, your face is beautiful. And see, dads, our kids need to hear that. Just like my dad spoke into my life, our little girls. I always wear certain per. Certain cologne, because I know the smell of my mom and dad. My dad was Old Spice, you know, I loved his Old Spice, you know, But I would hug him. My mom's was. Debbie knows it. But I. But I always. When I grab my girls, I just hold them right here, and I just tell them how much I love them and how much I believe in them. And, you know, the last 14, 15 years, it's been. You know, I didn't know what God wanted me to do. And he just told me. He said, I want you to be a father to these girls, to the broken. And I want you to love them and tell them how proud you are of them and how much you love them. And so I've just poured my life. And you're just looking into them and tell them and doing stupid dad jokes and everything, even though they don't understand them and they're the only ones that listen. So Debbie just shakes her head and says, please, you know, and so that, you know, in a nutshell, that's kind of like. But through it all, Jesus and his spirit have been there. Through it all, through the. The hard times and the good times, and when I'm driving with them, it's been a blessing. People always Try to come up to Christians, whether you're missionaries or you're adopting. Oh, you. You deserve a special place in heaven in their cl. Oh, that God has a special. You know, where I deserved. I deserved hell.
- [103:16]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [103:17]
Rocky Coyle
It was only by God's grace and his mercy. And when you follow him, whether. When I was in the locker rooms and I was the only believer and everybody's cussing and chasing and doing all this stuff, when you stand for Jesus and you hold fast, whether he's telling you to go to India or whether he's telling you to go right across the street or to stand in. Like that brother today, that was in. In political realms, that we stand for Christ and He will bless you and honor you and he'll take care of all your needs. And he's done that.
- [103:47]
Jack Hoops
Yeah, absolutely. I'm curious. Do we. We happen to have. Do we have the video. Not the one we showed today, this short, the edit, but do we have the other one? I wonder if Matt can hear me, if he's around. There was one that I saw. I thought there was one that was about seven minutes long, but I think you know of one that's even longer than that, Right?
- [104:10]
Rocky Coyle
Well, that one you showed today was just. They just cut it.
- [104:12]
Jack Hoops
Well, that one's been edited down, but the one that I saw, I. I'd love to know if we. In 10 minutes we can have it. Okay. I think it'd be great for all this.
- [104:23]
Rocky Coyle
Are we going along the right lines of what you wanted? As far as the things I'm sharing
- [104:27]
Jack Hoops
there, I had no idea what I wanted.
- [104:29]
Rocky Coyle
Okay. I know. That's what I love about him. I was just standing back there and I go, is there anything I want to tell you? He goes, it's Jack. You can't just. Just go out there. I said, all right.
- [104:37]
Jack Hoops
Yeah, yeah. You. There's something on the video that they'll see in a moment, which why I asked about the video. One of the things that really won my heart over was one of your girls said something about that she was not a believer.
- [104:51]
Rocky Coyle
Yes. Gigi.
- [104:53]
Jack Hoops
And I don't want to. I don't want to steal the thunder. She says a particular word that is very important for men.
- [105:00]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [105:01]
Jack Hoops
To hear. I think you are. You're figuring it out.
- [105:02]
Rocky Coyle
I'll elaborate on it after. They probably watch it.
- [105:04]
Jack Hoops
Probably. So there's a word and you'll hear it. I'm not going to say it. You'll see it in the video that every one of you men. I don't care if you're single or you're married, that word has got to be resurrected in your vocabulary when it comes to not only just other people in your life, but any women in your life, no matter what age, no matter where they're at. They could be. It could be your mom, it could be that young lady that you are interested in. And there's. There's a word that she uses about her dad that to me just. I had not heard it in that context before and I just said, that is perfect. So in a moment you'll. You'll hear that. So keep going.
- [105:49]
Rocky Coyle
And the person that the little girl, he's. Well, he's a young woman is Chi Chi. She was the reason she was abandoned was. She was. She only has three fingers on one hand and she has a stump here. And so she was abused really bad and made fun of and she was angry and didn't trust and there was so much anger inside of her, which I totally understand why. And you know, you're not heroes when you adopt them and you're not sitting there hoping they fulfill something in your life. God just called us to love them and to represent Christ and just pour our lives into them. And even when they were coming with stuff that wasn't what we, you know, that was fun to hear. We just loved them. And that's the key that we were doing, you know, for Chichi, because I don't want to say too much because what he's going to show, but Chi Chi is an amazing young lady.
- [106:46]
Jack Hoops
You were sharing earlier today that I forget her name. Your first one about the book of James.
- [106:55]
Rocky Coyle
Oh, second one, Savita. Savita is the one that wants to be apologist. So we go into a nursing home. We used to take the girls. That's a great ministry. If you ever guys want to take your kids somewhere, don't take them to Knott's Berry or something like take them to a nursing home every week. We took our girls every week to a nursing home. And those people need to be loved on.
- [107:14]
Jack Hoops
Yes.
- [107:15]
Rocky Coyle
They said when we would pull up in our van, people thought we were a school, of course, and the girls would get out. And the lady who ran, ran it said when they saw us get out of the van, all the elderly cheered, Yay, they're here. And we would just minister to them. And Savita, I tell her, I go, hey, I need you to read James one for me. And she goes, okay. And so I'm getting ready and we share a little message to them about the Lord. Savita. Gets up and does James 1. Just standing there in front of a picture. She did James chapter one. Look up James one, Chapter one. This is from memory, out of memory. She didn't look at it. There was no Bible. She's like, you know, and she's. I'm like watching her and she got done and all the, all the old people were going, woo hoo. Yay. That was. So then she looks at me and she goes, daddy, you want me to do James chapter two? And then Chichi, who you're about to see, I'll share this. Debbie And I got her. She, you know, she's fiery and her feet were kind of are deformed a little bit too, so she couldn't. Her flip flops would be. And she's running. We take her to the pool. Debbie and I got. Got the hotel. We take her to the pool. I'm walking out with Debbie to the pool. Hey, I got, I got my little girl with me. So we're walking out there, we're walking out to the pool and I'm like, I'm a daddy of course. Again, this is great. And all of a sudden I hear splash. And I turn and she's a fireball. And she, I look and she jumped in the pool. And I look and she's at the bottom of the pool. And I said, I'm gonna, my girl's gonna, she's gonna drown the first second I have her and, And I just dove in, you know, because I, I grew up in Arizona. I know swimming, you can't, you know. So I go and get her up out of the bottom and I lift her up and she's like. And I'm like. And I can't speak Mandarin. And I'm going, But she saw my face. I go, no, you can't jump in the pool, you know, And I put her on the side. I get back out and I take two steps right back in again and I pull her out and I. There's a little kid who wasn't swimming and he had those pool floaties and I stuck them on her arm and I was like, don't do that anymore. So we get done swimming and we go upstairs and Debbie had to go do paperwork. So I have Chi. Now it's just me and Chi Chi and she's in her little suit and I go, hey, just a minute, daddy. You go change, you know, and I'm trying to talk. I turn my back for one second and I turn, I hear huah yah kah. You yah yah.
- [109:45]
Jack Hoops
Yah.
- [109:45]
Rocky Coyle
And I turn around and she had gotten up on the kitchen thing and you know those two big kitchen knives, the big long ones, she's going like this. And I looked and I said, I adopted a ninja warrior, my gosh.
- [110:03]
Jack Hoops
Or a great cook.
- [110:06]
Rocky Coyle
And I go, I didn't know what to do because I thought, what's happening here? And I just looked at her and I started clapping. And she goes, ha. And then she flips them. She got a stump hand and three fingers. She flips the blades to the handle, catches them and hands it to me, Hands it to me. And she goes, you. And I went, okay. I went, woo you. And then I. And I go, you go in the room and change, you know, go in there. She went in there and I took all the knives and I hit them, you know, And I said, I said I didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night. Like, you know, so that's a true story, man. It's unbelievable. And that's chichi. And that's who you're going to see in the story, you know, in this part.
- [110:46]
Jack Hoops
Ready? Okay. Can we dim the sanctuary lights?
- [110:52]
Rocky Coyle
Hi, I'm. I'm Rocky Coyle. I was a professional baseball player, was called into the ministry. I was a youth pastor for 25 years. Debbie and I were just about in our 50s, empty nesters. Debbie was really looking for what to do with her life. And she came to me, said, what would you think about adoption? My daughter said, have you ever thought about India? I was like, do you want me to go to India? There was a special needs child there that had been burned and left to die on the side of the road. And her name was Swati. Leah. I had fear in my heart to go to another country to go get this little kid. And the Lord started working in my heart. I put her picture in my truck and I literally pulled over on the side of the road and I flipped down the visor and I saw her face. I go, lord, if she needs a dad, I'll be her dad. We get to this orphanage, there's 145 children, no air conditioning, it's hot, they're sleeping on the floors. I walk in there and I used to think I really knew God. When Leah walked around the corner and she kind of had her head down and she looked up at me and, you know, I heard the Lord say, you know, this is my kingdom. This is what I'm about. And oh, by the way, Rocky, that was you before you knew me. You were scarred you were broken and you had no hope here. I wasn't, you know, far away from home and everything. And yet that's where God's heart was. And I knew it was for the least. So then we went and got Savita in Delhi. Her mom told her to sit down in the middle of Delhi. She never came back to get her. And Savita said, I looked for my mommy for two days and I couldn't find her. I can't imagine a 4 year old in Delhi looking for their mommy. My daughter in law said, what about China? So saw this little girl on the Internet and she was dancing with these older girls and she was so feisty, had some handicaps. I said, debbie, I think this is our next one. They found Chichi wrapped in a blanket in a box on the side of the road. And, well, Abigail, they found her in a box at the train station wrapped in a towel. And they brought them in together. So they had been sleeping in the same bed their whole lives. And so I said, she needs to come home too, with us, you know, we got home, raised the money again and went back and got Abigail. But we got back from that trip, we were at the breakfast table and they're talking in Chinese. And then Chichi goes, an wen, which is Allison. She used to defend us from older children. And she would hide her food and feed us at night when we didn't have enough food. Lord, do you want me to go get this little girl? You know, we're so tired, you know. You know, the thought of to do that again. And Debbie and I had already gotten rid of all our papers, you know, four kids, everybody thought we were crazy anyway. But all of a sudden there this peace. And I don't know how to explain it, but it came over me like him saying, it's going to be okay, just, just obey me, I'll take care of it. At the same time, Debbie goes, I think we have to go get her. And I said, yeah. Some days I'm walking around the house thinking, where did all these girls come from? You know, Chi Chi was found with her umbilical cord still attached. And so she was in an orphanage her whole life. She was abused in every way that you could imagine.
- [114:36]
Jack Hoops
I was angry with God because the
- [114:39]
Rocky Coyle
abuse I've been through, I still remember
- [114:42]
Jack Hoops
the stuff that happened to me and I was blaming God for everything.
- [114:48]
Rocky Coyle
Debbie and I together were praying for her salvation. And I remember her coming to us and saying, you know, if I don't accept Jesus, will you still love me? But Debbie And I both said, we love you, you know, whether you ever give your heart to Jesus or not.
- [115:00]
Debbie Coyle
I told my parents, like, when I grow up, I. I want to do nothing with Jesus.
- [115:06]
Rocky Coyle
Hours and hours Debbie and I would spend with her talking. And she would always come at it, like, try to. Try to freak you out. Like, she'd start cussing. I hate God. Blankety blank, we still love you. Still love you. One day she just came up to me and she said, dad, I want to go to work with you on Fridays. You know, I teach hitting lessons. And then she would drive with me, and I'd always take her to dinner. So on Fridays, we had this date night. And over time, we started developing relationship. It was really. It was a turning point. One day I was going to work, and Chichi said, I want to pray to ask Jesus in my heart. So she did. Out of nowhere, you know, when I went out to my vehicle, I literally fell on my knees in the grass. And thank God,
- [116:07]
Debbie Coyle
I made a lot of mistake in my life.
- [116:10]
Jack Hoops
My dad, he still pursued me. And every day he would look into
- [116:14]
Rocky Coyle
my eyes and say, I love you.
- [116:16]
Jack Hoops
And that's why I want to follow
- [116:18]
Rocky Coyle
Jesus, because that's what Jesus does. The Lord said, I wanted you to be a dad to these girls. I want you to love them like I loved you. This is all it was, all the Lord. Debbie and I were. We raised our kids. We were antiquing. We were having fun. It was all Jesus. And I've seen miracle in these girls. Each of them have their own story how God delivered them. And they all know Jesus now. You know, that's the cool thing, is that all these girls will be with me in heaven. Just this year, I was able to drop Savito Buffett Liberty University. And so I walk up the stems to go to college. Leah, you guys see her greeting you? She has a heart for. For missions Chi. She's still searching. You see her working in the coffee bar. You know, she's taking a few classes downlands. So, you know, I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds it. And I've learned that I'm going to go where he sends me.
- [117:29]
Jack Hoops
So good. Yep. So the word is pursue. My. My dad pursued me. I'm wondering tonight how many of these guys and gals here tonight could have avoided either unnecessary suffering or still could change that if they were pursued or they tonight decide to be a pursuer to think about their children being targeted by love. That really impacted me when I first heard that the first Time where my father, my dad pursued me. You wouldn't give up. What a wise word it was when he said to her rejection of Jesus, what if I don't ever become a Christian, will you still love me? You do know what she was crying out for, right? I'm not too sure if Jesus had anything to do about it. In her mind at that moment, she was actually saying, I love the love that you give to me, dad. But I'm just wondering if it's conditional on this faith thing, right? Jesus just happened to be the name and the one that of course was orchestrated in the entire thing. But she was actually saying, do you really love me? Because kids are like that. You know, they may or may not express it, but they're like that. Did you know that? Men are like that too. Women are like that too, where they want to hear that love expressed from you to them organically, with nothing attached, no conditions. And that can only be passed down by experience. Then of course, thank God, the Lord intervenes in our lives and breaks those chains and cycles. But for those of us who have opportunity, do you have anyone in your life that you can leave here tonight when this is over and be able to say in yourself, I'm going to target. Maybe it's a nephew or a niece, or maybe it's a. Like you guys said, the empty nesters. Your kids are gone. It's never too late to start pursuing them again. You need to think about that, because Second Corinthians 5 tells us that the Lord has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Every Christian has the ministry of reconciliation. The Holy Spirit in us will see to it. We go around and patch up dams that have been broken. That's. That's what he does in us. You don't have to fly to Hong Kong or India. You can start to work on a relationship that you know in your life is frayed. It's. It's worn thin or broken. You know, someone's got to do it. God says that he gives grace to the humble right, but he resists the proud. That's okay, because usually in a bone of contention and atmosphere, fear of contention, both are pushing on each other. Whoever decides to humble themselves, they relax. So if they're both pushing, there's no success. But when one humbles, both of them fall before the feet of God. It only takes one to make things right. God will honor that.
- [121:28]
Rocky Coyle
So, yeah, another thing I wanted to share that was important about that story of her coming to Jesus, and this is hard for us as men, is to admit we're wrong or when we have correction towards us. So here's my daughter, who hadn't accepted Christ before that, but you saw her when I led her to Jesus. We were driving down the road one day, and she was going to work with me, me. And she's a. She doesn't miss anything. She's watches everything. She goes, hey, dad, the way you acted today at breakfast, the way you talk to mom and all of us, I think you were really off base. You were wrong. How you. Your attitude today. She said that to me driving. I was like. And I almost, like, got defensive. It was close. Like, who are you thinking? You know? But I listened. And the Lord's going, you better. You better be quiet for a second and think this out. And you know what? She was exactly right. She was right, I was wrong. And I stopped myself and I was driving and I go, this could be the difference between her coming to Jesus or not. We think we're prideful. And, you know, I'm not going to admit, Listen, she was right on. On whether I was a youth minister. When I was a youth minister, I told my youth. I said, if you ever see me in a mall with anybody but Debbie, another woman, you have every right to go up and ask me who in the world this girl is. Better be my sister or somebody, you know, you know, But. But Chi Chi said that to me. And I stopped myself and I was driving and she was looking at me and I said, chichi, you're exactly right. I go, daddy was wrong. I go, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. And I said, tomorrow, when we have breakfast, I'm going to take. I'm going to tell everybody at the table that I was wrong. And I'm going to ask for forgiveness because Daddy was. Daddy was wrong. And I saw her face just go. You know, I think that was part of the foundation that to be able to see, you know, that I was. That I believed in who I said I believed in, too. And she was right. That's part of being a man. It's just like us men. So many times we say, our wife, she doesn't do this, and she doesn't do this, and she doesn't do this. I remember early on in my marriage with Deb, God would, you know, and every one of them, probably I could justify my thinking, but she could certainly say 100 to me, too. But all the things I said and God says, and what if she never does? What have I called you to do? This has not contingent on her he said, what have I called you to do? And I knew the word of God. He said, I'm supposed to love her as Christ loved the church. Whether she never responds to things that I think that she should. That's God dealing with her and those. And then my. But I. I chose to love my wife the way Christ loved the church. Regardless of anything and everything else that's happening, I'm choosing no matter what, I love her. I committed to her at that altar. I'm going to love her. And that's what my desire is, to love her like Christ loved the church. And I tried to love. My dad taught me that. And as a man, I tried to do that. My dad did that to my mom, and I wanted to do that to my wife. And I wanted to love my girls in the same way. And we have a chance with all these clowns out here that are trying to destroy our little girls and our families, that we need men that will stand up and be men of God, men that are willing to fight for their kids. And also guys, admit it when we're wrong and take responsibility. Our kids look at that, say, my dad's never wrong. I can't ever talk to him because he's never wrong. You know what? That shows a sign of strength when you as a man take responsibility.
- [125:08]
Jack Hoops
Those things so well, you know, the power of that is. And only, only this can happen in Christianity. So if you're here right now and you're Muslim, and I mean, the closest thing that I've seen, and I've actually seen it in Judaism, but it still falls short because there's no Holy Spirit present within them. The Jews, but Hinduism, Buddhism, forget it. It's not going to happen. This is the great. One of the great things of Christianity is that because our God is a redemptive God, he takes our total disasters, and if they're managed right with repentance, they can become the literal catalyst that leads the family or the boss or the employees to Christ. When you say, hey, you guys, I lost it on the job site yesterday. Didn't think about it. Laid down last night, couldn't go to sleep, talked to God about it. God told me, don't talk to me until you go back to the job site and talk to the guys. Said it right? So, guys, I'm here to tell you I was wrong for chewing on you like that and treating you like that. Let me tell you something. You better just get out some Bibles, because that's going to bring people to Christ because they're not going to get that anywhere else. And that's why legalism within the church setting is such an abomination. That's why it kills people when they go to churches. And it's a rule based relationship. It's not even a relationship. It's a rule based association rather than a love based relationship. And only in Christianity can we say, please forgive me, I was wrong, that God uses that as a profound tool of evangelism because he's a redeeming God. He's redemptive. So I want to, I want to insert this and I want to see what your wisdom is on this. A lot of people, it's shocking where we are heavily involved, you being in the ministry as well, that we deal with a lot of people young and old that have been sexually abused. It's insane. I did not grow up in a Christian home, but when I heard that people were sexually abused at some point in my life, I was completely shocked. I just thought what kind of a freak show is that? How does that happen? But apparently not. Apparently it is clear after coming up on 36 years of professional ministry. Anyway, that is full time, I should say, but almost 50 years has been a Christian. I'm shocked at how many people have incredible marriage issues or just relationship issues because they were abused as a child. I don't know if you know this or not, but so many people that we talk to that are lbgtq. I'm going to be close. I won't be exact. Lisa's probably more able to answer this, but the percentile is in the 90s, 90 some odd percent of those who are struggling with LBGTQ issues were sexually abused as a child or interestingly enough, they were never, some of them were never touched, but they were exposed. They were shown extreme pornography. It turns out that chemically, biologically, that a child who sees pornography has the same damage to the brain area of emotion that an older child has when sexually abused physically. In other words, it doesn't matter if it's on the screen or on the body, the damage is still demonically the same. And the only, the only hope, if that's you tonight, the only hope for you. And I say only hope, like it's not like it's the only hope. Like, sorry, there's nothing else left. The only hope for you is the only hope that has always been for us and that is the loving family saving grace of Jesus and the restorative work that he does in making you a brand new creature in a moment's time. Did you know that you can become a virgin tonight with Jesus Christ? Who offers that? Nobody. Nobody offers that. But Jesus, he can heal you. And so many marriages are suffering in these days because the. Believe it or not, the husband is disposable, dysfunctionally, sexually, or the wife. And they've never talked to one another. They never shared with each other that they've carried those scars into their marriage. And they love each other tremendously, but the pain is so powerful. But they've never talked about it. And you need to take it to the cross. You think about these girls, and you're not only the girls, but you think about their biological children.
- [130:34]
Debbie Coyle
Children.
- [130:35]
Jack Hoops
The love is the same. We have an adopted granddaughter. I told you this the other day. We have an adopted granddaughter. We never remember she's adopted. We honestly don't. People remind us sometimes it's very fun because we'll be somewhere. Oh, hey, how are you guys? Oh, this is your granddaughter? These are your grandsons? Yeah. Oh, man, they look just like you guys. Oh, that's hilarious. They do. But people have to remind us. You want to know why that's true? Because that's what love does. Love erases all those things. I'm kind of partial toward being adopted. When I was born, my parents were. Was stuck with me. What do you send me back? But when you're picked, that's a whole different thing.
- [131:34]
Rocky Coyle
Pastor. We tell the girls that. We say, what's funny? I'll walk through the mall. And they go, are these your children? I lean up to them. I go, can't you tell? We look. I mean, look at. I'm Irish, man. Can't you tell? But what we tell our girls, which so powerful because they. They are adopted. But I said, I didn't choose your brother Josh and Rachel. Rachel or sister. But I chose you. That's how God does it to us too, you know? Isn't that cool? And that's. That's what's. That's what. And, you know, I didn't know what it was gonna be like. You know, I got two Indian daughters and three Chinese. But honest to goodness, when. When I'm around them and when I look at them, man, I just. They're my daughters, and I just love them. If you mess with them, man, and I'd be fighting like my dad used to fight, man, I'd throw that left right combo on you. And since I'm so short, I just beat your kneecaps to death until you couldn't walk. That's what I would do. You Fight for them.
- [132:26]
Jack Hoops
That's why God invented guns. Anyway, you guys must have great food in your house.
- [132:34]
Rocky Coyle
There's no food. Our girls are like, come on. Indian food, Chinese food. Hey, when I come home at night, a lot. How many Indian folks are in here? Come on, how many Indian folks? Folks.
- [132:45]
Jack Hoops
That's it.
- [132:45]
Rocky Coyle
One, two masala chai. The smell of that in my kitchen. It's beautiful. Debbie making the Indian food. I can always smell it from the carport. We're having Indian food tonight. It's good stuff.
- [132:56]
Jack Hoops
How come women. How come Estee Lauder doesn't have curry perfume? It's amazing.
- [133:03]
Rocky Coyle
And, hey, Chinese, new dumplings and all. Oh, boy, that's some good stuff. Yeah, it's Grady. But our girls, it's like they. They do it kind of quietly, but you look up and it's like. It's like piranha is like, you know, it's incredible. It's like. And also, our mother in law, my mother in law fell about seven, eight months ago, and she stays with us now, too. And I was telling pastor, there's five girls, well, six now, with my mother in law in one bathroom. So I was telling. Someone said, you ought to do a reality thing. And I said, yeah, because there's one part. The girls go, daddy, our drain's not working. And they all have that black hair, you know, that thick hair. And they go, daddy, it's your. I go, it's not my hair. Like, I'm blonde. I mean, I'm gray. Now, folks, any guy knows this, or ladies, I went in with the thing to clean it, and I was like, you know, it was like. I go, that's part of being a dad.
- [134:06]
Jack Hoops
They're all.
- [134:06]
Rocky Coyle
The girls are like, oh, it's a rat. I go, no, it's your hair. Toothpaste and hair. And I'm like. And I put it in the toilet, you know, but you know, that's part of loving on them, you know, Clean. They're going, daddy, the sink works now. I go, yeah, because there's not five pounds of hair in there, you know? Anyway, I don't know why we brought that up.
- [134:26]
Debbie Coyle
Where
- [134:28]
Jack Hoops
are you? Are you empty nesters yet again?
- [134:31]
Rocky Coyle
No. Maybe. But good thing, folks. This was really cool. Debbie and I got to come here. We haven't been on our own in 15 years. So we were here and we were in the room just going, Go to the beach. Go to this. I go, how about if we just take five minutes and sleep for a little bit, you know? But so we. If we Come. You know, Debbie and I tried to adopt two more, but Covid. And then they said we were too old on another one and we lost all. We tried to get two more, but when it's done, when they're gone, we'll be empty nesters again. We'll see. You know, we'll give it another shot. But it was. We'll see.
- [135:13]
Jack Hoops
Isn't it exciting to see what your children, both adopted and biological, will do with their children in the future with the example your dad gave you and now you and Debbie having given to them? I mean, that's just thrilling to think. Of course, life has its dynamics, and it's going to have its ups and downs. That's going to happen. But the foundation is strong.
- [135:37]
Rocky Coyle
Yes. And that's what, you know, for all of you. One of the reasons I think God brought Debbie and I here. You guys have been so loving. Most people need to be more transparent when you guys have loved on us. A lot of you don't know that, but we felt so welcome here and so many have maybe come in here tonight and maybe you're hurting your marriages or, you know, school or taking stands for Jesus. Through all of it, I didn't know what I was doing all the time. I didn't understand it, but I knew. I knew that Jesus was the king. King of kings. Whatever you're facing, whatever you're going through, God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly. Above all that you could ever ask or hope or dream about. He's a God that does that. And when you follow him, what we got to see was people say, well, you did such Debbie. And I got to like, you saw that picture. It's Savita walking up the steps at Liberty. I cried the whole way home because when I brought her home, she was so malnourished she couldn't walk to the mailbox. And now she's walking up the steps at Liberty University and graduating. When you see that, you want to go like this to God.
- [136:42]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [136:43]
Rocky Coyle
Thank you, Lord. Cuz I know. I know who did it. And even me coming here, I prayed. I go, God, I'm tired.
- [136:52]
Jack Hoops
I'm.
- [136:53]
Rocky Coyle
I sat outside the bench where I do my hitting, where you guys saw in the video. And I said. I told pastor this when we were eating. I said, lord, I'm really tired. If you could open up the doors for me to share the story of what Debbie and I did. We're part of. I don't know how to do the Internet. I don't know how to do all That I barely get home at night. Next thing I know, they call me when I'm driving down the street. And I had watched Pastor before, and I loved him because he took stands for everything I believe. And I'm like, yeah, I like that guy. He reminds me of me, you know? And I said, I love that guy. And the guy then Matt's like, yeah, I'm from, you know, Chino. I said, calvary.
- [137:28]
Jack Hoops
What?
- [137:28]
Rocky Coyle
Who's this? It was like three days after I prayed that they invite me out here to share this stuff. And I'm like, wow. But I just. I just want to love on you guys to tell you how precious you are in God's sight, everybody. And if you're in pain, if you're going through hurt, God, there's hope. Just keep hanging in there, man. My dad used to always say when. Just keep answering the bell when that bell rings. He was a boxer. He goes, just get up in the name of Jesus and. And keep following him. Keep being faithful. Trust him and dream big, big dreams. You young people, God has a destiny for you. Something incredible. And you're not too old. We were in our 50s, and we able to see the power of God work like we never believed. And it's God that does it. He's the one that's glorified. He's the one that's lifted up. He's the one that caused it all to happen. And I could tell you stories till tomorrow, you know, tell them about how great God is, how he provided the money. Real quick, Pastor. This one was the first adoption. I had taken some money and I had set it aside and even tell Debbie I had saved enough money and I had saved almost $10,000 on just money in a sock. Don't go into my house and rob. There's no more socks filled with it. So. But I put it in there. I didn't even know how much it was. And our first bill came for our adoption. First kid. And, you know, you're a youth minister. You know, you make the big bucks at youth work. But. But anyway, so I had saved this money doing hitting lessons, you know, and the first bill came, and it was 10,000. And I had it. And I go, lord, perfect. And my air conditioner went out in my house. The guy said It'd be about 10,000. I go out in the backyard and I got to pay on Monday, this adoption bill. And I go outside to God. I go, lord, it's your idea about this adoption. It's summertime. I got no air conditioning. And the guy said, your unit's shot. And I got this money. And I said, so this air conditioning guy comes up, an older guy, and he goes, I hear you're adopting. And he goes, yeah. He goes, I gave my life to Jesus about three weeks ago. This amazing Christian walk. I go, yeah. He goes, that's pretty cool what you're doing. He goes, yeah, your unit's shot. And I go, is there any way over the weekend you could at least try to fix it a little bit to get it through the summer? He goes, I'll try. I went away to do a baseball camp that weekend or up in town. And I get back and there's all these Hispanic guys in my yard fixing the. You know, the unit and the brothers. And I'm like, hey. I go, where'd all these guys. I got a whole team of brothers here, you know, and they're. And they. And there's a brand new unit on my.
- [140:11]
Jack Hoops
My house.
- [140:12]
Rocky Coyle
And I said, that guy didn't understand what I said, oh, no.
- [140:16]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [140:16]
Rocky Coyle
I said, now I'm gonna have to pay him the 10 grand. And it's a brand new big unit, you know? And I'm like, oh, no. And I'm like, well, I go up to the guy, and the guy goes, let me tell you something. He said, before I knew Jesus, I wouldn't do free visits with my own mom. He goes, I was cheap guy all about me. He goes, and I was going to charge you, too. He said, I went to bed last night and I couldn't sleep. And I'm somebody that falls asleep right away. And God spoke to my heart and said, you know that unit you took off, that was brand new, that the guy didn't want? He goes, I want you to give it to the coils, and I don't want you to charge them.
- [140:53]
Jack Hoops
Yeah.
- [140:53]
Rocky Coyle
He put a brand new unit on my house. I couldn't run to pay that 10,000 for that adoption fast enough. And my unit on our house right now. Now, people go, people don't put brand new units on your house. I go, well, talk to my. My king about it. But there's many more stories like that. That's just one.
- [141:15]
Jack Hoops
The willingness to be radical. We've lost that. And I personally believe that it's directly in correlation to the faith that once made this nation great. America took risks. It was impossible for us, for example, to take the yoke off of our neck of the British Empire. The things that were being imposed upon our freedoms and our liberties, which you may or may not Realize that in the Revolutionary period, the most prosperous land that England owned in. In the world was the thirteen Colonies. Did you know that? Did you know that the 13 colonies funded the entire global British campaign of the Empire? Thirteen Colonies. Did you know why New Jersey is called the Garden State? Do you know who named it the Garden State?
- [142:14]
Rocky Coyle
When
- [142:16]
Jack Hoops
General Howe and Burgoyne, when they were. They had just conquered Manhattan, they had just taken Fort Washington, they had captured Fort Lee, and they were going to go through New Jersey to destroy the United or to destroy the colonies by capturing the Jersey area and then heading over to. Ultimately the stop was Philadelphia. And it was the British that went to New Jersey. And they're the ones who called it the Garden State. It was technically the Garden of Eden State. That's what they called it. They said, this is none other than the Garden of Eden. Why do I say all that? Because even the British recognized everything in America was better. Their homes were better than homes in England. There were officers in the British military, career officers, who did not live as good as the average American farmer. Did you know that we had our own handmade furniture? They had no such thing. They said that you could walk out of a house, any house, you could milk a cow, you could pull up potatoes and you could pull apples off of a tree. And if that wasn't enough, you can walk down to the shore. This is hard to believe. You could walk down to the shore and you could grab lobster that would just be on the shore. Why do I say that? Because everything about America is focused around people taking risk in faith. Our Pilgrim fathers took a risk in faith when they came here. God blessed. And our Founding Fathers lived off of those blessings. Our Founding Fathers and those in the Revolutionary War purchased our freedoms for us. And then shortly after that, the Industrial Revolution hit. And in some ways it was horrible. America was catapulted to the front of the global line. Became immediately envy of the world. The United, the thirteen colonies were now the United States. They were producing more millionaires than any other geographical spot on the planet. You know what happened? We forgot God. By the 1920s, we forgot God. We haven't been back there since. It's the young generation of Those who are 50 and under. When's the last time you determined, I'm going to serve the Lord, I'm going to take a risk. Let me tell you something. Back me up a moment. If I'm wrong, tell me. If I'm on it, say so. Every situation in my life, from the beginning of meeting Jesus, that's Worth anything. My stomach was sick. I was nervous. I had diarrhea. My nerves were shot. Because what God. What I thought God was asking me to do, I didn't know if it was God or Satan. I couldn't figure it out. As a young Christian, I didn't know. And it's almost like I'm going to close my eyes and take a step and hope that God's in this. I am asking you men, especially young men, will you please absolutely become angry and diametrically opposed to ease and comfort. Because if you can learn how to embrace that which is uncomfortable, nobody can stop you. You understand that there's people who panic because their soup's not hot enough,
- [146:19]
Rocky Coyle
and
- [146:19]
Jack Hoops
it's so embarrassing for the human race. We can handle a lot more challenges than that. But I'd love to see young men actually terrify themselves by asking another young woman on campus out for a cup of coffee. Did you know that we have young women on campus here telling Lisa and I, will you tell the young men to at least ask us out for a cup of coffee? You know, young men won't do that anymore because they're too afraid of rejection. Have you noticed that Islam and lunatics like the guy that was at the White House yesterday. Have you noticed how crazy belief systems never apologize for asking their people to be radical? Never apologize. In fact, they encourage it. And people get in line to go be a radical. I'm going to submit to you that. That's easy to do because the flesh feeds it. You want to be a radical? Determine tonight that you're going to start loving people like Jesus, want to be radical? Step out of your comfort zone, stop living within your own means, and let God take you to the edge. Guess what? Lisa and I, look, we're older now. God's blessed us in many ways, from stock market when I was 18 years old to. To books. God's been good to us. Guess what? We don't need it. We've never needed it because we learned at the young age of 21 and 19 when we got married, we literally know how to live. There's something called Hamburger Helper, and I'm not joking. You know, hot dogs cut up in beans?
- [148:19]
Rocky Coyle
Oh, yeah,
- [148:21]
Jack Hoops
we love it. We listen. We can live like that. Just the other night, some sweet people took us out just to bless us. And they took us to this place in Beverly Hills where I think the salad was like, 95 bucks. No, I'm not joking. And Lisa cooks better, but we ate it and it was nice. Don't get me wrong, we've learned how to be abased and we've learned how to abound. But what I want some of you guys to know is you can actually live off of drinking water and eating pork and beans and paying your bills and tithing to tithing to the Lord's work. And then over decades, 47 years of marriage, we look back, and it's like we can do anything. We can eat salad with vinegar on it. That's all. What do we have? We have salt, pepper. We have lettuce and olive oil. All right, let's make that work. You know how fun that is? It's called taking a risk. And you can really have a blast. God might be speaking to you tonight. Maybe it is adoption. Maybe God's calling. Some of you, you should. You should do this. And you think, I don't know. What if it's something else? Just about done with a book that's going to be coming out soon. And the book is. The book is titled Manhunt. What Every Man Needs to Be and what Every Woman Wants In a Man. And in one of those chapters, there's a young man that I know
- [150:13]
Debbie Coyle
who
- [150:15]
Jack Hoops
grew up with this beautiful young girl in the Lord. We shared the same schools. Everybody could see this happening for decades. Just a matter of time. But as he got in his mid-20s, he proposed. She said, yes. And then he said, well, okay, we need to save up some money, though. We need to just save up some money. Saved up some money, but that's never enough. If you're not going to take a risk, it's never enough money to save. And then he said, we have to get a house before we get married. Really? In Orange county, first of all, in California? Okay. Have you seen the price of outhouses since the homelessness? That's like premium property now. If you're trying to buy an outhouse. So they couldn't get married because they had to have a house, saves up enough money for the appointed down payment. And then he said, in this world where we live, a million dollars is nothing. So we need. We need to save more than that, and then we'll get married. Do you know what eventually happened?
- [151:31]
Debbie Coyle
He.
- [151:32]
Jack Hoops
He wound up cutting off the. He became so consumed with trying to have it all done before they ever got started, that they never got started. And he said, you know, I just. I just got to keep working on this. And she said, I gotta go. And that woman, that young woman walked away. After growing up with this young man, with everyone telling them, you guys are Destined, man. This is so God.
- [152:00]
Rocky Coyle
You know what happened?
- [152:01]
Jack Hoops
The love of the world got inside of him. He didn't. He didn't trust God. Everything that's great in life starts with a risk. Stop playing it easy. Stop playing it safe. Just stop not trusting God. Get out of the boat. That's a good word. Who said that? Legis said that. Read the book. Yeah, get out of the boat. What a great thing that is, huh? What a great thing. The disciples think they're going to die. Huge storm in the middle of the night. And Jesus says. Jesus comes walking by. It says, he would have. He came walking by as if to keep going. He was going to keep going. That's amazing. And they're all crying and screaming. And Peter. Peter said, lord, if that's you, this is powerful. I think that's brilliant of Peter. If it's Lord, if it's you, notice, if it's you, tell me to come to you. Okay, that's cool. Number one, if that's smart. But this is what he knows. I know Jesus. This is Peter. I know Jesus. Jesus is the only one who I know is crazy enough to test our faith. So that if I say, jesus, if it's you, tell me to step out of the boat. Because only Jesus would say, step. And as soon as Peter heard Jesus say, come on, he knew it was the Lord and he stepped. Peter walked on water, folks. It wasn't until he got his eyes off of Jesus that he sank. But isn't it awesome? I'm going to talk to him about that when I see him. What was that like? Think about it. He took a huge risk. Yeah, but you know what I said? If it's you, tell me to step. Because he's the only one who would say, yes, step into the impossible. God's not going to say, hey, this is me. Brush your teeth. That's not a sign. But if God says, do this and you're terrified, yeah, that's probably God.
- [154:36]
Rocky Coyle
Yeah. John 8:12. Jesus says, I am the light of the world. Who follows me will not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. That's the verse that I've always learned that when you follow Jesus, when you give your life to him, his light, it brings life. And that's the most powerful thing that I see, that wherever you go, when you follow Christ, it's the most exciting thing you'll ever experience. It might be hard, it might be difficult. It sure it is. You know, you follow him. He said, take up your cross and follow me. It's not. You know, I heard a preacher one time, an old video guy was preaching at Berkeley, Cal Berkeley, and it was during the Jesus revolution. I can't remember which minister it was, but he was yelling, you know, all around him, the people were yelling, give us Barabbas. Give us Barabbas. And he was trying to share the gospel. And he yelled out to all the young students, and this is 60s lingo, but he said, let me tell you something, folks, that groovy Jesus trip never did exist. It's going to cost you everything to follow him. And I remember in the locker rooms, the mocking and the laughing and people making fun. You follow Christ, man. There's a cost to it, but there is a power and there is an excitement about what. You see what God does. Watch what Jesus will do. Watch what he'll do. You follow him with all your heart and you'll see the power of God. That's what that light, the light that he talks about goes into darkness, and darkness flees. When you walk into a room, the enemy flees because of the power of God, the light that's in you through Jesus Christ. And that's what's powerful in locker rooms, in classrooms, and wherever you go, you take the light of Jesus and that's where the power is.
- [156:22]
Jack Hoops
And it's clearly going on in professional sports, at least in America. I don't know anything about the UK or South America, but you look in the NFL, the amount of genuine Christian display of players praying and boldly talking about Jesus and this basketball player who actually, there's more than one basketball player, but people are speaking out boldly about the Lord. And I remember in the days of a guy by the name of Tim, Tim Tebow, who took a knee, you know, he started the whole thing. You know, what's that guy's name? Something Pumpernickel Capern. Kaepernick. Kaepernickel. What's his name?
- [157:12]
Rocky Coyle
Kaepernick.
- [157:13]
Jack Hoops
Kaepernick. Oh, that's easy. Colin Kaepernick. Remember, he took a knee. Did you know that Tim Tebow took a knee along before he did? He just tried to steal it. Tim Tebow took a knee for Jesus and people got all upset about it. And Kaepernick takes a knee for whatever he took a knee for. It wasn't very impactful because I forgot what it's about. But. But notice you will. You will stand or make a statement or take a knee for something. And what we want to encourage you to do is you stand way taller after you take A knee with Jesus. And for Jesus, there's just something about him. Never. Pastor Chuck always taught us, you can't out serve God, you can't out give God. He'll never. I love this. He. He'll never become indebted to you. Isn't that a good word? Jesus will never become indebted to you. Like, oh my goodness, did you see how much they did for me this weekend? I've got to bless them somehow. No, no, no. Before we wrap this up, I want to ask you, and I hope I'm the first one publicly asking this question because it's kind of fun to hear you answer this. Each of these girls by name, where will they be according to your estimation, 10, 15 years from right now?
- [158:46]
Rocky Coyle
Well, the first one we got, Leah, she's already been on two mission trips. She wants to be a. She wants to work with the sexually broken and delivering babies. Babies in the, you know, on the mission field to the sexually, you know, the sexually abused people. But those are girls that are pregnant and sexual abuse. Yes. Probably, you know, probably has a lot to do with that. But. So I see her doing great things on the mission field full time. I see that. And she's already started that. Savita. I think Savita could be a senator.
- [159:20]
Jack Hoops
Wait, why would, why would you.
- [159:22]
Rocky Coyle
Or something like that. She's either a great something. Something big. She's.
- [159:28]
Jack Hoops
I mean she's the one that loves apologetics.
- [159:30]
Rocky Coyle
Yes. Or working with. She's as good as any of those guys that are out there right now. But she really loves to save babies lives, she loves children and she really wants a husband who loves Jesus, but that's another story. But you know, if you know any good looking guys out there who love
- [159:47]
Jack Hoops
Jesus, you got to go through, you got to. To go through the rock.
- [159:51]
Rocky Coyle
That's right. You better know how to fight cuz I'll beat your kneecaps up in a hurry unless you're short like me. And the. Our prayer for. And then Chi Chi, she's already an esthetician. She loves to work with, you know, even with her hands, she loves to do, you know, face. She does that right now. But I look at her, she's had dreams of maybe doing stuff with Leah, but I don't know. We'll see about that. But I see great things. She's a good, she would be a great businesswoman somewhere. And I see that my other two have a little bit more special things about them, you know, as far as their. How smart they are in certain areas. But Abigail Loves animals. So I see her one day working, if we hope that she maybe get in a ministry or something somewhere where she could work with people or possibly at a ranch or something like that, because she loves animals. Real sweet girl. And. But she has some. Some limitations as far as in her mind. So that's. That's a challenge. And then Allison, the last one we got, she works at an. With a Christian lady that does hair. And she is the sweetest, kindest, little little girl, or she's not. She's a young woman, but she washes the hair of elderly. Can you imagine her so sweet talking to them? They just love her. And she washes their hair and ministers to them. And, you know, those are the two that Debbie and I are the most concerned because we, We. We want to make sure they're taken care of because sometimes they're both very naive and someone can come along and the enemy could just, you know, I so worry about them if we get too old not around, because they're so sweet and trusting that, you know, I pray that they'll be in situations that, you know, that they'll be able to. Be able to handle that be in a safe area. But. But all of them are going to do great things. And Debbie, my wife, has homeschooled them all English as a second Language. And she's prepared them for so long to be successful. They're going to do great things. And, you know, a lot of you ladies that have come tonight, a lot of times you're behind the scenes and you're doing things that nobody sits there and applauds. But. But, man, God in heaven is applauding what you're doing when you're sacrificing and giving. And my wife did that with all of our girls, the paperwork, the counseling, this trauma, all the things. So Debbie could even give you more of an insight on that. But I see all of them doing great things, and I'm hoping that. And that that's what I see. Most importantly, they're going to stand before a holy God one day and he's going to say, welcome, good and faithful servants. And that's the most important thing.
- [162:43]
Jack Hoops
We're just super grateful to have you and Debbie here, and thank you for picking up our invitation to come. And we hope that this is the beginning of. Of a relationship, friendship. Yes, we'd love to see. I think it'd be great for whatever we can do. It's only natural for me to connect Savita with Frank Turek. If I can text them, get Them on the same text, she would go.
- [163:13]
Rocky Coyle
She goes, are you going to talk to Jack Hoops? And I go, yeah, I already talked to him, man. He's just a normal guy. Get him to sign an autograph. And. And, you know, I said, I will, man. He's just a guy, man. He's no special. Come on.
- [163:25]
Jack Hoops
Very true.
- [163:27]
Rocky Coyle
I knew Jose Canseco and Mark McGuire, too. So, you know, But. But that, you know. Thank you, Pastor. You know, I want to say this before I go, because you guys don't know this. It's very seldom that you find a man of God who's a leader with the integrity of this guy. And I've been around. I know you know that. And I'm not saying he didn't know I was gonna say this. Give me that. Give me that money later. No, I'm just kidding.
- [163:56]
Debbie Coyle
But.
- [163:57]
Rocky Coyle
But the reason that I connected to him was totally not thinking that I was gonna be able to. God opened that door. But many years ago, when I was playing professional baseball, I had a general man. A guy was a general manager, and he was lost, and he didn't know Jesus. And for so long I prayed for this guy. And I get choked up talking about this, but he was in New York and he was crying out, and he saw his show, his. One of his preaching, and he called the church from New York, and somehow his secretaries got him on the phone because my friend was suicidal. And he took two hours with him on the phone and he led him to Christ. And, you know, for me, who. I was praying for this guy to come to Jesus, and I said, who's this guy, man? That he. Most guys wouldn't do that, that are at big shots, you know? You know what I mean? But he loved on my friend. And my friend's life was saved because of. Because of him loving him. So all I did was call the church and I said, hey, don't. I just want to leave a message. Please give a message to your pastor that I want to thank you for changing the life of my friend. And most time people don't. Thank you. Don't say thanks, but I just want to say thanks. And they got my name, then they looked me up, and then we ended up here. But I'm just thankful to see in these days we live in a man of God who's standing for truth.
- [165:31]
Jack Hoops
By the way, we'll do that together.
- [165:35]
Rocky Coyle
Thank you.
- [165:38]
Jack Hoops
It's amazing. In a moment, we're going to invite you to meet Jesus. But we were talking earlier about just the radical Life, it is living for Christ. And so not only is this an amazing moment, being with Rocky and you guys, but, you know, you want to see. You know, you've seen those movies or magazines or books that say, the day in the life of the President, the day in the life of whatever. And I was thinking this morning, knowing that we'd get to here tonight, the day in the life of being a Christian, and so we get to watch and see what God does with people. And we don't have the time and we don't have the capability. I say capability because I don't have the memory space right now to bring to your mind the great things God has done in all kinds of ways. But I was talking about family earlier. We were talking about how just one family in this church, for example, born and raised in this church, the kids. The kids were little kids here. Same family produces a decorated U.S. marine Corps captain and quite accomplished individual. Same family produces a commander in the U.S. navy. That man went on to become a graduate in the John Glenn astronaut program, getting all excited. U.S. navy test pilot, getting all excited about going to space. And that young man who grew up at this church, who's an Eagle Scout here, gets a phone call from
- [167:59]
Debbie Coyle
the
- [168:00]
Jack Hoops
Department of War and says, you need to report in. You need to do this. You need to do this and do the other thing, because the president needs a new pilot, and you're going to be the pilot for the president. These are kids that grew up here. Then their baby sister, tenacious student, she'll confess. She said, I'm not a good student. I just don't stop until I get the answer. Homeschooled here, went to Liberty University, got her law degree, went off to Regent University, postgraduate degree, scooped up by the Department of Justice, became a prosecutor. And just this week, I was brought on board President Trump's legal team at the Department of Justice. This is one family, But that's that family. Amazing. So yesterday. It's been a difficult week to get study time in for things that had to happen. And so I'm cramming. Got up early yesterday morning. I'm studying for today, and I don't look at my phone. I don't care if the Pope's calling. I'm not going to answer it. I'm not going to answer it. So then my home phone ringing, and then I hear Lisa, she picks it up. Well, I'll tell them. That's what I heard. Well, I'll tell them. So Lisa said, you need to. You need to call this. I'M not going to say the person's name. You need to call this individual. It's urgent. And so, so I call and, and I just said, hello, I'm really busy right now. I'm studying. Well, I'm really busy, too. I've been trying to get ahold of you. So Tulsi Gabbard, she just resigned because her husband, you know, needs her help. Very, very ill. And so the phone call came to me. Who am I? And, well, Mark Wayne Mullen, the Secretary for Homeland Security. So it turns out he watches our shows, he watches our program, watches our services, and watches our podcast. And so again, at this moment, I can't name names, but I had a podcast with someone recently, somebody that you guys would recognize, and they said, you know this person, right? And I go, yeah, well, we need to talk to them immediately. All right. I'm thinking this is a weird call. Why would the Department of Homeland Security be calling me to talk to this person? And, well, it was because of the podcast. And with Tulsi Gabbard now stepping down, Trump said, Trump. You cannot figure Trump. Don't tell me he's born again. He's not born again, I'm telling you right now. But he is one weird duck. And so Trump says, I want a born again Christian female woman at the helm to be Director of National Intelligence. And so who are you going to call? They called Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills, because one of our podcasts, Mark Wayne, took it to Trump and said, you need to watch this podcast. Trump watched it and said, I want that person now. This all happened. This happened yesterday in two hours time. And I went right back to studying. You want to know why? In my pajamas. You want to know why? It's being a Christian. It's just being a Christian. You sit there and I get it. You sit there. Oh, wow. Oh, that's crazy. That's not crazy. That's normal. Because you know what? God is radical. And to God, radical is normal. And if the Christian church gets to the level, if we crawl out of our hole and get to normal, you know, normal is the first century church. That's just normal. That's not even exceptional. We need to get the normal. But make yourself open to what God wants to do. Why don't you? Let's just pray right now, okay? Let's just pray. In fact, you know what, Rocky? You pray regarding them being used, and then I'll. I'll pray for anyone who wants to make a decision.
- [173:03]
Rocky Coyle
Let's pray. Lord, we just are so Thankful that your presence is here with us tonight, God, I pray for every person that can hear my voice right now. I pray that yout would encourage them and strengthen them and ignite a fire in them, Lord. They would burn with like, with the oil of the spirit, God, just their lives would. You would place things on their heart, give them opportunities, encourage them in every area of their life. I thank you for each and every one of them. They are special. Each person here is fearfully and wonderfully made by the hand of God. And that's precious. You are precious in the sight of God. So be encouraged today to not grow weary in doing well, to keep fighting the good fight to go forward in the name of Jesus. For marriages, for young people who are. Who are trying to make decisions or relationships, jobs, whatever it is, God, there's nothing too difficult for you, God, you are all powerful. So encourage them when they leave here, God, that they would not be the same, that you would transform them in different areas of their life to challenge them no matter what age they are, God, that they are here for such a time as this, that we're called in this time in our, in our world. Love on them and encourage that. In the name of Jesus, Lord, I pray over each person here and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be loved by these, by this place. Continue to bless it, God, and protect them from evil that tries to come. We pray that hedge around this place, God, that God, the name of Jesus would continue just like the billboard to resonate in this community and across the world. In the name of Jesus, Lord, I pray.
- [175:04]
Jack Hoops
Yes, Lord. And I ask of you, Father, that there'd be inventory taken tonight by each and every one of us that are here. And Lord, that there might be those that are here right now and they have all evening been ruling themselves out of possibilities. They just don't see themselves being used by you. They don't even see themselves loved by you. And I pray, Lord, that this evening there would be a whole lot of people that would determine right now to let you love them. That they would give you permission, Lord, to love them. That they might know. That they might know what is the reality. Your love is the reality, but they've never let you in. I pray that that would change in their lives tonight. There are those maybe here that they believe that they're too broken, there's too many scars, there's too many marks. And so they have removed themselves from your grace. So they think. And Lord, I pray that you'd communicate to them that the One who is forgiven much is the one that loves much. And then there are people here tonight that have been taken advantage of in how Satan has jumped upon their psyche to blame them for their abuse. A dirty trick by a mean enemy. I pray that you'd break the chains that are in their thought life, God, that you'd set them free. I pray for men and women who are hooked on pornography. A demonic portal into the world of spiritual bondage that destroys the soul. And I pray, Lord God, now in Jesus name that they would hate it and that they would love you more now than self life God, that they would stand free. Lord, we pray tonight for those who are hearing what was shared tonight by Rocky and for them have buckets and trainloads of regret and remorse because as it were, the summer has passed, the harvest has ended, Jeremiah said, and we're not saved. That tonight, Lord God, that there would be men and women in this place now, elderly, profoundly grieved by how they didn't do it right. Lord, I pray that you'd manifest your reconciliation power in their life. It can take one phone call with one last breath to say one final time, I was sorry and I ask you to forgive me. That can change the trajectory of a son or a daughter forever. And then, Father, I pray for those who have never said yes to Jesus. Right now, While your heads are bowed and your eyes are closed. And right now you're not sure that if you were to die tonight that you'd go to heaven. You don't understand that. You don't even see how that's possible. And yet the Bible is written and it says that these things have been written that you might know that you have eternal life. Why would Rocky and I enjoy that beautiful gift of God and you not? That wouldn't be right. The only thing that keeps you from enjoying that gift of God's salvation is you. And I'm wondering if tonight you're willing to believe that Jesus Christ, according to the Bible did die on the cross. He did rise from the dead, from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible is about him.
- [179:49]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [179:52]
Jack Hoops
And that in his death his word tells us that he paid our sin debt. All the wrong that we've done against him, against God, the law, all of it was all paid in Jesus. He went there for you so you wouldn't have to go there. He took your judgment, he took hell upon himself so you wouldn't have to go there. And he's inviting you to come into his family. I find it fantastic and wonderful that the book of Romans tells us that we've been adopted by God. Will you allow yourself to be adopted tonight?
- [180:33]
Rocky Coyle
Yes.
- [180:33]
Jack Hoops
Will you pray? Lord Jesus, forgive me of my sins and come into my life and wash me clean. I want to start my life all over again. I want to be a new person. I don't. I don't appreciate. I don't even like who I am. I want to be the person that you made me to be. I don't want to be the person this world has made me to be. I don't want to be the person that others have made me to be. I don't want to even want to be the person I've made me to be. Yes, I'm asking you, Lord God, to make me the person you've made me to be. And I want to take my first risk with you, Jesus. I'm going to step out and want to receive you and I want to be filled with your Holy Spirit. I want to have a new life. Friend, if that's you right now, tonight, you can just tell God that in your own words and you can say Amen at the end. But faithful is he who has called you. If he's put that on your heart tonight, it's because he's been calling you to do that. Lord, we pray that you'd bless Rocky and Debbie and the entire clan and all of their doings. The education, the work, the hobbies. And Father, we pray that as they've been a mom and a dad to these kids, I pray that the two of them would be the catalyst for a whole lot of other people in America, if not the world, to be moms and dads too. That from these two would come many more. Through us, through us all in Jesus name and all God's people said Amen. I almost fell asleep doing that. It's been a long day. You guys. Give it up for Rocky. And this is awesome. God bless you guys. Have a great.