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- [00:00]
Joni Lamb
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
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Variety Podcast Promoter
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- [01:57]
Joni Lamb
The only constant in Hollywood is change.
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- [03:30]
Joni Lamb
Well, you know, we chase after health, wealth and pleasure, believing that all of those things are going to make us happy and whole, but they can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. Today's guest shares how he found true happiness in a life of spiritual surrender. But before we get to that, join me around the table is April. It kind of sounds cliche, but it is true that we all have a deep will that only one person can feel. That's exactly right. And we try to fill it with all this other stuff. It just doesn't make the happy. We've got to surrender. You wrote a book on it. I did, yeah. That's an old book. Yeah, I've written another one since then, but yeah, for sure. And Dorothy, you know, God does want us to be happy. Absolutely. But we're not happy apart from him. No. Are we? No. With him, there's guarantee. I am a living testament to his greatness and his fullness of just being full of joy. And, you know, I've had all the wealth and I, you know, don't have as much now, but I will not replace it for anything in this world. I've never heard you say that. I know. I've just had all that wealth. I don't have quite as much now. I still have some, but not all that that I had before.
- [04:47]
Jackson Longmire
Gotta keep it real.
- [04:48]
Joni Lamb
You know what, Jill? Me.
- [04:49]
Jackson Longmire
You gotta keep it real.
- [04:50]
April Simons
I think that's important because so many people think that happiness and joy come with all these things.
- [04:55]
Joni Lamb
Yeah. Welcome, Rachel, to the table.
- [04:57]
April Simons
Thank you. But the reality is those are not the things that bring us joy.
- [05:02]
Joni Lamb
No. No, they're not.
- [05:04]
April Simons
Because they're all temporary.
- [05:05]
Joni Lamb
They are temporary and they're fleeting. But it doesn't mean we can't be happy. True. You know, Fred, our counselor, used to tell us to say, you know, Kendra, happiness is just an emotion and a moment. That's true. But joy, joy, that's sustainable. And joy is with you through everything. That's your strength. And so I do think that we need to have these moments of happy. We have to laugh and all that because laughter is good. Like a medicine. Yeah.
- [05:29]
WashablesOfAs.com Advertiser
And like.
- [05:30]
Joni Lamb
And laughter is contagious. Right. We were talking. Cindy and I were talking about it earlier. I've always loved to hear Kendra laugh. She's got the greatest laugh. So good. Yeah. But we do, we want to latch onto joy because that is sustaining. Because Cindy Murdoch, the joy of the Lord is our strength. It is. And I was thinking about the Bible tells us if what we desire is riches and stuff, moth rust, thieves can steal it and it can be gone and we've invested our life into it. And then where does your joy go? Your happiness? So yeah, our happiness and contentment has to be in the Lord God Almighty. Yeah, there you go. It sounds like a song. Well, today's guest is the lead pastor of Sheridan Church. Please welcome Jackson Longmire to the table. Come on in. Jackson. I like that name. How are you doing?
- [06:25]
Jackson Longmire
Oh, I'm doing great. How are you all doing? I fell outnumbered.
- [06:29]
Joni Lamb
You are, you are as a shell called that.
- [06:31]
Jackson Longmire
Yeah.
- [06:33]
Joni Lamb
You're still pretty safe here at the table though, I think. Well, you know, Jackson Lohmire spent his teens chasing the wind, seeking counterfeit happiness at the cost of true joy. And he's here today to reveal why real happiness isn't found in a life of self indulgence, but in holiness. You've written the book Chasing after the why Nobody is catching what Everybody is chasing. Let's go back and tell a little bit of your story because you know, there may be someone watching today that you can kind of relate to what we're talking about. I mean I've interviewed people for many, many years and some of the most successful people, some of the most famous people and they all say the same thing, that they had wealth, they had fame, they had fortune, but none of that could feel the God shaped vacuum in their soul. And that's scriptural, right?
- [07:23]
Jackson Longmire
Yeah, that was me. You know, I was a teenager and grew up in a Christian house and so I knew right from wrong. Knew right. But my God at that time was basketball and girls. That was just kind of the two. And. Yeah. And so became a dad at 17 and totally changed my life. You know, I was a junior in high school when I found out and all my friends, you know, they were great counselors. They said you life is over, you know, and you need to force her to have an abortion. You know. And so.
- [07:56]
Joni Lamb
But she decided to have the baby we had.
- [07:58]
Jackson Longmire
Yes. And now she's 15, which is amazing.
- [08:01]
April Simons
What was your parents response to that?
- [08:02]
Jackson Longmire
Well, my parents were actually very good in it. My dad just said, well now you gotta man up. And you know, I was a junior going into my senior year and so. But at that point I was.
- [08:13]
Joni Lamb
That's the scary thing. I mean, for a high school junior boy to think about.
- [08:19]
Jackson Longmire
And everyone's telling me, your life's done, you know? And it was going into the summer. It was the end of my junior year. I was watching tv, and it was local, and a preacher that you probably know, Billy Joe Doherty, popped up on the screen. And he's in Tulsa. And no idea what he said, but something sparked a little bit of hope in me. And so I lived about 45 minutes away from Tulsa at that time. I would drive every Sunday night because I didn't want to wake up early. So I'd drive a high school kid, you know, I'd drive every Sunday night to go listen to him preach. And over the course of that summer, I reached that place where I gave my life to Christ. And all of a sudden, I came to the realization my life wasn't over, but it had just begun. And I became a baby Christian and started serving the Lord. Went to Oral Roberts University, started in business, because at oru, they said, you know, if you get a ministry degree, you kind of have three options. You can preach, you can teach, or you can learn to say, do you want fries with that? And I was like, I want to be a business major. You know, that's what I want to do. But God had other plans.
- [09:26]
Joni Lamb
Well, you know, I was just sitting here thinking about the fact that some of you watching right now that you can find yourself in difficult circumstances that may be of your own doing, and the world will tell you, okay, you're done, that you made a mistake. You can't. God never says that. Right? Right. He never says. He said, no, you know, we're going to learn from this that you've gone through. You're going to do the right thing. You're going to support this baby that's going to be born. You're going to go to school, you're going to finish. But I've got a plan for your life. How important is it for people to understand that God always has a plan? Even when we mess up the first plan, he always has a plan.
- [10:10]
Jackson Longmire
C and C. God knows what he's doing. Right. And we have a tendency to mess it up. I did, but God used it. God used it because it forced me to grow up very quickly and.
- [10:22]
Joni Lamb
Well, you pressed in, though.
- [10:23]
Jackson Longmire
Yes.
- [10:23]
Joni Lamb
Like, you pressed in in a way that you would not have had you not gone through that.
- [10:27]
Jackson Longmire
No, not at all. I would have been a basketball guy. I was going to play college basketball. That was my thing. And so instead, at oru, and get Called into the ministry and growing up, and it prepared me to be a young pastor. I had to grow up as a teenager, and then it kind of prepared me for what was next.
- [10:46]
April Simons
Okay, talk about that journey of God calling you into ministry, because here you are going for business. When did that shift take place and how did you know?
- [10:54]
Joni Lamb
And at some point, you got married. You actually went through a divorce. And it was like, people don't. They don't want to tell all parts of their story, and yet everyone needs to hear all parts of our story. We don't leave out those parts of the story in the Bible, like the difficult parts.
- [11:11]
Jackson Longmire
Oh, it was rough.
- [11:13]
Joni Lamb
So talk about that. Because your girlfriend had the baby, but y' all didn't get married until a little bit later.
- [11:19]
Jackson Longmire
So how that worked was, I'm a new Christian, and I'm like, we got to do the right thing. We got to get married. My parents, her parents, my grandparents, her grandparents said, don't, don't. You're forcing something.
- [11:33]
Joni Lamb
They just said, wait.
- [11:34]
Jackson Longmire
They said, wait. But, you know, a little stubborn and a. Know it all at that time, and, you know, forced it through and got married. And it didn't work. And they were right, I was wrong. And that was very difficult because especially in Christian circles, you know, it's like, well, well, then you have a big ex.
- [11:50]
Joni Lamb
Like, I don't know how you can be in ministry after this.
- [11:53]
Jackson Longmire
How's God going to use me? And, you know, it's really funny. I used to, when I was younger, I'd be so embarrassed when someone asked me, how old are your kids? Because I'm remarried. I have five kids now, but our two oldest are both 15. So people say, how old are your kids? And say, 15. And they'd say, you got two. Oh, you have twins? And say, uh, not really. Or a blended family. And I always used to be so embarrassed of that, but then I came to realize as a pastor, it's one of my greatest ways to relate with so many people in my church because they have blended families. And if God can use me, a product of teen pregnancy, divorce. I mean, I'm checking all the boxes over here. You know, God can still use you. And at oru, I'm a freshman business major and feel this tug that I'm supposed to be in ministry, but nobody in my family is in ministry, and I really don't. That's not what I want to do. I want to be in business. And I just kept feeling the Lord tug me. So one day I'm driving To class. It's a Wednesday. I have a 7am class, 7:30am class. And as I'm driving, it was like a projector went out of the car ahead of me. And I had this like open vision and it was me preaching and it was very detailed. I remember what I was wearing. I was wearing all black with white shoes. And then there were some other things, and I'm like, I'm a new Christian. I don't know what that is. And I don't want that to be God. I want that to be like me, my imagination.
- [13:19]
Joni Lamb
You didn't really like the white shoes anyway.
- [13:21]
Jackson Longmire
Yeah. You know, it's just kind of like, I don't want this. So go to class. Right. And it's a Wednesday. Then I go to a church service. That night there's an altar call for some general, like, if you want to answer God's plan for your life, come on down. Well, you know, I'm going down to that. And as I go down, this older gentleman comes up to pray for me and he starts rattling stuff off, like, I'm a student at Oral Roberts University and I'm a new Christian. And I'm like, this is. This is weird. How does he know this about me? And then he retells me my vision detail by detail. And I'm thinking, okay, this really is God. So the next day I go in and change my major from business to theology and haven't looked back.
- [14:08]
Joni Lamb
Well, that was like. For people that don't understand, that was like B.O. of the Holy Spirit, when God prophetically will speak through someone, through prophecy and show them something that they could.
- [14:20]
Jackson Longmire
It took that to get me to make that move.
- [14:23]
Joni Lamb
That really opened your eyes as to, you know, what did you say, Rach?
- [14:27]
April Simons
I was just gonna ask, like, what were you thinking when this guy who doesn't know you literally, like word for word, tells you what the Lord has already spoken to you through a dream.
- [14:37]
Jackson Longmire
I was extremely nervous because he's like looking into my eyes and I'm an insecure 18, 19 year old kid and not sure really what's going on.
- [14:49]
Joni Lamb
And where did he come from, this guy?
- [14:50]
Jackson Longmire
He was one of the altar workers. You know, I don't know who he.
- [14:54]
Joni Lamb
Was, but nobody seen him sin. So it could have been an angel.
- [14:56]
Jackson Longmire
No, he was like, what is happening? But that was. It took God. You know, God knows how to reach you.
- [15:02]
Joni Lamb
He does.
- [15:04]
Jackson Longmire
God knows how to reach you. He'll reach you right where you're at. And I needed that little nudge to make a Life changing decision. But so glad now, looking back, that I did. And so I was just thinking. You want the honest answer?
- [15:17]
Joni Lamb
Yeah.
- [15:18]
Jackson Longmire
This is really weird. Yes, that was what I'm thinking. This is really weird. But, you know, I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I knew that was God and it was an undeniable thing for me because it happened that morning. So it was enough to make a life changing decision. My wife was in Oklahoma City and we had met through friends that had basically set us up on a blind date. And I knew she was the one. She didn't know that for a little while, but, you know, how did you know? That's a great question. I just sensed she was the one. But I was so awkward on that first date.
- [15:54]
Joni Lamb
We're at this place called the Dates Were Scary.
- [15:56]
Jackson Longmire
Oh, we wanna hear the whole story. I wanna give you this story.
- [15:59]
Joni Lamb
We wanna hear the awkward story.
- [16:01]
Jackson Longmire
So we're there and, you know, we have so much to talk about. Cause we never. We don't know each other. Right.
- [16:06]
Joni Lamb
So you like the way she looked?
- [16:08]
Jackson Longmire
Absolutely. So immediately she was very concerned. She said later she was very concerned about. Wasn't sure if it was gonna be a voice she had liked. Not like, type of thing. But I knew she was the one. And it's time to just, you know, go our separate ways. Right?
- [16:26]
Joni Lamb
Yeah.
- [16:26]
Jackson Longmire
First date. And I'm thinking, you know, don't mess this up. Don't mess this up. So it's the question, how do you dismiss from one another in the parking lot? Do you do a full front hug? Do you do a side hug?
- [16:42]
Joni Lamb
Yeah. Church hug.
- [16:43]
Jackson Longmire
Not me. I'm so nervous.
- [16:44]
Joni Lamb
Or a kiss. Proper side hug.
- [16:46]
Jackson Longmire
I stretch out my hand to shake her hand.
- [16:51]
April Simons
Did I shake her hand?
- [16:53]
Jackson Longmire
I did, I did. And then I get. I'm like, oh, my. She's never gonna talk to me again. You know, I was just like so nervous not to mess this up, you know, and she thought it was really weird. And she told her sister, like, he shook my hand. And then, let's see, you know, I proposed to her at Rhema. Y' all ever heard of Rhema's Christmas lights?
- [17:17]
Joni Lamb
Of course.
- [17:17]
Jackson Longmire
That's when I proposed to her. And it was because she's not from Tulsa. She'd never been to Rhema.
- [17:21]
Joni Lamb
So how long?
- [17:22]
Jackson Longmire
Yeah, that was like nine months.
- [17:24]
Joni Lamb
Oh, nine months. Okay. That's good.
- [17:26]
Jackson Longmire
So, yeah, it was a great. Like I said, I'm just glad she said yes.
- [17:30]
Joni Lamb
So now you've got two more kids.
- [17:33]
Jackson Longmire
Five kids. Yeah.
- [17:34]
Joni Lamb
All Together then?
- [17:35]
Jackson Longmire
Yep. Five all together. Two from her, one from me. That's three. Two more.
- [17:41]
April Simons
What did she think about being in ministry, being a pastor's wife?
- [17:47]
Jackson Longmire
Her response was, this is not what I thought it would be like. She didn't grow up in a ministry family, but she's very behind the scenes. So she, like, runs the church much better than I would.
- [18:00]
Joni Lamb
So she's got administrative gifts?
- [18:01]
Jackson Longmire
Very much so. My wife is very practical. I'm the big vision, dreamer guy.
- [18:07]
Joni Lamb
We all work good together.
- [18:10]
Jackson Longmire
The only time we fight is when she doesn't listen to my wisdom in a minute.
- [18:14]
Joni Lamb
Or you don't listen to her. I have a question, because I'm from a pastor's family and was a pastor. How do you keep your kids just liking life, loving life, being a pastor, and how have you trained them? And this is for any pastor watching, you know, just to kind of run with being a pastor's kid in the family and still loving God, still walking with God. Do you have any secrets?
- [18:39]
Jackson Longmire
Well, I don't know if I have any secrets because the verdict is still out on my kids, but I think they're going to do well. Our thought was neither of us from ministry families, but we've heard all the horror stories of PKs. Right. And so what we didn't want to do was make church like a miserable experience for them. Meaning there may be services that we don't make them go to the Times, because I, you know, we live there. We live at all the different events, but we didn't want to make it to where they were miserable going. And so we've tried our best for.
- [19:15]
Joni Lamb
Every event that the church has that they have to be there, but for the ones that they need to be.
- [19:19]
Jackson Longmire
There, the ones that they need to be there, like Sunday morning, Wednesday night, you. But whenever we're doing special events, if they want to go, they go. Like whenever we have Tim Tebow, my boys are going to want to go. They're going to be there. But other events, when we're having somebody else, they may be like, I don't want to go. And so we don't try to force that. And that's kind of been our. Much more my wife than me. If it was up to me, they'd be at everything. But she's got balance.
- [19:46]
Joni Lamb
Yeah. I believe nothing, absolutely nothing is wasted. That everything we experience in life, if you're a believer, is part of the journey. You know, it's part of the lessons learned. What would you say your biggest lesson learned thus far?
- [20:02]
Jackson Longmire
Thus Far that oftentimes rejection in life is just God's direction differently.
- [20:12]
April Simons
Redirection.
- [20:13]
Jackson Longmire
It's a redirection because or that with God, failure is never a final thing. You fail, you mess up. And God has this unique way of taking your mess ups and really turning into like a great message that he can use later on down the road. And so for me, just learning that if something doesn't work out, it's not the end of the world. That God, God really does know what he's doing and that I can trust him in that.
- [20:41]
April Simons
So you've been through a lot, a lot of life, through all your experiences, how have you found that you can catch the wind?
- [20:51]
Jackson Longmire
Well, I'd been chasing the wind and never was able to catch it. And you know, because I kind of lived by, well, if I just had this, then I'd be happy type of thing. Just, just have kids.
- [21:03]
Joni Lamb
It never works.
- [21:04]
Jackson Longmire
It never works. You get it. And like I said, the best example is kids. You know, kids will make me happy and they are your praise report. Then they also become your prayer request at the exact same time. And so, or like in ministry, if I just have, you know, 100 more people, things like that, you just get this girl. Yeah.
- [21:25]
Joni Lamb
You just get this guy. We just buy this house. Yeah.
- [21:29]
Jackson Longmire
And so for me, that was my entire chasing the wind and realized my wife would point it out to me. You just can't chill like you're never content. You accomplish whatever it was. And so that was the journey. And then going to the Bible. What does the Bible say about it?
- [21:46]
Joni Lamb
I'm going to talk about the difference between joy and happiness when we come back. So stay right where you are. We'll be back after this. Some books deserve to be held, cherished, remembered. This book is more than that. It's a place to meet God. Every verse invites you to slow down, to listen. Along with a journal that offers a quiet space for your prayers, your questions, your journey, for moments of stillness, for words that matter. Order your Bible and journal bundle now. All right. Chasing after the wind. We're talking with Pastor Jackson Almayer. And I think it's really important for those watching today to understand that you can have peace and you can have joy. I think one of the most beautiful things about having a relationship with God is that even in the midst of craziness that can be going on, he gives you a peace and a joy that passes all understanding. It makes no sense at all. How do we do that? And for those who are watching, I wonder if you Just take a moment, look in the camera, and just share the message of the gospel with somebody who doesn't know Jesus.
- [23:01]
Jackson Longmire
Yeah, well, you know, it's an interesting thing because we're all chasing to fill a hole in our heart. It's there. And some people, entertainment, they try to use to fill that hole. Other people, they try alcohol or other people, it'll be relationships or just whatever it is. We all have different things that we think will bring us joy and happiness. And at the end of the day, none of it turns out to be sustainable. And so we're always chasing, but we never actually catch it. And the only way that you can have real joy, real peace that the world cannot give, but also that the world cannot take away is through a relationship with Christ. And Jesus is the Prince of peace. And so when he's in your life, there's peace, there is joy in the presence of the Lord. So when God's presence is in your life, you have joy. And the good news is all of us were born broken. You say that's not. That's bad news. But the good news is he who was completely whole, God himself became like us and was broken. So those of us who are broken can in return be made whole. That's the journey we're all on is this journey towards wholeness. And the gospel is very, very simple. God loves us so much that he gave his only son so that we could have life eternally, but also we can have life abundantly. And that's the good news of the gospel. And if you give your life to Jesus Christ, I promise you, you'll experience real joy that doesn't leave based on circumstances, you'll have a real peace. Even when people would say you shouldn't have any peace at all because it transcends everything that you might be going through or that you have experienced. So today is the day of salvation, to give your life to Jesus Christ. And if you'd like to do that, it's very simple. The Bible says that if you believe in your heart and if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, there's a promise you will be saved. And so, Joni, would you like for me to lead us in that?
- [25:04]
Joni Lamb
We will pray after you. So lead us.
- [25:06]
Jackson Longmire
Yes. And so if you would like to make that decision, I'd love to lead you in prayer. And you can just say after me, just say, father God, thank you for your goodness.
- [25:17]
Joni Lamb
Thank you for your goodness and your.
- [25:18]
Jackson Longmire
Mercy and your grace. I know I was born a sinner, broken, but I also know Jesus is a savior. And I declare Jesus is Lord in my life. Fill me with your spirit. Fill me with your spirit and seal me until the day of your return.
- [25:40]
Joni Lamb
Until the day of your return.
- [25:41]
Jackson Longmire
In Jesus name.
- [25:42]
Joni Lamb
In Jesus name.
- [25:43]
Jackson Longmire
Amen.
- [25:44]
Joni Lamb
Amen.
- [25:44]
Jackson Longmire
Amen.
- [25:45]
Joni Lamb
It's just that simple.
- [25:47]
Jackson Longmire
Simple like.
- [25:47]
Joni Lamb
It's just that simple. People don't realize how simple the gospel is and how Jesus made it so simple. As you were talking about, he was broken, he was bruised, you know, when he died on that cross, his body was broken because he came to this earth and lived a sinless life. He became the supreme sacrifice that would join our hand with the hand of God and through what he did at Calvary. And what a beautiful thing. There's no other religion that gives the free gift of eternal life. You don't have to work for it. I mean, it's free, right?
- [26:23]
Jackson Longmire
Totally free. Paid for.
- [26:24]
Joni Lamb
Yeah. Yeah. How different were you when you actually did that surrender? Did you really find the joy you were looking for?
- [26:31]
Jackson Longmire
Yeah, because, you know, before that moment, I was a hopeless teenager with everyone in my ear telling me my life was over. And in that moment, hope came. And, you know, hope is so important because hope is to the soul like what oxygen is to the lungs. You have to have hope to continue forward. And God gave me hope that my life wasn't over because I was born again if I was just.
- [26:59]
Joni Lamb
Hope deferred. Makes the heart sick. Makes the heart sick. Yes. And I think. I think hopefully really is a great key to happiness as well, because when you keep that hope alive, you're able to have joy, you're able to have happiness. And I wanted to mention, because of your book in there, you have a guide to happiness, the ultimate guide. Ultimate, Ultimate. Tell us the ultimate guide to happiness.
- [27:24]
Jackson Longmire
Oh, well, there's a lot more to it. But forgiveness is key. Forgiveness is key because when you forgive somebody who has wronged you and hurt you, you are behaving and you are acting like God, because that's what God does. God forgives us and he commands us to forgive. And so when you start acting Christlike, you'll start experiencing some of Christ's attributes, which is joy. And unforgiveness is a guaranteed way to be miserable and bitter.
- [27:55]
Joni Lamb
It's like cancer. It's like cancer of your spirit.
- [27:58]
Jackson Longmire
Absolutely.
- [27:58]
Joni Lamb
It's like. Like death to your bones. I mean, it's like that's what unforgiveness will do. Well, you talk about listening to God's voice. That's one of the Important things people say, well, how do I listen to God's voice? Well, just get still for a moment. I mean, those of you that prayed that prayer invited Jesus in. It's good to get in a church.
- [28:18]
Jackson Longmire
Absolutely.
- [28:19]
Joni Lamb
To find a Bible that you can read and understand. But just the Bible says, be still and know that I am God. You know, it takes time to develop that sense of hearing. But over time, he wants to talk to us.
- [28:31]
Jackson Longmire
Well, you know, God's not lost his voice. And prayer. I think we have this mindset that prayer is like a monologue. We talk, God listens. Prayer should be more like a dialogue, you know, like God speaks as well.
- [28:43]
Joni Lamb
Yeah. We're in relationship with him and so just having a conversation with him because he wants that so desperately from us. Yep. Surrounding ourselves with the right relationships, that community is that important. Don't you think that's important for people, Believers especially?
- [29:00]
Jackson Longmire
We are relational beings. We're creating the image of a relational being.
- [29:03]
Joni Lamb
Stay home and watch church.
- [29:04]
Jackson Longmire
Oh, I know. That was the worst part.
- [29:07]
Joni Lamb
There are still people that are doing there, like, oh, we just won't go anymore. We'll stay home and watch.
- [29:11]
Jackson Longmire
It gets easier. It's more convenient. But they don't realize Christians are like charcoals. You put charcoals together, you ignite one, they ignite the others. If you separate the coals, they cool off. Because if we're in close proximity, my fire will light your fire and your fire will light mine. But you, if. If you separate us, we'll cool off. And so community getting plugged into a good Bible church.
- [29:33]
Joni Lamb
Right. I appreciate that so much, and I appreciate you talking about this subject, and I know that it's helped so many of you that are watching, and I just pray that it's been a blessing to you. We are out of time then. Went by pretty fast, right? Yeah, it went fast. Why don't you remember that you were designed to experience deep, lasting, unshakeable joy. And all you have to do is just ask the Holy Spirit to direct your path. And guess what? He's going to lead you into a life of true happiness and profound purpose. If you're watching today and you need prayer, that's why the prayer line number is on the screen. If you prayed that prayer with Pastor Lohmire, then call and let us know that you prayed that prayer. I'd love to send you the Gospel of John. We'll send that to you absolutely free. And we also, if you don't have a Bible, we could send you a Bible. I think we had a commercial that shared. We have very reasonable price for a great bible, even a little journal that you can write and God can show you what he's speaking to your heart as you read through the Word of God. I mean but you're on a journey and it's exciting to see what God's going to do with your life in the days ahead. Well, I do want to thank you Jackson for joining us today. Be sure to pick up a copy of his book Chasing after the Wind. For more, you can visit him online@jacksonlawmeyer.com and as always, make sure to follow us on all social media. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for full episodes and exclusive content. Let us know how Table Talk is touching your life. We love hearing from all of you. Of course you can also listen to the Joni Table Talk podcast available now on all the major platforms. But I want to thank you ladies for being here. You thank thank you Jackson for being here and excited about the days ahead, what God's going to do at the church and beyond. And who knows, we may have more little lawmires coming. We don't know. We don't know. But hey, we'll see you next time. Bye bye. For today.
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Joni Lamb
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- [35:01]
Joni Lamb
So what does revival awakening look like and are we seeing the first sparks of it? Well, today's guest believes we are. He's here to share what God is doing, what's still ahead. But before we get to that, join me around the table is April Simons. I hear those two words, revival and awakening. They're both good. They are both a little different. But we are seeing signs of both those things. You know what? We need it in America today. And I'm excited about it. I'm excited about what's to come. So often we focus on everything that's going wrong, but God has a better and brighter idea. And so I just believe there's going to be a turnaround and a candle that'll preach it. Certainly will. How are you doing? I'm doing great. And I love the fact that we are talking about revival. And even those who are in the kingdom, we need to be revived again. Revive us again. Get everybody excited. Well, you know, Rachel, Anna's right in that revival means that you have been somewhere before and maybe God is taking you back. Maybe you had once known the Lord. Maybe you've strayed Away, Maybe your heart's grown cold. And he wants to revive that. That's important.
- [36:06]
April Simons
Yeah, it's a reigniting of your love and devotion and adoration towards the Lord. And so it's really cool to see these bold leaders of the gospel that are helping steward this in the hearts of people. And we see these movements that are rising up all across the country of people just turning their hearts back to God, and it's really incredible.
- [36:24]
Joni Lamb
I love that. Dorothy Newton. I think, you know, I've said this. I think we have a window of time, really, to share the gospel, the good news, to encourage people like April's talking about and just ignite a fire that if all of us, you know, like that song Cindy and I sang, each one reach one, if we would reach out to that person in our life, we could see revival. Can you imagine what that looks like? If every person, even if we just one person, change their lives, allow God to use us to change their lives and accept salvation, what that would be like? It's just, you know, I remember some time ago, you guys did a show revival, and I'll never forget it. I mean, I was so fired up. I was like, everywhere I went, no matter who it was, I went there, right there at Starbucks Ministry. Yes. And that's what it's all about. It's like, you know, even in our hearts, you know, showing others what that light looks like. That's good. That's good. Cindy Murdoch, welcome to the table. Thank you. And, you know, sheep produce sheep? Yes, they do. Like the shepherds are to teach, you know, the flock. But I mean, it's really the sheep that go out and compel them to come in. It is. And even this morning, while I was putting on my makeup and I was just saying, God, stir. Continually stir in David and I, the burden for the lost. And, you know, we do a song with the singers. Send me to the nation Send me to my neighbors Send me with your love and sometimes we live in a neighborhood, and we don't even know who our neighbors are. We don't even know if they're saved or lost. So we've got a call on our lives. It's important. It's important. Really. It is important. And it's important that you stay right there because we want to encourage you today. Well, our guest today is the lead pastor of Redemption to the Nation's Church and the founder of the Ruach Global Network. Please welcome Bishop Kevin Wallace. Come on in, my brother. Here he comes right here. You can sing that song. Come to the table.
- [38:35]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I'll let you sing. That's good.
- [38:37]
Joni Lamb
How are you doing?
- [38:38]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I'm amazing. I'm better now that I'm with you all.
- [38:42]
Joni Lamb
So I'm glad you're here.
- [38:43]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I'm honored to be here.
- [38:44]
Joni Lamb
Well, you've got six kids and you have three girls, so you should be comfortable.
- [38:48]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I am.
- [38:49]
Joni Lamb
And a wife. Yes.
- [38:51]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
There are multiple sisters in that house. And then my wifey. So you.
- [38:56]
Joni Lamb
That's good. That's good. Well, from awakening across America to miraculous adoptions, Bishop Kevin Wallace is seeing God move in powerful ways today. He's here to share these stories, what he believes is coming next. One of the things earlier we were talking about is that it just kind of had that compelling word that some of you watching today. You know, you may be believing God for something. And, like, maybe you've talked to the Lord about it, maybe you've had a secret prayer, maybe you've told your husband, your wife or friend or family member, but you really haven't shared it openly. But there's just some things you really need God to do in your life. We're going to believe with you today for that as well. You started out, what, knowing Jesus at the grand age of what?
- [39:43]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Oh, I think I've known about Jesus my whole life. I told Dr. Doug, I said, I've been. I'm 45. I have been in church 46 years. Nine months before I was born, I was drugged to church.
- [39:59]
Joni Lamb
You hear Jesus in the womb, so.
- [40:01]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I was hearing about him in the womb. And so I believe I remember giving my heart to the lord at about 8, 8 years old.
- [40:10]
Joni Lamb
And you can't deny those childhood, like salvation calls because, I mean, I was. Believe it or not, the Lord had to get me early. He KNEW I was 6 years old. And I remember it so clearly. And of course, my walk, you know, would continue. I would mature in the things of God at an older age. But I can remember just having a knowledge that there was a God who loved me and would forgive me. And so from there. When did you actually feel the call into ministry?
- [40:42]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
15 years old. So I was at a. From a very small church. My church was maybe 60, 70 people growing up, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. But I went to a youth conference when I was 15 of about 10,000 kids.
- [40:54]
Jackson Longmire
Oh, wow.
- [40:55]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Winter festival.
- [40:56]
Joni Lamb
Those youth camps, those are good for kids.
- [41:00]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Winterfest in Gatlinburg. And I'm on the back row, and I had an encounter with God when I was 15. The university campus choir was singing Lead me, Lord, and I will follow.
- [41:11]
Joni Lamb
You're on the back row.
- [41:12]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I was on the back row. And literally, Joni crawled to the altar. The power of God sat on the place, and I just wept in the altar and surrendered everything to God. Said, whatever you want to do with my life. Went to Lee University, found my wife.
- [41:25]
Joni Lamb
Hey, Rachel's. Hey. Hey.
- [41:28]
April Simons
I went there, and my dad went there.
- [41:31]
Joni Lamb
Yeah. So surrender. That's, like. Because there's a lot of people who pray the prayer Dorothy of salvation. They say, God, forgive me, prepares him for eternal life. That's the most important prayer you can ever pray. But that surrender prayer is, like, in this lifetime. Hey, God, what you want me to do?
- [41:48]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
That's what makes you dangerous.
- [41:49]
Joni Lamb
It makes you dangerous because you connect to the one who created you 100%.
- [41:53]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I say the first, the most important, important day of your life is the day you get born again. The second most important day of your life is the day you figure out why. When you discover your purpose, it makes you really dangerous when you live with that kind of focus and you don't.
- [42:08]
Joni Lamb
Even know what your purpose is a lot of times, I mean, saying surrendering, April doesn't mean that God's going to show you right away what it. Because sometimes it's so much bigger than what you can imagine. Right? Yes. It's still a trick. And there's a quote that says, God can do so much more with your surrender than he can ever do with your control. That one will come home.
- [42:29]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
That's powerful.
- [42:29]
Joni Lamb
That's so true. That's true. And a quote. When I wrote my first book, Surrender all, the quote that the Holy Spirit gave me, it said. He said, write this, Joanie. It was early one morning, and he said, did you know that your lack of surrender, your lack of surrender will have a profound impact on those who are destined to be connected to your purpose?
- [42:54]
Jackson Longmire
Wow.
- [42:55]
Joni Lamb
So you can really mess things up in that puddle. You know, as it. The ripple effect, if you will. Yes. Like, there are ripples that are missed when you don't surrender your heart to the Lord.
- [43:06]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
What a thought.
- [43:07]
Joni Lamb
Okay, so you did the surrender thing, but you had no idea you were going to, what, be a pastor?
- [43:12]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
No. No clue. And met your wife. Met my wife.
- [43:16]
Joni Lamb
Fell in love.
- [43:16]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Fell in love. For me, it was love at first sight. For her, it was about 8, 8th sight, 9th sight, 10th site. But it was there.
- [43:25]
Joni Lamb
You pursued her?
- [43:26]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I scared her to death. I never talked to her. And I wrote her a letter on Valentine's, gave it to her while we Were at Lee and said, God told me we were gonna get married.
- [43:34]
Jackson Longmire
No, I did.
- [43:36]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
She thought I was a terrorist or something. I mean, she was mortified. Yeah. She thought I was a stalker. So I would just conveniently show up to class, you know, where she was at class, and just be, hey, you know, how are you? She's like, get that guy away from me.
- [43:50]
Joni Lamb
And your name's Rya, Like Kevin and Devin.
- [43:53]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
So you ready for this? Kevin and Devin is a match made in heaven. And on a scale of 1 to 10, she's an 11.
- [44:00]
Joni Lamb
Did you put that in the letter?
- [44:01]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
No, no, that came to me in prayer one day. I was in deep meditation before the Lord.
- [44:07]
Joni Lamb
Okay, so when did she finally. That eighth or when I gave up.
- [44:11]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I actually gave up and let Jesus take over and surrender. Actually, I did. I said, maybe I missed this. And I just said, I'm going to release you. Like I ever had her bound. I'm going to release you to go do whatever you want in life. And then that's where we fell in love. And honestly, this is a wild story.
- [44:28]
Joni Lamb
Wait, there's like, you're just leaving out a whole bunch of.
- [44:30]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I am not ready.
- [44:31]
Joni Lamb
We got to hear the fell in love thing.
- [44:33]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Her Methodist grandfather, okay, he invited me over to dinner one night. We were apart. We were not even really friends. It had gotten difficult, and I had moved on and was trying to let her move on. And her Methodist grandfather, who had no clue. I had no clue. The man was baptized in the holy spir.
- [44:49]
Joni Lamb
Oh, wow.
- [44:50]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
We sat down over chicken and potatoes. Her sweet Methodist grandmother had made this amazing meal.
- [44:55]
Joni Lamb
How did you get with him, anyway?
- [44:56]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Because we were preaching. I was a preacher, and he loved me, and I had a great affinity for him. He was a powerful man of God. But I had no clue.
- [45:04]
Joni Lamb
We were just having fellowship here. We're just having fellowships thinking about her.
- [45:06]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
We're not even thinking about Mary.
- [45:08]
Joni Lamb
But she could cook, right?
- [45:09]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
The grandma, she could cook. And that has a way into my heart. And so we're sitting at a table, and he says, let's grab hands. So it's me and her grandfather and her grandmother and Devin sitting across the table, and we grab hands and he starts praying in the spirit.
- [45:24]
Joni Lamb
Oh, my.
- [45:24]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Well, I thought the man got baptized in the Holy Ghost right there at the dinner table. I had no clue what was going on.
- [45:28]
Joni Lamb
Just as he was holding your hand.
- [45:29]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Just as he was holding my hand. And he interpreted the tongues.
- [45:33]
Joni Lamb
Oh, wow.
- [45:33]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
At the dinner table. And he said, tonight, I, the Lord, am removing a Cloud of hindrance over this relationship for I purpose for you two to come together.
- [45:42]
Joni Lamb
Oh, wow.
- [45:44]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And I'm sitting there, Grandpa.
- [45:47]
Joni Lamb
Yeah, she was.
- [45:48]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Oh. She was sitting right across from me. And I'm over here, and I'm like, this is the most bizarre thing that's ever happened in my life, I guess. And from that night forward, I went to her church, her home church, preached a revival, and we fell in love. And that was in April. And in September, on my birthday, we got married.
- [46:05]
Joni Lamb
Well, my goodness. Well, I just want to tell you, Grandpa's prayer is better than your letter.
- [46:09]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Grandpa's in heaven today. Grandpa's in heaven today but his prophecy still lives on.
- [46:14]
Joni Lamb
Well, y' all immediately started after you graduated to pastor Var.
- [46:20]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
We did.
- [46:20]
Joni Lamb
And you're very in your 20s.
- [46:23]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
22 years old, when I became the senior pastor of the Mountain Meadows Church of God.
- [46:27]
Joni Lamb
The Mountain Meadows Church. Now, that in and of itself, can you imagine, at 22, pastoring the church.
- [46:34]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
34 people on my first Sunday. I successfully grew it from 34 to 28 by the next Sunday. And we had no clue what God had in mind when he started that. Joni. It's just. It was remarkable. In the first six months, Devin got spinal meningitis. My two sons, Isaiah was newborn, and my son Jeremiah, who was one year old. Jeremiah had kidney stones in his first six months, my first six months as a pastor, they found kidney stones in Jeremiah's kidney. Isaiah got spinal meningitis. Devin got spinal meningitis. I almost had a nervous breakdown. I thought I was going to lose my mind.
- [47:13]
Joni Lamb
You think you might get out of the ministry at that point?
- [47:16]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I told the Lord, I didn't sign up for this.
- [47:18]
Joni Lamb
Wow.
- [47:19]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And I went to church on a Sunday night, having visited my wife in the hospital with spinal meningitis, walked down the hallway to visit my son with spinal meningitis.
- [47:28]
Joni Lamb
Oh, my goodness.
- [47:29]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And I told the Lord in that hallway, I got a message. I preached that I got in that hallway called hell in the hallway. And I told the Lord in that hallway, I didn't sign up for this. My family's suffering. And it was a Sunday night. I went to church with 20 people there that night. And Alma Kelly, an old, sweet saint who's in heaven today, but she had the voice of, like, a bulldozer, a big alto voice. I was getting ready to stand up and preach. She come to me and she said, pastor, I have a song on my heart. I said, by all means, Mama Kelly, sing the song. And she started singing, the blood will never Lose its power.
- [48:04]
Joni Lamb
Oh, my goodness.
- [48:05]
Jackson Longmire
Wow.
- [48:05]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And there were 20 people in that room that night. But it felt like a host of angels rushed into that place. And that night, I believe that night is when it happened. It took two days for them to get out of the hospital. But God healed my son of spinal meningitis. He healed my wife. And an atheist doctor from Vanderbilt, she looked at my son's kidneys and says, I don't know how to explain this. In this picture we took several weeks ago, there are seven kidney stones in your son's kidney. But in this picture I just took, this was a couple of weeks later. We can't find where a kidney stone ever exists.
- [48:37]
Joni Lamb
Oh, wow. The blood will never lose.
- [48:40]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And the into one of the first waves of revival. I call it a wave. It was a wave of revival where just blessing and miracles broke out. And I give him all the praise for that.
- [48:50]
Joni Lamb
So she was an atheist.
- [48:51]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
The doctor from Vanderbilt was an atheist. And today I don't know if she's born again, but I know she saw something she didn't know how to explain.
- [48:59]
Joni Lamb
Well, that's what you call a miracle.
- [49:01]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
You call that a miracle.
- [49:02]
Joni Lamb
So the church began to grow. You said you kind of felt like you were hidden out.
- [49:07]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
You know, I felt like John the Baptist. The Bible said God hid him until it was his time.
- [49:11]
Joni Lamb
Yes, yes.
- [49:12]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And so we were just on the backside. I call it the armpit of childhood.
- [49:16]
Joni Lamb
But you stayed with it like that was your city.
- [49:19]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
We did. We did. I don't think you. I think it's illegal to claim a harvest that you haven't sown into the field of, you know, and that takes years. I admire them and I pray for these guys that bounce all over the place. There's nothing wrong with that. But if you're going to have an impact and a harvest, you got to fight some giants and see God give you victory and sow some seeds. And, you know, I was reading it on the plane on my way here today, Paul says to the Church of Galatia, if you don't faint, you will reap in due season.
- [49:51]
Joni Lamb
I love that.
- [49:52]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And I'm not going to faint by the grace of God. And you haven't fainted. And that's why we're here today.
- [49:57]
Joni Lamb
That's right. Well, this is a 40 year journey here you're seeing right here. But, you know, I feel like we're supposed to stop right now. I'm going to. I want to get to kind of some miracles that happened beyond all this because now you're what? Seven, eight churches around the world and campuses, and God's doing amazing things. But as we were talking about healing, there's some of you that need healing right now. And the Lord wants to touch you. Would you just pray as you feel led, Bishop, as you stretch your hand and just pray?
- [50:26]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
So, Father, we just thank you for every person that is tuned in right now and wherever they are and whatever season in life they have found themselves in. I just declare, Lord, whether they know it or not, you're up to something good in their life. And I thank you, Lord. Like Bishop Mason said, Lord, one day he said that I see you in your future and you look better in your future than you do right now. And Lord, we just declare over every person sick in their mind or in their body that they're coming into a grace of healing right now. Lord, your power is present to heal, not just to feel it. We thank you for what we feel, but healing is available. And now by faith, we thank you for healing those that are watching and that their lives are going to be made whole by the power of God in Jesus precious name. Amen.
- [51:14]
Joni Lamb
Everybody said amen. Amen. We got to hear this great story. Here you are, you get married, the church is growing, you have four amazing kids.
- [51:22]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Amazing kids.
- [51:23]
Joni Lamb
And then, and then, surprise, surprise, surprise.
- [51:27]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
45 says, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise. I am on my way home, so I'm in my 40s, I'm 45, so that would have been 41. I'm 41 at this time and I'm on my way home from a preaching interview.
- [51:40]
Joni Lamb
You're just a baby, Kevin.
- [51:41]
Jackson Longmire
You're just a baby.
- [51:41]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Okay, yeah, well, I didn't feel so babyish back then, but this. I'm landing in the plane and I get a message from Dev, my wife. And she's left me a voice message, which is rare. And in the voice message I can hear the quivering in her voice. And she said, kevin, I don't know how to tell you this, but I was just Talking to a 14 year old girl whose grandmother called me to intervene in an unexpected pregnancy. And while I'm sitting there talking to this young lady, the spirit of God speaks to me and says, devin, she's carrying your child. So I thought, no, she's not. Okay, maybe she is. But it's a spiritual child and we'll send her to college, we'll do some.
- [52:24]
Joni Lamb
And the phone's about to break up.
- [52:25]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Yes, yes.
- [52:26]
Joni Lamb
Are you there? Are you?
- [52:28]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
I literally look at the pilot, I say, take me back up in the Air I landed and this is the craziest thing I've ever heard. So I called her, I said, talk to me, what's going on? And she said, I'm just telling you. The Lord moved.
- [52:40]
Joni Lamb
And she doesn't say things like that. No, she's not cavalier about things.
- [52:44]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
No, no, no, no. Devin is very, very hesitant to say. The Lord said, But Devin is also very. I am convinced that when she would come with something like that, that she's heard the Lord and there was a trepidation and a fear of the Lord in her voice and it was real. And I'm like, this is the busiest season of our life. We planted campuses. I have two teenagers, we're getting cars, my son's getting married. What in the name of Mary is going on? This cannot be that. We're having an adoption here. And I meet the 14 year old girl with devil and the 14 year old young lady looks at us and she said, I've checked your family out and I've seen all that you guys are up to and if you will take my baby, I will have her. Now, her mother and her father had both suggested she have an abortion. And the grandmother who was born again said, no, I got to take you to this preacher's wife and get connected.
- [53:41]
Joni Lamb
Because Devin would work with Devin.
- [53:43]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Still to this day, rescuing babies does two things. Rescues women in human trafficking and works to connect pregnant pregnant mothers who are either in an unwanted or unexpected pregnancy with adoptive families and to give them.
- [53:56]
Joni Lamb
The help and support they need 100% on the journey.
- [53:59]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
100%.
- [54:00]
Joni Lamb
That's amazing.
- [54:01]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And we've done that and she's done that so well and faithfully over the years and it's just remarkable. And so I meet this girl with Dev and the girl tells us that and it's one of those things where you're sitting at a table with like five or six ladies and you're like, you can't say no. Like you just can't say no. You're the only guy in the group and you're like, I gotta do what my wife is feeling. And so this young lady looks at me and says, I'll have this child if you take it. And I look at Deb and I'm like, what can I do? I love you know. And so we said, we will. Long story short, this precious young 14 year old girl courageously has this child. That 14 year old girl has a mother.
- [54:46]
Joni Lamb
Wait, before you start.
- [54:47]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Okay, I'll stop.
- [54:48]
Joni Lamb
No, you gotta tell about. We have a picture of the Girl. And this is what he says about this little precious one. What do you say?
- [54:56]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
She's spicy and she's full of life and has me wrapped around every finger on her hand.
- [55:02]
Joni Lamb
Her name is.
- [55:03]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Her name is Genesis Amaya Wallace.
- [55:07]
Joni Lamb
Yes.
- [55:07]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And she is.
- [55:08]
Joni Lamb
She's beautiful.
- [55:09]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
She is gorgeous and she's brilliant. She's four. She's tall. They told us she could be six foot tall.
- [55:15]
Joni Lamb
Wow.
- [55:15]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And she tested on like second grade level, so we're putting her in kindergarten.
- [55:19]
Joni Lamb
Oh my.
- [55:20]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And I want to say this to all young boys. I'm not afraid to have a prison ministry. If you mess with my daughters, I'll write letters from prison like Paul, if you mess with my mom.
- [55:30]
Joni Lamb
Okay, so you adopt her. And then as it would turn out, there were more surprises coming that you had no idea about.
- [55:41]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Yes. So the 14 year old girl who courageously gives birth to Genesis. That 14 year old girl has a mother, precious dear lady, who has had nine abortions.
- [55:53]
Joni Lamb
And she has kind of a rough lifestyle.
- [55:57]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
She has endured unimaginable circumstances, torture, involved in all kinds of things that I won't even go into here. But she's getting ready to have her 10th abortion. The 14 year old girl goes to her mother and says, mom, don't have the abortion if you'll have the baby. I know a preacher's family who'll take it.
- [56:20]
Joni Lamb
Hasn't even talked to the preacher.
- [56:22]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
No one even passed it by the preacher. We didn't have a consultation. And I told the young lady later, I don't need you to be my adoption agent. I got my wife, she can handle this. But the reality of it is Devin met with that precious dear lady. And we brought her in because she was involved in trafficking and drugs herself.
- [56:41]
Joni Lamb
You got her some help, a safe place.
- [56:42]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Found a safe place.
- [56:44]
Joni Lamb
You get a safe place for her. And she says she's going to have the baby.
- [56:47]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
She says, I'm going to have the baby. And she has this child on Valentine's Day.
- [56:54]
Joni Lamb
Wow. And this little guy, the day you wrote the letter?
- [56:58]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Yeah, yeah. This little guy is born on Valentine's Day. He was supposed to be the 10th aborted child this woman had had in her womb. But he lives. And Devin's the first one to hold him and I'm the second one. And what's wild is 15 years ago, before 15 years, so now almost 20. That's unbelievable. God gave Devin the name Isaac Asher. Isaac Asher. It's a name we had talked about but never named. One of our sons, our sons had already been Born. So I'm like, who is Isaac Asher? A grandchild? I mean, what are we talking about here?
- [57:32]
Joni Lamb
There he was, there he came.
- [57:35]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And Isaac and Asher both mean joy and happiness, and he is the purest expression of joy.
- [57:41]
Joni Lamb
And he's the baby.
- [57:42]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
He is the baby. 3 years old this past Valentine's Day. And I was just.
- [57:48]
Joni Lamb
And they're like, they're actually related.
- [57:50]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
But he's so. By blood, he is her uncle.
- [57:56]
Joni Lamb
Wow.
- [57:56]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
By adoption, he is her brother, so we call him Buncle.
- [58:01]
Joni Lamb
I love it.
- [58:02]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Buncle Asher.
- [58:03]
Joni Lamb
So cute.
- [58:04]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
He is the absolute sweetest child and so full of life. And, you know, the Bible says God gave Jacob some sons in his old age that brought him great joy. I know I'm not old, but 45 is not 20. And I had all of my biological children while Devin and I were in our 20s. And I was talking to the sisters before we got on. It's a different vibe altogether. Raising two toddlers in 2025. When you're 45 and you got seven churches and a network and you got all this going on, and I just find it the most fascinating, fun, and exhausting thing all simultaneously.
- [58:41]
Joni Lamb
Yes. I know we didn't get to touch very much on re, but quickly, just take a moment and just share what's on your heart. Not only is it a revival of the family, God putting families together in a way that is supernatural, but the family of God really needs revival as well.
- [58:59]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Absolutely. And I think they're tied together. Ms. Joni? I think when America values what heaven values, when our courts get in harmony more with what heaven's courts are in harmony with God releases a spirit of revival on a place. And we're in a window. You said that earlier. Someone said that earlier. I believe we're in a space and a window where grace is flowing. A reset is happening in the body of Christ. We want the authentic presence of God to touch and reinvigorate hearts. We're seeing it, and we're seeing a disinterest in Christianity that is actually dropping for the first time in 40 years. There is. We don't know if it's going up. I choose to believe it is. But here's what I do know. The disinterest has stopped. There's a leveling off of people who. I don't want to be thinking about Jesus anymore. There is this resurgence. There's a re interest in the person and work of Jesus. This man with feet like brass and eyes like fire is becoming the center of attention again. And it's changing the church and I think it's time to change the nation.
- [60:01]
Joni Lamb
Would you just take a moment? And for those that are watching right now that you maybe don't know the Lord and really it's so simple to pray this prayer and invite Jesus in. And I'm going to tell you it'll be the most important prayer you've ever prayed and it will change, change your life forever. You've been looking everywhere else, every dark corner, but this is the truth you've been looking for. And it's a simple prayer away. Would you just do that?
- [60:26]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Pastor Yes. I just want to invite you to join me in this prayer. And I want you to say, dear God in heaven, I believe that your son Jesus came and died for me.
- [60:36]
Joni Lamb
I believe that your son Jesus came and died for me.
- [60:39]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
And I believe that the price he.
- [60:41]
April Simons
Paid and I believe the price he.
- [60:43]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
Paid by giving his life is enough to cancel and forgive all my sins. So Jesus, forgive me and come into my heart and be the Lord of my life for today and the rest of my life. In Jesus name, amen.
- [61:04]
Joni Lamb
In Jesus name, amen. And I just want to say again that those of you that I just felt need to say it again. Those of you that may be watching that you've had an abortion, we don't judge you. God loves you.
- [61:17]
Bishop Kevin Wallace
He does.
- [61:17]
Joni Lamb
He understands whatever was going on. And I just want you to know that he loves you today. So don't, don't believe the lie that Christians hate you or that God hates you. That's a complete lie. And that's what some people will tell you. It's not true. We love you and God forgives and you will see that child again. If you prayed that prayer, if you've invited Jesus in, it's just that simple. Well, we are out of time. I want you to remember, revival doesn't begin in a building. It begins in hearts fully surrendered to God. And when we yield to him, his presence moves in ways we cannot even imagine. If you're watching today and you need prayer or you prayed that prayer, that's why that number's on the screen. We have amazing prayer partners that are standing by, ready to pray with you. And it's our honor, our privilege to do that. We also would love to send you the Book of John. It's the Gospel of John. It's a free gift, great place to start in the Word of God. And that's a free gift for you and just want to be a blessing to you. But I do want to thank Bishop Kevin for joining us. To find out more about his ministry, visit Kevin Wallace TV and as always, make sure to follow us on all social media. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for full episodes, exclusive content and let us know how Table Talk is touching your life Life. We love hearing from you. Of course you can also listen to the Joni Table Talk podcast available now on all the major platforms. I want to thank you so much for watching, especially those of you that prayed that prayer. I'm really excited about the days ahead. What God has for you. Remember, no matter what you've done, God loves you. Today is a new day. You can begin again today and it starts with that prayer. Jesus, I need you. He right there for you. We'll see you next time. Bye bye for today.
- [63:08]
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- [64:37]
Variety Podcast Promoter
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- [64:40]
Joni Lamb
Top of it all?
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Variety Podcast Promoter
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LG X Boom Advertiser
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Variety Podcast Promoter
Featuring the iconic journalists of Variety and hosted by co editor in Chief Cynthia Littleton.
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Joni Lamb
The only constant in Hollywood is change.
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Variety Podcast Promoter
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- [65:07]
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- [65:37]
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- [66:36]
Joni Lamb
This is an iHeart podcast.