Sheila:
ON YOUR KNEES,
YOU'VE PRESENTED
YOUR REQUEST BEFORE GOD
AND HE IS
SILENT.
YOU PRAYED FOR A HUSBAND
-- SILENT.
BEGGED FOR A CHILD
-- SILENT.
AND WHEN GOD SEEMS SILENT,
IT IS TEMPTING TO IMPROVISE,
TO DO THINGS
OUR OWN WAY.
Announcer: SHEILA WALSH
HELPS YOU MOVE FROM
THE PAIN OF DESPAIR
TO THE CONTENTMENT OF FAITH
AS YOU FACE THE STORM INSIDE.
NEXT ON LIFE TODAY!
♪
Sheila: HI! WELCOME TO
WEDNESDAYS IN THE WORD.
I'M SHEILA WALSH.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING
WITH ME HERE TODAY.
I HAVE A VERY DEAR FRIEND
WHO NEVER GOT MARRIED BUT
STILL HAD THIS OVERWHELMING
DESIRE TO BE A MOM.
SO SHE DECIDED TO GO
THROUGH EVERYTHING SHE HAD
TO DO TO ADOPT A CHILD.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE
EVER TRIED THAT BUT
IT IS A REALLY LONG
AND VERY COSTLY PROCESS.
THEN EVENTUALLY SHE WAS
CONNECTED WITH A MOM AND
GOT VERY, VERY INVOLVED
WITH THE MOM, A YOUNG GIRL
AND REALLY WALKED SIDE BY SIDE
WITH HER THE WHOLE ALMOST
NINE MONTHS OF HER PREGNANCY.
AND MY FRIEND COULDN'T WAIT
TO BRING THIS LITTLE ONE HOME.
AND LITERALLY, AT THE LAST
MOMENT THIS YOUNG GIRL
CHANGED HER MIND.
I THINK THE ONLY WORD
I CAN USE TO DESCRIBE
WHAT WAS GOING ON
IN MY FRIEND'S HEART
WAS JUST DESPAIR.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
SHE WAS ALREADY SO INVESTED
IN THE LIFE OF THIS YOUNG MOM
BUT ALSO IN THIS BABY
THAT SHE BELIEVED
WAS GOING TO BE HERS.
I THINK DESPAIR IS SOMETHING
THAT AT SOME POINT
VISITS MOST OF US.
SO I WANT TODAY TO LOOK AT
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ABLE
TO MOVE FROM DESPAIR TO FAITH?
MAYBE YOU SAY WELL, DESPAIR,
THAT'S NOT A WORD
WE USE A LOT THESE DAYS.
PERHAPS THE WORD
YOU'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH
IS DESPERATE.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A PLACE
WHERE YOU'RE DESPERATE
FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN?
IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN,
MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN PRAYING
AND ASKING GOD TO MOVE
AND IT SEEMS LIKE NOTHING
IS HAPPENING.
AND IN THOSE TIMES IT IS HARD
TO HAVE FAITH BECAUSE
YOU THINK, WELL, WHAT ELSE
AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?
I WANT US TO LOOK AT THE ROOT,
WHAT IS THE WORD DESPAIR
ACTUALLY MEAN?
WEBSTER DEFINES DESPAIR
IN THREE WAYS.
THE FIRST TWO ARE PRETTY
FAMILIAR BUT IT IS THE THIRD
DEFINITION THAT SPEAKS NOT
ONLY OF HOPELESSNESS, WHICH
IS AN ELEMENT OF DESPAIR,
BUT TAKES IT TO
AN EVEN DARKER PLACE.
THE THIRD DEFINITION
HE GIVES IS:
PERSONALLY, I CAN'T THINK
OF A DARKER PLACE TO BE
THAN THAT -- TO LOSE HOPE
IN THE MERCY OF GOD.
SO THE PERSON THAT I CHOSE
TO HELP US SEE HOW IT IS
POSSIBLE TO MOVE FROM
THAT KIND OF DARKNESS
TO A REAL LIVING FAITH,
NOT A PRETEND BUT
A REAL LIVING FAITH IS SARAH.
REMEMBER ABRAHAM AND SARAH?
WE FIRST MEET HER IN GENESIS.
BUT ACTUALLY, SHE IS ONE
OF ONLY TWO WOMEN MENTIONED
IN THE GREAT FAITH CHAPTER
IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS,
HEBREWS CHAPTER 11.
AND WE READ THAT SHE HAD FAITH
AND BELIEVED GOD.
THE REASON I CHOSE HER
IS BECAUSE HER JOURNEY
ACTUALLY BEGAN IN DESPAIR.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE
TO SARAH'S STORY THAN
THAT SHE HAD FAITH
AND BELIEVED GOD.
I LOVE THAT SHE IS REMEMBERED
THAT WAY AS ONE OF TWO WOMEN
IN THE FAMOUS HALL OF FAITH.
BUT I THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL
TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK
AT THE REST OF HER STORY
BECAUSE TRUST ME, SHE DIDN'T
GET INTO HEBREWS 11 OVERNIGHT.
IF BEING A WOMAN OF FAITH
MEANS THAT WE NEVER WAVER,
WE NEVER DOUBT, SARAH WOULDN'T
EVEN HAVE BEEN IN THE RUNNING
FOR THE TITLE.
SO LET ME REMIND YOU A FEW
THINGS FROM SARAH'S STORY.
WE LEARN A VERY IMPORTANT
DETAIL ABOUT HER LIFE
IN GENESIS CHAPTER 11.
WE READ THAT SHE IS
ABRAM'S WIFE BUT WE READ
THAT SARAH WAS UNABLE
TO BECOME PREGNANT
AND HAD NO CHILDREN.
THAT'S HOW SHE WAS DEFINED.
SHE WAS ABRAM'S WIFE
AND SHE HAD NO CHILDREN.
AS WE'VE LOOKED AT BEFORE,
THIS WAS A DISASTER FOR
A WOMAN IN THOSE TIMES.
SHE KNEW THE KIND OF DESPAIR
THAT WEBSTER DESCRIBED,
LOSS OF HOPE IN THE MERCY
OF GOD TOWARD HER.
CHILDREN WERE SEEN
AS A SIGN OF BLESSING
SO TO BE WITHOUT THEM WAS
IN EFFECT TO BE UNDER
THE CURSE OF GOD.
ON FIRST READTHROUGH
OF SARAH'S STORY, IT WOULD
BE EASY TO CONCLUDE THAT
GOD CARED MORE ABOUT ABRAHAM
THAN HE DID ABOUT HER.
IN GENESIS 17 WE READ,
WHEN GOD IS MAKING
HIS COVENANT HE SAYS
TO ABRAM:
NOW OBVIOUSLY, I'M EMPHASIZING
THERE BUT YOU NOTICE
HOW MANY TIMES GOD USES
THE WORD YOU --
NOT YOU AND SARAH --
JUST YOU.
IF YOU'RE THINKING WELL,
THAT'S NO BIG DEAL.
OBVIOUSLY GOD MEANT THEM BOTH,
AFTER ALL, SHE WAS HIS WIFE.
I WOULD SAY WELL, YEAH, TRUE.
BUT DO YOU REMEMBER THAT
AT THIS POINT IN THEIR LIVES
ABRAHAM IS 75 AND SARAH IS 65?
HOW WOULD ANY 65-YEAR OLD
WOMAN WHO IS NEVER BEEN ABLE
TO CONCEIVE IN HER LIFE
THINK THAT SHE COULD POSSIBLY
BE CONTAINED IN THAT PROMISE
TO ABRAHAM?
IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH
TO DRIVE HER TO DESPAIR,
IT IS GOING TO GET WORSE.
AS THE YEARS PASSED, ABRAHAM
WONDERED, WHAT IS GOING
TO HAPPEN TO EVERYTHING
I POSSESS?
HAVING NO HEIR, HE THINKS
IT WILL ALL PASS
TO MY CHIEF SERVANT.
BUT GOD MADE IT CLEAR TO HIM
THAT HE WOULD HAVE
HIS VERY OWN SON.
HEARING FROM ABRAHAM THAT
GOD HAS PROMISED HIM AN HEIR,
SARAH JUST BECOMES DESPERATE.
DESPAIR CAN MAKE US
DO CRAZY THINGS.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE?
YOU KNOW THAT GOD HAS PROMISED
TO PROVIDE WHAT YOU NEED
BUT HIS TIMING IS CLEARLY
NOT WORKING WITH YOURS
SO YOU TAKE THINGS
INTO YOUR OWN HANDS.
DESPAIR MAKES US RATIONALIZE.
FOR SARAH, DESPERATION MEANT
TAKING MATTERS INTO HER OWN
HANDS AND MAKING A WAY THAT
SHE COULD GIVE ABRAHAM A SON.
NOW SURROGATE MOTHERHOOD
WAS NOT UNCOMMON AND SO SARAH
TOLD ABRAHAM TO SLEEP
WITH HER SERVANT HAGAR
AND SO HE DID, AND HAGAR GAVE
BIRTH TO A BOY, ISHMAEL.
YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE STORY
IN GENESIS 16 BUT IT'S
A SITUATION THAT LEADS
FROM ONE DISASTER TO ANOTHER.
NOW OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND WHY SHE DID IT.
SHE LOVED HER HUSBAND.
THERE WAS NO WAY SHE COULD
HAVE A CHILD SO SHE WORKED OUT
HOW TO FIX THAT.
SARAH HAD IT ALL FIGURED OUT.
SHE WOULD GET ABRAHAM A SON
HER OWN WAY.
THE BOY ISHMAEL IS SEEN
AS ABRAHAM'S SON BUT
CLEARLY NOT SARAH'S.
NOW SARAH NOW AS WE MOVE ON
IS 76 YEARS OLD AND
WHAT FOLLOWS, 13 YEARS
OF SILENCE -- 13 YEARS!
DON'T YOU THINK THAT'S
THE HARDEST THING TO BEAR?
YOU DON'T HEAR FROM GOD
IN 13 YEARS?
FOR 13 YEARS SARAH HAD
TO WATCH ABRAHAM PLAY WITH
AND CARE FOR A CHILD
THAT'S NOT HER'S.
SHE'S GOT TO CONCLUDE
GOD'S FORGOTTEN ME.
SHE HAD MADE THIS HAPPEN
BUT ALL IT BROUGHT HER
WAS DESPAIR AND HEARTACHE.
I WONDER IF YOU'VE EVER
BEEN THERE.
ON YOUR KNEES YOU'VE PRESENTED
YOUR REQUEST BEFORE GOD
AND HE IS SILENT.
YOU PRAYED FOR A HUSBAND
-- SILENT.
YOU'VE BEGGED FOR A CHILD
-- SILENT.
NOW WHEN GOD SEEMS SILENT,
IT IS TEMPTING TO IMPROVISE,
TO DO THINGS OUR OWN WAY.
FOR SARAH, IT MUST HAVE SEEMED
AS IF DESPAIR IS ALL
SHE'S GOING TO KNOW
FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.
BUT GOD --
TWO OF MY FAVORITE WORDS --
BUT GOD HADN'T FORGOTTEN HER.
THIS IS WHAT GOD SAID
TO ABRAHAM IN GENESIS 17:
GOD CHANGES HER NAME
FROM SARAI, WHICH MEANS
MY PRINCESS, TO SARAH,
WHICH MEANS MOTHER OF NATIONS.
AMAZING!
BUT FOR ABRAHAM AND SARAH,
IT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS.
GENESIS 17:17 SAYS THIS:
IT WASN'T JUST ABRAHAM
THAT DOUBTED IT.
TO SARAH,
IT SOUNDED IMPOSSIBLE.
IN GENESIS 18 GOD SPOKE
TO ABRAHAM BUT SARAH WAS
LISTENING IN AS
ALL GOOD WIVES DO.
WELL, IT'S NOT MUCH
UP TO THIS POINT THAT
WOULD QUALIFY SARAH FOR
THE HALL OF FAME WALL.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT'S GREAT
ABOUT THIS?
WE SEE OUR FAILURES
AND OUR LACK OF FAITH
AND GOD SEES WHAT WE WILL
BECOME AS HIS SPIRIT
FAITHFULLY WORKS THROUGH
BROKEN PLACES OF OUR LIVES.
GOD'S TIMING IS PERFECT
FOR HIS PLANS.
IT'S JUST NOT ALWAYS PERFECT
FOR OURS.
SARAH WAS ABOUT TO SEE
THAT VERY CLEARLY.
IN GENESIS 17, WE SEE GOD
PROMISE A SON THROUGH SARAH.
AND THEN AGAIN IN 18,
THE LORD CONFIRMS,
"SARAH WILL BEAR A SON."
AND FINALLY, GENESIS 21,
AT 90 YEARS OF AGE,
SARAH GAVE BIRTH TO ISAAC.
GOD FULFILLED HIS PROMISE
JUST AS HE SAID HE WOULD.
GOD DID THE IMPOSSIBLE
AND TURNED SARAH'S LAUGHTER
OF DISBELIEF INTO A LAUGHTER
OF PURE, UNADULTERATED JOY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE
THIS FINDS YOU IN YOUR
OWN LIFE RIGHT NOW.
PERHAPS DESPAIR IS FAR MORE
PRESENT THAN FAITH.
BUT DO YOU REMEMBER HOW
THE PSALMIST DAVID USED
TO SPEAK TO HIMSELF WHEN
HE FELT THE COLD FINGERS
OF DESPAIR?
HE WOULD SAY,
JUST AS GOD HAD SARAH
IN HIS LOVING, MERCIFUL HANDS
ALL ALONE, HE HAS A GOOD
STRONG HOLD ON YOU TOO.
MAYBE YOU'VE GOTTEN AHEAD
OF GOD'S PROMISES.
MAYBE YOU'VE ACTED OUT
OF DESPERATION AND TRIED
TO FORCE GOD'S PLAN
INTO YOUR OWN TIMING.
BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU
THAT GOD IS STILL IN
THE BUSINESS OF FULFILLING
HIS PROMISES IN YOUR LIFE
REGARDLESS OF YOUR PAST.
WHEN I WAS FILMING THE DVD
FOR THE BOOK, THE STORM INSIDE
THE LAST SESSION I HAD
TO TAPE WAS THIS ONE,
"MOVING FROM DESPAIR
TO FAITH."
AND GOD TAUGHT ME A POWERFUL
LESSON THAT DAY.
I HAD BEEN TO MY DOCTOR
MAYBE A MONTH BEFORE BECAUSE
I HAD A KIDNEY STONE
AND THEY HAD TAKEN
AN X-RAY IN THE E.R.
I SHOWED IT TO MY DOCTOR
AND SHE SAID, "IT LOOKS LIKE
THE STONE HAS PASSED BUT
I DON'T LIKE THE LOOK OF THIS.
WHAT IS THIS?"
I SAID, "I HAVE NO IDEA."
SHE SAID, "SHEILA, WHY DIDN'T
YOU BRING THIS TO ME
THE MINUTE YOU GOT IT?"
I SAID, "HONESTLY,
I JUST GOT BUSY."
SHE SAID, "WELL, THIS IS
SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT RIGHT NOW."
SO I HAD SOME MORE TESTS,
MORE SCANS AND SHE SAID,
"YEAH, WE NEED TO HAVE YOU
IN SURGERY ON MONDAY."
MY DOCTOR IS A BELIEVER
AND A FRIEND OF MINE.
I SAID, "I CAN'T.
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN AUSTIN
FILMING THIS DVD
BIBLE STUDY SERIES.
THE CREW ARE ALREADY THERE.
I SAID, "CAN'T WE JUST
PUT IT OFF FOR JUST
A FEW MORE DAYS?"
SHE SAID, "WELL, LITERALLY,
A FEW MORE DAYS BUT THEN
YOU NEED TO BE IN SURGERY."
SO I SAID, "OKAY!"
SO WE WENT TO AUSTIN,
WE FILMED ALL THE REST
OF THE SERIES AND THEN
WE WERE DOING THE LAST ONE.
AND I WANTED TO GET UP EARLY
THAT MORNING BECAUSE WE WERE
STAYING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL
HORSE RANCH AND I WANTED
TO CATCH THE SUNRISE.
SO WHEN THE REST OF THE CREW
WERE STILL ALL ASLEEP
I MADE MYSELF SOME COFFEE
AND I GOT MY BIBLE AND
I MADE MY WAY INTO THIS FIELD
AND I JUST SAT AND WAITED
FOR THE SUN TO RISE.
I HAD MY CELL PHONE WITH ME.
MY DOCTOR HAD SAID,
"IF I CONTACT YOU I WANT YOU
TO GET BACK TO ME."
SO I LOOKED AND THERE WAS
A DOCTOR FROM MY MESSAGE
BUT IT'S STILL LIKE
5:30 IN THE MORNING.
AND SHE SAID, "WHENEVER
YOU GET THIS, CALL ME."
YIKES! SO I CALLED HER.
SHE SAID, "I'VE BROUGHT
SOME OTHER PEOPLE IN
TO LOOK AT THIS AND
IT'S NOT GOOD, SHEILA.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE YOU."
SHE NAMED THE HOSPITAL
IN THE DALLAS AREA THAT'S
A CANCER SPECIALIST.
I SAID, "SO YOU THINK
THIS IS CANCER?"
SHE SAID, "YEAH, I DO."
SHE SAID, "SO I WANT YOU IN
SURGERY 6:00 MONDAY MORNING."
SO I SAID, "OKAY."
SO NOW I'VE GOT THIS LIFE
TO FILM: MOVING FROM DESPAIR
TO FAITH.
BUT HERE'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING
ABOUT THE LORD.
I GAVE MY LIFE TO CHRIST
WHEN I WAS 11; NOW I'M 61,
GOD HAS A TRACK RECORD
WITH ME OF HIS FAITHFULNESS.
I WATCHED HOW GOD HAS
SHOWN UP IN WAYS
I COULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED.
I'VE WATCHED HOW GOD DID
THINGS IN HIS TIMING
THAT WERE PERFECT.
SO HERE'S WHAT I PRAYED
THAT MORNING,
BEFORE ANYONE ELSE GOT UP.
I GOT ON MY KNEES IN THE GRASS
AS THE SUN WAS RISING
AND THIS WAS MY PRAYER,
"LORD, THIS IS NOT
A SURPRISE TO YOU.
IT IS A SURPRISE TO ME BUT
IT WASN'T A SURPRISE TO YOU.
SO HERE'S WHAT
I'M ASKING OF YOU.
I WANT YOU TO DO WHATEVER
WILL BRING MORE GLORY
TO YOUR NAME.
IF IT WILL BRING YOU MORE
GLORY FOR THIS TO BE CANCER,
THEN I'M ALL IN.
MAYBE THERE WILL BE A WOMAN
IN THE BED BESIDE ME WHO HAS
NEVER HEARD YOUR NAME.
IF IT WILL BRING YOU MORE
GLORY FOR IT NOT TO BE,
I'M ALL IN TOO.
I LEAVE EVERYTHING
IN YOUR HANDS WITH
ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE
IN YOUR GOODNESS."
SO WE WENT OUT.
THE CREW WOKE UP,
WE DID THE LAST FILMING.
IT'S MONDAY MORNING,
THERE I AM 6:00 A.M.
USUALLY, WHEN YOU'RE GOING
INTO SURGERY THEY GIVE YOU
SOMETHING IN A DRIP FIRST
THAT MAKES YOU A LITTLE WOOZY.
APPARENTLY YOU CAN'T GET IT
AT WAL-MART.
I'VE ASKED!
BUT FOR SOME REASON
THAT DAY THEY DIDN'T.
SO I'M BEING WHEELED INTO
SURGERY AND I'M WIDE AWAKE
SO I'M LOOKING AROUND.
A YOUNG NURSE COMES IN
AND I CAN'T SEE HER FACE
BECAUSE SHE IS ALL MASKED.
AND SHE COMES UP
AND TAKES MY HAND.
I THINK SHE IS JUST GOING
TO TAKE MY PULSE
BUT SHE DOESN'T.
SHE TAKES MY HAND AND
SHE SAYS ONE WORD,
"JESUS."
IT'S LIKE THE WHOLE
OPERATING ROOM WAS FULL
OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
AND I WENT TO SLEEP.
WHEN I WOKE UP MY DOCTOR
AND MY HUSBAND WERE STANDING
AT THE BOTTOM OF MY BED
AND FROM MY HUSBAND'S FACE
I COULD TELL THAT IT WAS
AN ANSWER HE WAS HAPPY WITH.
MY DOCTOR SAID, "WELL,
THE TUMOR WAS BIGGER
THAN WE EXPECTED
BUT IT WAS BENIGN."
HERE'S THE TRUTH.
WHICHEVER WAY IT HAD GONE,
GOD IS GOOD.
WHATEVER WAY IT HAD GONE,
GOD IS FAITHFUL.
SEE WE THINK BECAUSE
CERTAIN THINGS HAVE NOT
WORKED OUT IN OUR LIFE,
GOD DOESN'T LOVE US.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN
DISAPPOINTED, MAYBE YOU'VE
BEEN HEARTBROKEN.
MAYBE YOU THINK, GOD,
WHY DID YOU ANSWER HER PRAYER?
WHY DID YOU ANSWER HIS PRAYER?
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?
THAT IS THE ENEMY THAT LOVES
TO CONDEMN AND TO CONFUSE US,
TO ACCUSE US
AS GOD'S CHILDREN.
SO I JUST ASK YOU IN THE NAME
OF JESUS WHATEVER YOU ARE
GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW
WOULD YOU BRING IT TO HIM?
I LOVE WHAT IT SAYS
IN FIRST PETER FIVE:
THAT'S THE TRUTH
OF THE GOSPEL.
WE DON'T LIVE AS PEOPLE
WHO HAVE NO HOPE.
WE LIVE AS PEOPLE
WHO KNOWS CLEARLY WHO IS
WATCHING OVER US AND LOVES US.
AND THAT BRINGS SUCH JOY
AND HOPE AND PEACE.
AND FROM THAT POSITION,
WE'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT
AND MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE
IN THE LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE.
WATCH THIS.
Sheila: IT'S BEEN
QUITE AN AMAZING YEAR.
THROUGH YOUR HELP
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FEED
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
OF CHILDREN.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT
WATER WELLS IN VILLAGES.
AND ALSO, A NEW VENTURE
YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER,
FOR THE FIRST TIME
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
WORK WITH CHILDREN
WHO HAVE
CLUBFOOT.
YOU HAVE HELPED US CHANGE
THE LIVES OF CHILDREN
ALL AROUND
THE WORLD.
AT CHRISTMAS TIME I KNOW
THAT YOU THINK OF YOUR KIDS
AND YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING
REALLY SPECIAL FOR THEM.
WELL, I ALSO KNOW
YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING
REALLY SPECIAL
FOR CHILDREN
LIKE THESE.
IF YOU LOOK AT
THIS DARLING LITTLE ONE,
HERE IN ANGOLA,
HE IS LIKE EVERY OTHER
LITTLE BOY OR GIRL I'VE SEEN,
HE HAS
NO SHOES.
WE FELT, WOULDN'T IT BE COOL
TO BE ABLE TO LET
EVERY BOY AND GIRL
HAVE THEIR VERY OWN
PAIR OF SHOES?
NOT JUST BECAUSE
IT WILL SAVE THEM
FROM CUTTING THEIR FEET
WHEN THEY RUN
BUT SO MANY DISEASES
IN THESE COUNTRIES
COME THROUGH INJURIES
TO THE FOOT,
LIKE HOOKWORM COMES
THROUGH THE FOOT.
SO WHAT A WONDERFUL THING
TO DO IN THIS SEASON TO SAY
TO THE LITTLE ONES LIKE THIS LITTLE DARLING BOY IN ANGOLA,
HEY! YOU CAN HAVE YOUR
VERY OWN PAIR OF SHOES.
SO ON BEHALF OF
MY LITTLE BROTHER,
MAY I SIMPLY SAY
OBRIGADA.
Sheila: CLEARLY FLUENT
IN THAT LANGUAGE!
HONESTLY, WHAT A JOY THAT WAS!
IT WAS AMAZING.
AND TO SEE HIS FACE
JUST LIGHT UP.
SO THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT
HERE AT LIFE TODAY,
LIFE OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL.
THIS CHRISTMAS, WE WANT
TO PROVIDE 150,000 PAIRS
OF SHOES.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMING TO YOU
A LITTLE BIT EARLY SO WE CAN
GET ALL OF THOSE ORDERED
AND WE CAN GET THEM SHIPPED
AND IN THE HANDS OF THESE
FAMILIES FOR CHRISTMAS.
WHAT A JOY IT WILL BE
WHEN THEY'VE NEVER HAD
A PAIR OF SHOES BEFORE.
THEY'RE AMAZING!
THEY'RE GREAT LITTLE SHOES.
THE THING I LOVE ABOUT THEM
TOO IS THAT NOT ONLY
ARE THEY GOOD FOR WALKING
BUT THEY'RE REALLY GOOD
FOR BEING IN WATER BECAUSE
SO MANY OF THE DISEASES THAT
THESE CHILDREN END UP WITH
COME THROUGH CUTS
IN THEIR FEET AND THEN
BEING IN WATER WHERE
THERE IS WATERBORNE DISEASE.
SO TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM
THESE IS JUST AMAZING.
HERE'S THE FANTASTIC NEWS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT FOR $36
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN
SEND TEN PAIRS OF SHOES
FOR CHRISTMAS? $36!
WHERE CAN YOU GO AND GET
ANYTHING FOR THAT THESE DAYS?
FOR $180 YOU CAN PROVIDE
50 PAIRS OF SHOES!
WHAT A JOY!
I WANT TO THANK,
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE
BEEN OUR FAITHFUL PARTNERS
THROUGH THE YEARS, THANK YOU!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
BUT THIS TIME WE WANT
TO REALLY UP OUR GIVING.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE
A DIFFERENCE TO
SO MANY PEOPLE.
WE LIVE IN SUCH A CULTURE
OF JUST CONSUMING,
CONSUMING EVERYTHING --
MORE OF THIS AND MORE OF THAT.
I THINK AS GOD'S CHILDREN
WE NEED TO BE DIFFERENT
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR
WHAT WILL MAKE US FEEL BETTER,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHAT WE CAN
DO IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.
SO WE'VE TAKEN ON AS
A FAMILY PROJECT IN MY HOUSE
TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING
THIS CHRISTMAS.
IN FACT, ONE OF THINGS
I LOVE SO MUCH IS THAT
WE HAVE CHRISTMAS SHOES
AND SMILES.
SOME CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN
IN COUNTRIES WHERE THERE'S
NO MEDICAL ATTENTION AT ALL,
IF THEY'RE BORN
WITH CLEFT PALATE,
THEY BECOME OUTSIDERS.
THEY DON'T SMILE.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GO
TO SCHOOL.
THEY JUST HAVE PEOPLE
STARING AT THEN.
SO THAT'S WHAT BARRY AND
I HAVE DECIDED EACH YEAR
THAT WE WILL GIVE EACH OTHER
FOR CHRISTMAS, IS FOR
$500 WE HAVE THESE AMAZING
DOCTORS WHO WILL PERFORM
ONE CLEFT PALATE SURGERY.
SOME OF YOU CAN AFFORD
TO DO THIS.
SOME OF YOU CAN DO
FOUR SURGERIES.
SOME OF YOU CAN'T DO MUCH
BUT $36?
TEN PAIRS OF SHOES?
WE CAN ALL DO SOMETHING.
SO PLEASE WOULD YOU GO
TO YOUR PHONE?
WOULD YOU DIAL THAT NUMBER
AND LET'S MAKE THIS
THE BEST CHRISTMAS FOR SOME
OF THESE CHILDREN THAT HAVE
NEVER HAD ANYTHING BEFORE.
AND I HONESTLY BELIEVE,
IT WILL MAKE OUR CHRISTMAS
BETTER TOO BECAUSE
INSTEAD OF RECEIVING
IN JESUS' NAME
WE'VE BEEN GIVING.
Announcer:
POVERTY IS A KILLER
AND BECAUSE OF IT
CHILDREN NEEDLESSLY SUFFER;
NOT ONLY FROM A LACK OF FOOD
AND CLEAN WATER
BUT ALSO FROM A LACK
OF THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED
SUCH AS A
HEALTHY SMILE
OR A SIMPLE
PAIR OF SHOES.
FAR TOO MANY CHILDREN
LIVING IN POVERTY
HAVE NEVER OWNED
A NEW PAIR OF SHOES.
AND WHILE THAT MAY SEEM MINOR
IN LIGHT OF ALL THEIR NEEDS,
WALKING WITH BARE FEET
PUTS THEM AT RISK
OF LIFE-THREATENING
INFECTIONS AND DISEASE
THAT COULD LEAD
TO CRIPPLING CONSEQUENCES --
AND EVEN DEATH.
BY RESPONDING TODAY YOU CAN
HELP IMMEDIATELY SECURE
AND BEGIN SHIPPING
CHRISTMAS SHOES
TO 150,000 CHILDREN
AROUND THE WORLD
JUST IN TIME
FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
YOUR GIFT
OF $36
WILL HELP PROVIDE
TEN PAIRS OF SHOES.
A GIFT OF $72 WILL
HELP PROVIDE 20 PAIR.
AND A GIFT
OF $180
WILL HELP PROVIDE
50 PAIRS OF CHRISTMAS SHOES
FOR CHILDREN
IN NEED.
WITH YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT,
BE SURE TO REQUEST
THIS BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED
CRYSTAL SHOE ORNAMENT,
A TREASURE TO PLACE
ON YOUR TREE
EACH HOLIDAY
SEASON.
WITH YOUR GIFT
OF $180 OR MORE
YOU MAY ALSO REQUEST
THIS KEEPSAKE BOXED SET
OF LIFE'S
CHRISTMAS SHOE ORNAMENTS.
FINALLY, PLEASE CONSIDER
A GIFT OF $1,000 OR MORE
TO HELP PROVIDE
OVER 275 PAIRS OF SHOES
OR TWO CHILDREN
WITH CORRECTIVE
CLEFT PALATE SURGERIES
AND YOU
MAY REQUEST
OUR "DETERMINED EAGLE"
BRONZE SCULPTURE.
PLEASE CALL, WRITE, OR MAKE
YOUR GIFT ONLINE TODAY.
James: BETTY, WHAT DO YOU
THINK ABOUT ALL THESE
BEAUTIFUL FEET
AND THESE BEAUTIFUL
CHILDREN?
Betty: I THINK THEY DESERVE
SOME PRETTY LITTLE SHOES
ON THEIR FEET;
DON'T YOU?
IT'S NOT JUST TO
GIVE THEM SHOES
-- IT IS TO BLESS THEM,
WE WANT TO BLESS THEM!
BUT THE SHOES HAVE A REAL
IMPORTANT USE TOO, JAMES.
THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR FEET
FROM GETTING CUTS AND BRUISES
AND ALSO
FROM DISEASE.
James: WE FOUND OUT THAT HOOKWORMS ACTUALLY GET
IN THE SKIN OF THEIR FEET
SOMETIMES WALKING IN DIRT
OR SAND AND THEN IT ACTUALLY
ENDS UP IN THEIR INTESTINES
AND IT CAN
BE DEADLY.
LET'S PUT SHOES ON ALL
THESE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN'S
BEAUTIFUL FEET!
IT WOULD JUST BE SUCH
A WONDERFUL GIFT TO MAKE
AT THIS TIME.
I HOPE YOU'LL DO
ALL YOU CAN.
JUST GIVE AS MANY PAIRS
AS YOU CAN TO BLESS
AS MANY CHILDREN AND
THEIR FAMILIES AS YOU CAN.
Sheila: DON'T YOU LOVE
THOSE LITTLE SHOES?
WE HAVE THEM ON
OUR CHRISTMAS TREE AND IT IS
A BEAUTIFUL REMINDER OF
JUST THE JOY OF GIVING.
THERE IS SOMETHING
SO BEAUTIFUL ABOUT BEING
ABLE TO GIVE IN JESUS' NAME
AND HELP SO MANY PEOPLE.
150,000 PAIRS OF SHOES --
THAT'S A LOT OF SHOES!
BUT TOGETHER, WE CAN DO THIS.
WE CAN DO THIS IN JESUS' NAME.
PERHAPS YOU FEEL LIKE BARRY
AND I, MOVED TO PUT A SMILE
ON THE FACE OF A CHILD
WHO HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE
TO SMILE BEFORE.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR
ONE SON AND SO MANY PARENTS
ACHE FOR THEIR CHILDREN
BECAUSE THEY NEED A SURGERY
THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD BUT
SOME OF US CAN MAKE THAT
CHRISTMAS PRAYER COME TRUE.
FOR ANY GIFT YOU SEND IN,
WE WILL SEND YOU
THE STORM INSIDE DVD
WHERE I TELL THAT STORY
IN THE FIELD THAT DAY.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR BEING WITH US.
DON'T TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.
I'M SHEILA WALSH
AND I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME
IN WEDNESDAYS IN THE WORD.
♪
♪
♪
Announcer: HAILED AS ONE
OF TODAY'S MOST GIFTED
COMEDIANS, MICHAEL JR.
WILL HAVE YOU
LAUGHING YOUR WAY
TO ACCOMPLISHING
YOUR GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE. TOMORROW!
>> LIFE TODAY IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORTERS OF
LIFE OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL.
YOUR GIFT WILL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE EXEMPT PURPOSES OF LIFE.
THE MINISTRY FEATURES
SPECIFIC OUTREACHES
AS EXAMPLES OF THE PROGRAMS
IT SUPPORTS AND CONDUCTS.
GIFTS ARE CONSIDERED
TO BE WITHOUT RESTRICTION
AS TO USE UNLESS EXPLICITLY
STIPULATED BY THE DONOR.
THE MINISTRY IS A MEMBER
OF THE E.C.F.A.