July 18, 2025 • 39 mins
A street bearing your name might seem like the pinnacle of recognition, but for Ann Furrow, it's just one chapter in a remarkable life story spanning athletics, business, and profound spiritual awakening. In this captivating conversation, Ann reveals how at age 35, despite appearing to have it all together, she discovered the transformative difference between religious appearances and genuine faith.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Check us out to hear the latest on life in the
volunteer state.
Yvonca and her guests discusseverything from life, love and
business with a Tennessee flair.
It's a Tennessee thing, alwaysrelatable, always relevant and
always a good time.
This is Talkin' Tennessee, andnow your host, yvonca.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This episode is brought to you by the Landis
team, your go-to real estatefamily in East Tennessee.
If you are looking to buy orsell, we are the ones you should
call.
Give us a call at 865-660-1186or check out our website at
yvoncasellsrealestatecom.
That's YvoncaSellsRealEstatecom.
That's Yvonca, Y-V-O-N-N-C-ASellsRealEstatecom.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Welcome back to Talking Tennessee with Yvonca.
I am your host and I am backfor part two of the interview
with Ann Farrow.
Welcome back, thanks, yvonca.
Thank you so much for coming inand just sitting down having a
conversation with me about lifeand and just your journey and
all the things that you'veendured, good and bad, but it
(01:13):
really is in your purpose.
So let's talk about one of thebig things.
You have a street name, astreet named after you.
Yes, I do A street named afteryou and Baker Furrow Boulevard
and Baker Furrow Boulevard.
How did that come about?
Speaker 4 (01:29):
I'm really not sure.
I'm really not.
We didn't give any money to dothat.
People probably think you gavemoney for it.
Now, we did give some money andthe golf facilities named that.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Could it be just all the things that you had done
just to honor you?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
I think it was, and I was a.
I told you in the last episodeI was very active in sorority.
I was pledge president,president, you know that's sweat
equity.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
She put her time in.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, and I loved it and was very active on campus
and, I think, being the firstfemale and only female ever to
get a men's athletic scholarship.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Being the first woman and youngest ever appointed to
the Board of Trustees, myinvolvement and I was very
involved in alumni stuff andthings like that alumni stuff
and things like that.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I mean, I think it just falls in line once they see
your hard work and whatdifference you made in so many
different areas they had to nameit for somebody.
Yeah, you're the best fit.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Well, and I really was pushing for that to be there
, because the poor women werestuck in Panhellenic building,
which they just tore down, andthen they were going to stick us
over on Lake Avenue in onebuilding, all the sororities in
one building, and it just didn'tmake sense.
And sweet chancellor took achance and said no, we're going
(03:01):
to go develop that property.
Even though Sam my husband wastotally against, really, and we
own the post office Right thebuilding there, tyson School yes
, that's ours, and that otherbuilding that's where his office
is.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So his office is not, and he was still against it.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
He was against it because he thought there was a
better use for it there was not.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
She said it was not.
Sometimes you have to show yourspouses that they may think
it's one way, but it's anotherway and it's going to be better.
Yeah, I mean he just didn'tfeel.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I think now he knows it's fine.
In fact they need to add threeor four more sorority houses,
which I've been yes, I meanpushing for pushing for oh,
there's too many.
They're required to kick.
Now each sorority has to take140 girls in the pledge class.
Well, when I was, there was 30.
Yeah, that's.
And then they just add it andthe reason is we have so many
(03:56):
girls going through rush.
Okay, all the new enrollmentsize and all so anyway we are.
We really need to add some moreshorty houses.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
So you got a street named after you.
The first time that you saw it,what was your thought?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Well, what?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
I said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony was.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
I know this light is very long at this street and
Baker-Furrville.
It's very long.
Please don't cuss me when youget stopped, because you do get
stopped and I said please say aprayer for me, for someone you
love, and you would be amazedhow many people come up to me
and say well, I got stopped atyour street, but I said a prayer
(04:39):
, see well, I'll tell you thisyes, saying a prayer for,
especially strangers and forpeople that you don't know,
that's one thing that God loves.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A prayer, unselfish prayer, instead of you just
praying for yourself, prayingfor other people and that type
thing and I know you're a womanof faith let's talk about it.
Happy to, you became aChristian at 35 years old.
That is right.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
When.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
I was reading about you.
Let me say first I was raisedin the church, went to church
every Sunday.
I was too Every Wednesday.
I wasn't that good.
Well, my grandmother made it.
Well, my grandmother made it.
My grandmother made me.
But I will say, yes, I went tochurch.
(05:33):
Yes, a lot and did a lot ofthings in the church.
You know plays and all kinds ofthings.
But when you find Christ for me, it wasn't me showing up to
church, it wasn't somebodytelling me you need to find
Christ.
I found Christ my way.
(05:54):
Let's talk about how you foundChrist.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Well, you would have thought I was a Christian and my
roommates in college, I think,were strong Christians.
Speak on it.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Did you hear what she said?
So sorry to interrupt.
She said you would have thoughtI was a.
Christian, you would havethought it because I was a good
girl, cause there are so manypeople that don't realize just
because you may be a good personand people think it doesn't
mean you're a Christian.
You have to accept Christ.
You have to invite him in,invite him in.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Go ahead.
Okay, well, I was home now.
You know it was a home war, Iguess, Except no, I'd been home
a long time.
I was doing lots of stuff, Iwas busy and involved.
But our next-door neighborswere Bo Schaefer and Mae
Schaefer in Forestbrook.
We lived in the wonderfulneighborhood of Forestbrook.
(06:47):
It was just fabulous.
Bo gave me a book called how toBe a Christian Without being
Religious by Fritz Ridenour.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Say it one more time Because this is the difference.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
You were talking about how to be a Christian
without being religious, yes, orwithout playing religious.
It's what we all do.
I mean and you'd have thought Iwas a Christian.
Well, I was home more as I said, sam had asked me to stay home
a little bit and I watched the700 Club, yes, and I read the
(07:16):
book by Fritz Ridenour and Ifinally understood what being a
Christian was, what being aChristian?
Was Not playing religion buthumbling yourself and knowing
you're a sinner and invitingChrist to be your Lord and
Savior.
Well, one day I got down we hadthis plaid orange-green carpet
(07:37):
and this orange couch and then apicture window behind that
couch and I got down with the TVthe 700 Club and I prayed to
receive Christ and I lookedaround make sure nobody saw me
praying because, I thoughtthey'll think that's stupid.
I mean, you know it's gonna bestupid so I prayed to receive
Christ and about two weeks laterBo was driving by because he
(07:59):
lived right here and they had todrive by to go hit North Shore.
And we stopped and we'retalking and I said, bo,
something's different, I'mchanged Something is definitely
different.
I said I don't want to wear aflowery dress, long flowery
dress, and say everything's ablessing.
I don't want to be sent off toAfrica to be a missionary, but
(08:22):
however God wants to use me, I'mwilling and you won't believe
how God has blessed my lifeUnbelievable.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Well, let me say this my husband got sick almost 13
years ago and when David gotsick, we were doing a church
cookout.
It must have been the next dayand we were planning for it the
day before, because it was goingto doing a church cookout must
have been the next day and wewere planning for it the day
before, because it was going tobe at my house and um, within 24
(08:50):
hours my husband went on lifesupport.
Um couldn't see that coming,nothing.
And there was a time in my lifethat I wanted christ so bad,
but I didn't.
In the church I I was taughtyou know pray, but I wasn't
taught how to pray.
I didn't know how to pray andthen I felt like that I was
(09:11):
supposed to pray like thepreachers, so I felt like that
if I prayed to God, I was goingto sound stupid.
That's what I'm just being.
I don't want to.
I'm being real, and so I wouldnever pray out loud, because I
felt like, if I said it out loud, that people are going to be
like you don't know how to pray.
That's how I felt.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And so I felt like, okay, god, people would say I
hear God and I'm like I don'thear nothing.
And so, three months beforeDavid got sick, my pastor kept
telling me Yvonca, god, there'sa call on your life and God is,
you know, god is trying to talkto you and you're too busy.
You're too busy.
Three months later, everythinghappened.
(09:52):
And so at that time, I didn'tpray aloud, I didn't.
You know, I loved the Lord.
You know of what I thought theLord was, and I had accepted God
, you know saying I want to be aChristian, but I didn't know
what that really meant.
You know what I'm talking about.
And so, and then, what wastaught in my church?
(10:12):
It was to show up to church.
It wasn't relationship, okay.
And so David got sick.
I'm sitting in a CCU roombecause I never came home for
that five and a half months.
So that first three and a halfmonths I was in, yes, I stayed
in a recliner.
I ran real estate, everythingoutside of CCU.
(10:33):
I mean inside of CCU.
So what was wrong with him?
David lives without a pancreas.
That person you met, oh my,they had to remove his pancreas,
okay, because his triglycerideswas too high and it was
shutting down all his organs,okay.
So imagine that that you'rethinking you're going to church,
you're on the pew and you'rethinking you're doing something
(10:57):
for God.
So I understand what you'resaying about being religious
okay, versus being a Christian.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
And the reason why I'm sharing and reason why I'm
sharing.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
That is because, uh, we're both women of faith and we
both love the Lord and weworship every day.
I have no doubt of that.
Uh, when you go through thosetype things and and it doesn't
take something tragic to happento you to find Christ I want to
(11:29):
be clear with that but you haveto invite him in.
And what was that like at 35years old, inviting Christ in
with everybody around you notready?
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Well, amazingly, most of my friends were Christians.
Really Okay, I mean.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
I told you I was a good person.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
I ran around with good people, but you know what?
Speaker 3 (11:50):
I can't say that on my end I had friends that were
Christians, but then I hadfriends that played Christian.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Do you get what I'm saying?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Oh yeah, no, I had both, yeah, and I didn't know
the difference at the time.
At the time, I thoughteverybody was Christian Me too.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Well, somebody, asked my friend, one of my friends,
donna Trimble, in her this is soembarrassing in her kitchen and
she said well, ann, what do youthink a Christian is?
And I said, well, they're likethem in the United States, our
sons.
Yeah, yeah, I'm going.
I mean, I just really.
(12:30):
I guess if you went to churchyou were a Christian.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
If you believed in Christ, you were a Christian,
because that's how we weretaught, and not saying that our
family, our parents,grandparents or whatever that's
what they believed, okay, and sothat's what was taught to us.
But once you invite God in, Iwas like okay, god, I want to
hear you, but I don't hearanything.
Everybody else was telling methey hear Christ and I'm like
(12:54):
God, I don't hear anything.
And then I literally was sayingI would go into my bedroom and
I'd be like, okay, god, I'mgoing to sit here for five
minutes Talk to me.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I need you to talk to me.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
I heard nothing.
Okay, and I'd come out the sameas did the day before, and my
pastor was like Ivanka, youcan't put him in a box.
You're putting him in a box.
You're saying I'm going to sitin this room for five minutes
and God, I'm only give you fiveminutes of your time.
Now, looking back, that was sosilly, but I wanted to hear from
(13:28):
God.
So bad.
But I didn't realize I waslimiting God, and so that's why
I'm bringing that part up,because you can limit God and
not hear him, because you'retrying to what is it?
Form him into what you want himto be.
You can't form God.
Okay, god forms you, that typething.
(13:50):
But so at 35 years old, youfound Christ.
So where'd you go from there?
Speaker 4 (13:58):
It's really unbelievable.
Bo Schaefer, we were I thinkit's second prez then.
Anyway, we started somethingcalled Spiritual Heritage
Knoxville and brought in I'dread, and now I'm on fire.
My fire, my passion is foreverybody to hear the message of
(14:22):
Jesus Christ and the gospel andto accept it.
I mean, that is my fire and mypassion.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I think the reason why that is is because once you
find Christ and you can feelChrist and he is in your day to
day, you want everybody to feelwhat you're feeling you want
them to have it.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
You want them to have it.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yes, yes.
And so it's like you're notwanting, because I tell people,
don't Bible bust people.
I said because everybody findsChrist differently.
Yeah, ok, they do.
But I'm like, but once you findChrist, it's like a burst of
fire to you inside, like youjust want to tell everybody you
know that type thing and,granted, I do feel like that you
(15:07):
have to help people to welcomeChrist.
You know you can't Bible bustthem.
So bad that it's every timethey taught you a scripture,
scripture, scripture, because itjust doesn't help.
So when you started that, what?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Well, and what makes me so happy is God has used my
gifts, my life, my background,to open so many doors, my life,
my background, to open so manydoors.
And so we started.
Spiritual Heritage Knoxvillehad 25,000 teenagers at Thompson
Bowling Arena hearing twicepardoned speaker.
This was our first big event.
(15:40):
I mean I figured if we're goingto do it, let's do it big.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
She said do it big.
Remember she said she wastaught to do things the best to
your ability.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
So there you go.
Oh no, we had 25,000.
We even put lights and screens,and all in the end of Nalin
Stadium for overflow.
What, yeah?
Anyway, harold Morris wrote abook Twice Pardoned.
He was pardoned by this.
He killed somebody, yeah, andhe was pardoned by God.
So anyway, so we had that, andso that was our first big event,
(16:16):
and we just we brought PromiseKeepers.
The reason Promise Keepers?
Speaker 3 (16:18):
came to Knoxville was because of spiritual heritage,
Really, yeah, I mean.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
And all of that In the meantime.
Oh, we did in 1994, we hadJohnny Erickson.
Oh yeah, this is a great story.
At that youth event at ThompsonBowling that night was a bus
wreck out on Straw Plains Pikeand a young girl named Kelly
Booth was permanently paralyzedfrom that bus wreck.
(16:43):
She'd been at the event.
The church bus had been at theevent and so, Bo, we were
raising money for Kelly Boothfor a fun meet, and then you sat
and all, and I can tell youexactly where we were sitting
the corner of North Shore andKingston Pike, and I was giving
Bo some money to take down thereand I said, Bo, why don't we do
something for people withdisabilities, like we just did
for kids?
(17:04):
Yes, yes, For kids.
And who in Christendom wouldyou call Johnny Erickson Tata?
Well, it just so happened thatJohnny Erickson Tata's chief
assistant was with her for 30,40 years still alive.
But she was when Billy Grahamcame to UT in 1970, she was the
(17:32):
office manager for the Grahampeople and she stayed with
Dwight McDonald's family onKingston Pike White store family
.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
They were on the white stores.
Yes, white stores.
Yes, yes, all right, I workedfor white stores in high school.
Oh did you.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Okay.
Well, dwight McDonald's familyowned them.
She stayed there for six oreight months or a year.
Well, just so happens, susanOverton.
Susan McDonald Overton's a goodfriend.
So I called up Susan.
I said Susan, how do we gethold of Johnny?
And she said well, you can justcall.
I'll think of her name in justa minute her assistant.
And so I called up.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Do y'all hear what she's saying?
So let's go back some.
She reached out to people andthe reason why I'm pointing this
out is because true evangelismis in the street, it's in your
community.
It's in reaching out to people,connecting people and for the
greater good.
(18:28):
I try to always tell peoplewhen I'm talking about crisis,
because people will say, well, Idid this and did that.
And I'm like do you realize?
That was evangelism?
And they're like a lot ofpeople are like what?
And I'm like that's trueevangelism.
If you go back to the Bible,true evangelism was in the
streets.
Jesus went to the streets, okay, and so you started connecting
(18:50):
and you were calling yourconnections.
And do you see how?
Her golf connections, her realestate connections all of a
sudden because I truly believethat God I did mortgages the
first 18 years of my career andthen I went in real estate.
Well, when I went in realestate, I'm going to be honest
with you the market had tankedin 2008.
(19:10):
I didn't want to loseeverything we had.
So I said I need to diversify.
So I'm like, okay, here we go.
So we've been in the industryfor so long, I'm going to become
a realtor, not realizing thatGod was using real estate for me
to do true evangelism, pray forpeople, bring them to Christ,
that type of thing.
So I can imagine that when youstarted connecting different
(19:33):
people, how it just came up.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Well, from that we did four major events at
Thompson Bowling with Johnny andhad a church conference.
300 churches came to adisability ministry conference.
She spoke at the prayerbreakfast.
But one of the great things wedid, we had a disability expo at
(19:59):
Thompson Bowling, had 9,000people come through that and see
what you could do fordisability.
Technology was just coming inthen this was 1994 for people
with disability, anyway.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
So and then we had Saturday night had 10,000 people
come to but think about thisall the time that you put in at
UT, all of your being an athlete, and you were able to go back
to where your life reallystarted in college, you know,
(20:32):
and playing golf.
You got to bring something backto Thompson Bowling.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Well, we've had a bunch of events there, big
events I mean again if you wantto do it big, that's amazing.
We brought in Franklin Graham10 years ago, no, and then we
had another one in NeylandStadium.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Anyway, just and just the Billy Graham.
I mean for people that don'tknow Billy Graham, rest in peace
.
He really changed a lot in theway people looked at
Christianity.
My grandmother watched the 700Club.
I meant like when, when theysay religiously, religiously,
(21:16):
you know that type thing, and sothat we had those backbones,
those type things that reallyreally helped mold us.
But being a Christian, nowadaysthere are so many people that
are finding Christ and that's agreat thing it is.
But I think that this younggeneration, what would you say
(21:38):
to them that when some of theirfriends may think Christianity
is not cool, what would you sayto them as a young person at 35
years old, finding Christ?
Speaker 4 (21:49):
As you were saying.
I feel sorry for everybody thatdoesn't have it, and the only
thing I can really do is, if theopportunity comes, expose them
to the gospel, but then pray forthem that they would receive it
or humble themselves enough.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
And then another thing even with the praying, you
know, like I was saying withDavid when he was in the
hospital, god told me in thefirst week he said do you want
your husband back?
Literally clearest day in myear he spoke to you.
He's like do you want yourhusband back?
He said get ready to work.
I'm like what do you mean, god?
I'm like God, please don't takemy husband.
(22:29):
I was like God, please.
And he said get ready to work.
Well, god made me go to everybed.
There's 30 beds at Park West'sCCU room.
Okay, 30 beds.
David was bed seven, 29 beds.
I'd have to go every day forthree and a half months to every
room and pray for families thatI didn't know nothing about.
(22:53):
And I'm like God, I'm goingthrough something.
Why would you want me to dothat, God?
You know I don't pray out loud.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
This is because I'm not a good prayer.
See, I talk to God.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Now I am.
But I'll just say back thenthat was the most scary thing to
me and that's why I try toshare it with people, because
I'm like, okay, it's scary, so Igo in these rooms.
I'm like, god, these peoplethink I'm crazy and so I go in
there and they would open up.
These people would justliterally and and everybody
(23:26):
wasn't a Christian, but not oneperson One said I don't want you
to pray, I don't want you topray.
God challenged me so much, msAnn, that while I was there, a
lady that really believed in meand saw me praying for people
had me to come pray.
Her husband had well lifepartner had died and she wanted
(23:52):
him to know Christ and so shethought, if I come and pray for
him, that it would help.
And I couldn't say, you know, Ihope he found Christ before he
passed.
I couldn't say that.
I couldn't say it because atthat time she needed me to pray,
because that's what shebelieved and I'm like God, you
want me to pray over a dead body, are you serious?
(24:13):
But it humbled me in such a waythat it gave me a burning
sensation of God of saying, if Ican do that, I can pray for
anybody.
Because literally I was likethis, because I tried to touch
him at the same time trying topray, and it was.
(24:35):
But it was so humbling to mebut it was something I needed to
do Because now there was a timewhen people would say, well,
will you pray for me?
I'm like, I'll be praying foryou, I stop.
Now, if somebody says I needprayer, I stop.
I don't care what I'm doing andI pray, because you may never
(24:56):
get that chance to bringsomebody to Christ.
So my next question is is thatall the different boards that
you have sat on and you knowhelp nurture?
How was it like to be aChristian in the room of people
that may not have found Christyet?
Was it easier for you?
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Well, once I became a Christian, so much of my energy
was involved in Christianboards.
That's a good point.
Yeah, so I still did what I hadto do.
You know, UT-wise, I coachedthe women's golf team.
I started the women's golf teamat UT in 91.
So I have been involved in alot of things.
(25:39):
But my real passion has beenwhen we had Johnny come in and
did those four events.
A month later she called me.
Do you know who Johnny EricksonTata is?
Your fans out there need toknow who Johnny Erickson Tata is
.
She's a quadriplegian.
She's 77 now.
She broke her neck when she was17.
(26:00):
She has an internationalfabulous ministry.
We have Johnny and FriendsKnoxville here.
There's Johnny and FriendsNashville.
Now there's 24 or 5 areaministries of Johnny and Friends
.
But that's just a little bit.
Collect wheelchairs, refurbishthem in prison, send them
overseas.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Y'all make sure that you look up this story.
J-o-n-i, Johnny, Johnny, lookup this story and that's how you
get involved.
My next question is charitywork.
You know, so many people saythey want to do charity work,
but they don't know how.
I was one of those people Yearsago.
I didn't know how to get intocharity, and charity is not
(26:40):
always big.
You can start small and let Godlead you.
What would you tell someonethat wanted to get into charity
work?
Speaker 4 (26:50):
You've got to decide what is your area of interest or
how are you going to use thegifts that God has given you.
I mean, I think that's how youwould decide what area you would
be involved in.
If you want to help somebodywith disability, get involved
with Johnny and Friends.
They have camps.
It's a wonderful ministry,amazing feeling to be connected
(27:15):
to it and build it up.
Yeah, I would imagine.
Yeah, anyway, and one thing wehaven't talked about is I'm on
Ann Graham Lott's board.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Let's talk about it, billy.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Graham's daughter.
Really yeah.
Did you not know that?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
No, I didn't know that part.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Angel Ministries is Billy Graham's daughter, ann,
who is the best preacher in thefamily without question the best
preacher in the family, reallyOkay, yeah, so you're on her
board.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I have been on it since 1999, I guess so basically
what she said is once she foundChrist that you started
aligning yourself withChristian-driven boards and
their messages.
Yes, Is that what I'm?
Speaker 4 (27:58):
hearing Well again, how God has opened those doors.
I mean you wouldn't say no, I'mgoing to go be on Johnny
Erickson Tata's internationalboard.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Well, it just happened.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
It happened because we did this.
And one thing when she asked meto go on, she says you remind
me of my mother, did she?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Although she's mine yes.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Well, her mother was athletic and competitive, and
Johnny was too.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Okay and anyway, she said you remind me, yeah, but
you probably have the.
It probably gives her a senseof peace around you Because even
though y'all are the same ageage, there's things that remind
her of her mother.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
Yeah, anyway, we love each other and, uh, I'm still
an emeritus on her board.
I was on for 20, I went on 94and went off about 2020 or
something like that so long timegoing back and forth to
california.
That's where their headquarters, so you're always traveling
Well, not now, but back andforth Anyway.
(28:57):
But Ann, how we got on, how Igot so close to her, is when
Leanne went to Duke.
Our daughter went to Duke.
She said Mother, this is not asouthern university, this is a
northern university.
And it just so happened.
Ben Testerman, kyle Testerman,the mayor and all his son was
(29:17):
friends of Danny Lotz and AnnLotz.
Ann Graham Lotz and they,Leanne, went to their house.
So she went to their houseevery weekend just about, and
when I would go over to see herthen I would go to their house.
And this time I'm doing theseevents here in Knoxville, these
major events in Knoxville, andAnn is changing course in her
(29:41):
ministry and she it's anunbelievable story how?
but we started Just Give MeJesus.
Had 35 countries, or 35, allover the world.
Major events.
The first Just Give Me Jesuswas had 35 countries or 35 all
over the world.
Oh wow, major events.
The first Just Give Me Jesuswas done here at Thompson
Bowling Amazing.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Anyway, it's.
So, looking back from 35 up,what's the one thing that you
cherish?
Speaker 4 (30:07):
As a.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Christian Right.
But as a Christian, is thereany certain thing in your early
days that you can say I learnedthis and I cherish that and I
always try to apply it?
Are you?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
talking about my Christian life, your Christian
life.
35 on.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Yes, it's 35 on.
Is there any certain thing thatsticks out to you?
It may not.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
It may just be a lie.
Well, just try to glorify Godevery day, all day.
There you go.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
I mean, we're God's child and we should, people
should know that.
It should radiate, it shouldreflect on us.
I tell people this I said it'snot what you talk is your walk.
If you are, and yes, yes, youhave to talk and say I'm a
Christian, you know, if you'retalking to somebody and you're
trying to get them to turn toChrist, yes, there's going to be
some talk in there.
But I think that the biggestthing is, if you really know
(31:03):
Christ, people should know byyour walk, by your walk, and
then you just naturally startweeding out things that is not
pleasing to you anymore and thatcan be friends.
It can be anything that is notpleasing or aligning with your
walk with God.
Do you agree with that?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Yeah, but you're still going to have some
associates that are notChristian.
Yes, you are.
You're going to have plenty,and it doesn't mean that they're
bad people.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
It's just they haven't found Christ, and
hopefully your walk will makethem want to find Christ.
Is there any certain thing thatyou would say that you would
love, because the landscape ofKnoxville has changed so much,
so much?
Is there any certain thing forthe future that you would say,
hey, I would love for this tohappen for Knoxville?
(31:55):
And the reason why I'm askingyou that?
Because, after all the thingsthat your family and you have
done, it's like everybody wantsto hear what your future, what
you see for the future ofKnoxville.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
I think Knoxville is a special place.
I do too, and I would hope thatit remains a godly place and
that our values remain centered.
And no, I think I telleverybody, knoxville is a
wonderful place, not only thebeauty around us, but yeah, I
(32:30):
think we're poised.
For, you know, the whole worldconcerns me, the whole where we
are the cultures.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I totally agree, the clash scares me, but I know that
God has a plan and I alwayskeep that in my thing, even
though that something is notpleasing to me or I see things
or hear things.
I had to learn that in thehospital, no matter what the
doctors told me, no matter whatI saw of David if I went off of
(32:58):
sight, he was a dead man.
If I went off the spirit, hewas alive and David is alive.
So that just tells me.
With the world, I'm like, okay,I go back to David.
I'm like, if God can do thatand I saw death in front of me
it was as close as it could bethat my husband should not be
here.
And then I'm like, if God canbring him back from death all
(33:22):
the way back for him to do amission and do a blood drive
every year to give back to thecommunity and all that kind of
stuff, I'm like the world isgoing to be okay, the way God
would have it to be.
Let's touch on your daughter.
Your daughter has, and thereason why I'm touching on that
(33:42):
is because your daughter, if Iwouldn't have met your daughter,
I would have probably never metyou, and so your daughter is
running all the dealerships anddoing a phenomenal job.
You know what do you think madeher path that way?
So your daughter is running allthe dealerships and doing a
phenomenal job.
You know what do you think madeher path that way?
What did you and Mr Sam put inher mind to go down that road?
Speaker 4 (34:04):
Well, Leanne has always been driven.
I mean, she did super duper inhigh school, all sorts of things
Went to Duke, great, Then has amaster's in clinical social
work, but she's waiting on herhusband to graduate from Duke.
She came back to Knoxville, gothim because she thought she
(34:25):
might like to do some counseling.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Realized there was no money in that.
She said no money and I need togo somewhere else.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
Yeah, anyway, they got married and then he went to
Harvard for two degrees.
There she got an MBA up there,came back and said one day she
called and said Mother, I wantto get an MBA and a law degree.
I said, leanne, why do you needto get an MBA?
You know you've got all this.
She said I just want to do that.
And so she got all those things.
(34:49):
But all along she said, though,I think I'm going to go in the
car business because I can raisea family and still do that
Really.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
Yeah, and she did that and she's done and she's
shown women.
But she saw it from her mother.
Look what you've done.
If she would not have had anexample, okay, a strong example
of a woman, okay.
(35:18):
And I tell people this all thetime.
I'm like daughters may be closeto their dads, what they say,
but daughters have to see theirmother excel.
They have to see their motherexcel in whatever it is okay and
they have to see their motherbe an example to them and I
think that with Leanne, that shegot to see you.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
Well, I think that's somewhat right.
And again, do your best ineverything you do and anyway
I'll give you she would love forme.
I always use this VinceLombardi quote the quality of
your life is directlyproportional to your striving
for excellence.
Say it one more time thequality of your life is directly
(36:05):
proportional to your strivingfor excellence.
Now, you may not reach everygoal you're trying to reach or
do it, but you will have afabulous life if you strive for
the best, yeah, for excellence.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
And so let me just say to Leanne thank you so much
for being kind, because I trulybelieve that your mother is
going to be in my life foreverand I probably would have never
met you if she wasn't so kind tome that night, so I thank her
for that.
The last couple of questions isis there anybody that was a
mentor in your life that youwould like to say thank you to
(36:47):
publicly?
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Well, my mother got me started on the right track,
no question about that, butafter she died.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
I had— what is your?
Speaker 4 (36:55):
mother's name Belle.
What was her full name?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Belle Hitch Evelyn Belle Hitch.
We're going to dedicate thisepisode to her.
Oh, thank you yes we're going todedicate it to her.
So we'll get all that down sothat we can dedicate it and show
that her legacy still lives inyou.
Well, thank you, thank you.
Do you agree with that?
Yeah, again, battling bell,battling bell.
(37:19):
And the last question if youcould give one piece of advice
to young women in Tennesseetoday?
Now, of course the world'sgoing to hear this, but if you
could give one piece to women inTennessee, what would it be?
That's a hard question.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
That's why I was trying to keep it at the end,
because I'm like, okay, we livein a great state I call it a
moderate state where peoplereally still listen to each
other.
You've got to listen.
You've got to communicatePersonally.
You're going to have to stepout.
(38:03):
If you're not feeling something, not feeling like you've
accomplished something or doingsomething, you have to take a
chance.
You have to step out and take arisk.
One thing I've always said isyou got to have goals.
I'm a big goal oriented person.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
I write them down every day Goals, dreams, and
they got to become reality.
You've got to fight to get themreality.
So you're saying step out onfaith.
Speaker 4 (38:27):
Yeah and you don't know what God's going to do with
your life.
Even if you're not a Christian,you still you've got to step
out.
One thing that I've used isthat we're built like a bicycle.
Only as long as you're pedalingand going forward will you not
fall over.
So you have to keep pedalingand going forward, keep pedaling
(38:50):
and going forward.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Yeah, guys, this was Anne Farrell.
I am honored that you were onhere.
Thank you so much.
Tune in next Friday.
Bye, guys.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
Thanks for listening to Talkin' Tennessee with Yvonca
.
Watch out for our weeklyepisodes from the First Family
of Real Estate and check us outon the web
wwwyavoncasalesrealestatecom.
See our videos on Yvonca'sYouTube channel or find us on
Facebook under Yvonca Landis andTwitter at Yvonca Landis, and
(39:27):
don't forget to tell a friendabout us.
Until next time.
Yvonca signing off.
Check us out to hear the latest on life in the
volunteer state.
Yvonca and her guests discusseverything from life, love and
business with a Tennessee flair.
It's a Tennessee thing, alwaysrelatable, always relevant and
always a good time.
This is Talkin' Tennessee, andnow your host, yvonca.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This episode is brought to you by the Landis
team, your go-to real estatefamily in East Tennessee.
If you are looking to buy orsell, we are the ones you should
call.
Give us a call at 865-660-1186or check out our website at
yvoncasellsrealestatecom.
That's YvoncaSellsRealEstatecom.
That's Yvonca, Y-V-O-N-N-C-ASellsRealEstatecom.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Welcome back to Talking Tennessee with Yvonca.
I am your host and I am backfor part two of the interview
with Ann Farrow.
Welcome back, thanks, yvonca.
Thank you so much for coming inand just sitting down having a
conversation with me about lifeand and just your journey and
all the things that you'veendured, good and bad, but it
(01:13):
really is in your purpose.
So let's talk about one of thebig things.
You have a street name, astreet named after you.
Yes, I do A street named afteryou and Baker Furrow Boulevard
and Baker Furrow Boulevard.
How did that come about?
Speaker 4 (01:29):
I'm really not sure.
I'm really not.
We didn't give any money to dothat.
People probably think you gavemoney for it.
Now, we did give some money andthe golf facilities named that.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Could it be just all the things that you had done
just to honor you?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
I think it was, and I was a.
I told you in the last episodeI was very active in sorority.
I was pledge president,president, you know that's sweat
equity.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
She put her time in.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, and I loved it and was very active on campus
and, I think, being the firstfemale and only female ever to
get a men's athletic scholarship.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Being the first woman and youngest ever appointed to
the Board of Trustees, myinvolvement and I was very
involved in alumni stuff andthings like that alumni stuff
and things like that.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I mean, I think it just falls in line once they see
your hard work and whatdifference you made in so many
different areas they had to nameit for somebody.
Yeah, you're the best fit.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Well, and I really was pushing for that to be there
, because the poor women werestuck in Panhellenic building,
which they just tore down, andthen they were going to stick us
over on Lake Avenue in onebuilding, all the sororities in
one building, and it just didn'tmake sense.
And sweet chancellor took achance and said no, we're going
(03:01):
to go develop that property.
Even though Sam my husband wastotally against, really, and we
own the post office Right thebuilding there, tyson School yes
, that's ours, and that otherbuilding that's where his office
is.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So his office is not, and he was still against it.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
He was against it because he thought there was a
better use for it there was not.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
She said it was not.
Sometimes you have to show yourspouses that they may think
it's one way, but it's anotherway and it's going to be better.
Yeah, I mean he just didn'tfeel.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I think now he knows it's fine.
In fact they need to add threeor four more sorority houses,
which I've been yes, I meanpushing for pushing for oh,
there's too many.
They're required to kick.
Now each sorority has to take140 girls in the pledge class.
Well, when I was, there was 30.
Yeah, that's.
And then they just add it andthe reason is we have so many
(03:56):
girls going through rush.
Okay, all the new enrollmentsize and all so anyway we are.
We really need to add some moreshorty houses.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
So you got a street named after you.
The first time that you saw it,what was your thought?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Well, what?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
I said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony was.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
I know this light is very long at this street and
Baker-Furrville.
It's very long.
Please don't cuss me when youget stopped, because you do get
stopped and I said please say aprayer for me, for someone you
love, and you would be amazedhow many people come up to me
and say well, I got stopped atyour street, but I said a prayer
(04:39):
, see well, I'll tell you thisyes, saying a prayer for,
especially strangers and forpeople that you don't know,
that's one thing that God loves.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A prayer, unselfish prayer, instead of you just
praying for yourself, prayingfor other people and that type
thing and I know you're a womanof faith let's talk about it.
Happy to, you became aChristian at 35 years old.
That is right.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
When.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
I was reading about you.
Let me say first I was raisedin the church, went to church
every Sunday.
I was too Every Wednesday.
I wasn't that good.
Well, my grandmother made it.
Well, my grandmother made it.
My grandmother made me.
But I will say, yes, I went tochurch.
(05:33):
Yes, a lot and did a lot ofthings in the church.
You know plays and all kinds ofthings.
But when you find Christ for me, it wasn't me showing up to
church, it wasn't somebodytelling me you need to find
Christ.
I found Christ my way.
(05:54):
Let's talk about how you foundChrist.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Well, you would have thought I was a Christian and my
roommates in college, I think,were strong Christians.
Speak on it.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Did you hear what she said?
So sorry to interrupt.
She said you would have thoughtI was a.
Christian, you would havethought it because I was a good
girl, cause there are so manypeople that don't realize just
because you may be a good personand people think it doesn't
mean you're a Christian.
You have to accept Christ.
You have to invite him in,invite him in.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Go ahead.
Okay, well, I was home now.
You know it was a home war, Iguess, Except no, I'd been home
a long time.
I was doing lots of stuff, Iwas busy and involved.
But our next-door neighborswere Bo Schaefer and Mae
Schaefer in Forestbrook.
We lived in the wonderfulneighborhood of Forestbrook.
(06:47):
It was just fabulous.
Bo gave me a book called how toBe a Christian Without being
Religious by Fritz Ridenour.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Say it one more time Because this is the difference.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
You were talking about how to be a Christian
without being religious, yes, orwithout playing religious.
It's what we all do.
I mean and you'd have thought Iwas a Christian.
Well, I was home more as I said, sam had asked me to stay home
a little bit and I watched the700 Club, yes, and I read the
(07:16):
book by Fritz Ridenour and Ifinally understood what being a
Christian was, what being aChristian?
Was Not playing religion buthumbling yourself and knowing
you're a sinner and invitingChrist to be your Lord and
Savior.
Well, one day I got down we hadthis plaid orange-green carpet
(07:37):
and this orange couch and then apicture window behind that
couch and I got down with the TVthe 700 Club and I prayed to
receive Christ and I lookedaround make sure nobody saw me
praying because, I thoughtthey'll think that's stupid.
I mean, you know it's gonna bestupid so I prayed to receive
Christ and about two weeks laterBo was driving by because he
(07:59):
lived right here and they had todrive by to go hit North Shore.
And we stopped and we'retalking and I said, bo,
something's different, I'mchanged Something is definitely
different.
I said I don't want to wear aflowery dress, long flowery
dress, and say everything's ablessing.
I don't want to be sent off toAfrica to be a missionary, but
(08:22):
however God wants to use me, I'mwilling and you won't believe
how God has blessed my lifeUnbelievable.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Well, let me say this my husband got sick almost 13
years ago and when David gotsick, we were doing a church
cookout.
It must have been the next dayand we were planning for it the
day before, because it was goingto doing a church cookout must
have been the next day and wewere planning for it the day
before, because it was going tobe at my house and um, within 24
(08:50):
hours my husband went on lifesupport.
Um couldn't see that coming,nothing.
And there was a time in my lifethat I wanted christ so bad,
but I didn't.
In the church I I was taughtyou know pray, but I wasn't
taught how to pray.
I didn't know how to pray andthen I felt like that I was
(09:11):
supposed to pray like thepreachers, so I felt like that
if I prayed to God, I was goingto sound stupid.
That's what I'm just being.
I don't want to.
I'm being real, and so I wouldnever pray out loud, because I
felt like, if I said it out loud, that people are going to be
like you don't know how to pray.
That's how I felt.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And so I felt like, okay, god, people would say I
hear God and I'm like I don'thear nothing.
And so, three months beforeDavid got sick, my pastor kept
telling me Yvonca, god, there'sa call on your life and God is,
you know, god is trying to talkto you and you're too busy.
You're too busy.
Three months later, everythinghappened.
(09:52):
And so at that time, I didn'tpray aloud, I didn't.
You know, I loved the Lord.
You know of what I thought theLord was, and I had accepted God
, you know saying I want to be aChristian, but I didn't know
what that really meant.
You know what I'm talking about.
And so, and then, what wastaught in my church?
(10:12):
It was to show up to church.
It wasn't relationship, okay.
And so David got sick.
I'm sitting in a CCU roombecause I never came home for
that five and a half months.
So that first three and a halfmonths I was in, yes, I stayed
in a recliner.
I ran real estate, everythingoutside of CCU.
(10:33):
I mean inside of CCU.
So what was wrong with him?
David lives without a pancreas.
That person you met, oh my,they had to remove his pancreas,
okay, because his triglycerideswas too high and it was
shutting down all his organs,okay.
So imagine that that you'rethinking you're going to church,
you're on the pew and you'rethinking you're doing something
(10:57):
for God.
So I understand what you'resaying about being religious
okay, versus being a Christian.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
And the reason why I'm sharing and reason why I'm
sharing.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
That is because, uh, we're both women of faith and we
both love the Lord and weworship every day.
I have no doubt of that.
Uh, when you go through thosetype things and and it doesn't
take something tragic to happento you to find Christ I want to
(11:29):
be clear with that but you haveto invite him in.
And what was that like at 35years old, inviting Christ in
with everybody around you notready?
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Well, amazingly, most of my friends were Christians.
Really Okay, I mean.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
I told you I was a good person.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
I ran around with good people, but you know what?
Speaker 3 (11:50):
I can't say that on my end I had friends that were
Christians, but then I hadfriends that played Christian.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Do you get what I'm saying?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Oh yeah, no, I had both, yeah, and I didn't know
the difference at the time.
At the time, I thoughteverybody was Christian Me too.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Well, somebody, asked my friend, one of my friends,
donna Trimble, in her this is soembarrassing in her kitchen and
she said well, ann, what do youthink a Christian is?
And I said, well, they're likethem in the United States, our
sons.
Yeah, yeah, I'm going.
I mean, I just really.
(12:30):
I guess if you went to churchyou were a Christian.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
If you believed in Christ, you were a Christian,
because that's how we weretaught, and not saying that our
family, our parents,grandparents or whatever that's
what they believed, okay, and sothat's what was taught to us.
But once you invite God in, Iwas like okay, god, I want to
hear you, but I don't hearanything.
Everybody else was telling methey hear Christ and I'm like
(12:54):
God, I don't hear anything.
And then I literally was sayingI would go into my bedroom and
I'd be like, okay, god, I'mgoing to sit here for five
minutes Talk to me.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I need you to talk to me.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
I heard nothing.
Okay, and I'd come out the sameas did the day before, and my
pastor was like Ivanka, youcan't put him in a box.
You're putting him in a box.
You're saying I'm going to sitin this room for five minutes
and God, I'm only give you fiveminutes of your time.
Now, looking back, that was sosilly, but I wanted to hear from
(13:28):
God.
So bad.
But I didn't realize I waslimiting God, and so that's why
I'm bringing that part up,because you can limit God and
not hear him, because you'retrying to what is it?
Form him into what you want himto be.
You can't form God.
Okay, god forms you, that typething.
(13:50):
But so at 35 years old, youfound Christ.
So where'd you go from there?
Speaker 4 (13:58):
It's really unbelievable.
Bo Schaefer, we were I thinkit's second prez then.
Anyway, we started somethingcalled Spiritual Heritage
Knoxville and brought in I'dread, and now I'm on fire.
My fire, my passion is foreverybody to hear the message of
(14:22):
Jesus Christ and the gospel andto accept it.
I mean, that is my fire and mypassion.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I think the reason why that is is because once you
find Christ and you can feelChrist and he is in your day to
day, you want everybody to feelwhat you're feeling you want
them to have it.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
You want them to have it.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yes, yes.
And so it's like you're notwanting, because I tell people,
don't Bible bust people.
I said because everybody findsChrist differently.
Yeah, ok, they do.
But I'm like, but once you findChrist, it's like a burst of
fire to you inside, like youjust want to tell everybody you
know that type thing and,granted, I do feel like that you
(15:07):
have to help people to welcomeChrist.
You know you can't Bible bustthem.
So bad that it's every timethey taught you a scripture,
scripture, scripture, because itjust doesn't help.
So when you started that, what?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Well, and what makes me so happy is God has used my
gifts, my life, my background,to open so many doors, my life,
my background, to open so manydoors.
And so we started.
Spiritual Heritage Knoxvillehad 25,000 teenagers at Thompson
Bowling Arena hearing twicepardoned speaker.
This was our first big event.
(15:40):
I mean I figured if we're goingto do it, let's do it big.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
She said do it big.
Remember she said she wastaught to do things the best to
your ability.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
So there you go.
Oh no, we had 25,000.
We even put lights and screens,and all in the end of Nalin
Stadium for overflow.
What, yeah?
Anyway, harold Morris wrote abook Twice Pardoned.
He was pardoned by this.
He killed somebody, yeah, andhe was pardoned by God.
So anyway, so we had that, andso that was our first big event,
(16:16):
and we just we brought PromiseKeepers.
The reason Promise Keepers?
Speaker 3 (16:18):
came to Knoxville was because of spiritual heritage,
Really, yeah, I mean.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
And all of that In the meantime.
Oh, we did in 1994, we hadJohnny Erickson.
Oh yeah, this is a great story.
At that youth event at ThompsonBowling that night was a bus
wreck out on Straw Plains Pikeand a young girl named Kelly
Booth was permanently paralyzedfrom that bus wreck.
(16:43):
She'd been at the event.
The church bus had been at theevent and so, Bo, we were
raising money for Kelly Boothfor a fun meet, and then you sat
and all, and I can tell youexactly where we were sitting
the corner of North Shore andKingston Pike, and I was giving
Bo some money to take down thereand I said, Bo, why don't we do
something for people withdisabilities, like we just did
for kids?
(17:04):
Yes, yes, For kids.
And who in Christendom wouldyou call Johnny Erickson Tata?
Well, it just so happened thatJohnny Erickson Tata's chief
assistant was with her for 30,40 years still alive.
But she was when Billy Grahamcame to UT in 1970, she was the
(17:32):
office manager for the Grahampeople and she stayed with
Dwight McDonald's family onKingston Pike White store family
.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
They were on the white stores.
Yes, white stores.
Yes, yes, all right, I workedfor white stores in high school.
Oh did you.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Okay.
Well, dwight McDonald's familyowned them.
She stayed there for six oreight months or a year.
Well, just so happens, susanOverton.
Susan McDonald Overton's a goodfriend.
So I called up Susan.
I said Susan, how do we gethold of Johnny?
And she said well, you can justcall.
I'll think of her name in justa minute her assistant.
And so I called up.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Do y'all hear what she's saying?
So let's go back some.
She reached out to people andthe reason why I'm pointing this
out is because true evangelismis in the street, it's in your
community.
It's in reaching out to people,connecting people and for the
greater good.
(18:28):
I try to always tell peoplewhen I'm talking about crisis,
because people will say, well, Idid this and did that.
And I'm like do you realize?
That was evangelism?
And they're like a lot ofpeople are like what?
And I'm like that's trueevangelism.
If you go back to the Bible,true evangelism was in the
streets.
Jesus went to the streets, okay, and so you started connecting
(18:50):
and you were calling yourconnections.
And do you see how?
Her golf connections, her realestate connections all of a
sudden because I truly believethat God I did mortgages the
first 18 years of my career andthen I went in real estate.
Well, when I went in realestate, I'm going to be honest
with you the market had tankedin 2008.
(19:10):
I didn't want to loseeverything we had.
So I said I need to diversify.
So I'm like, okay, here we go.
So we've been in the industryfor so long, I'm going to become
a realtor, not realizing thatGod was using real estate for me
to do true evangelism, pray forpeople, bring them to Christ,
that type of thing.
So I can imagine that when youstarted connecting different
(19:33):
people, how it just came up.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Well, from that we did four major events at
Thompson Bowling with Johnny andhad a church conference.
300 churches came to adisability ministry conference.
She spoke at the prayerbreakfast.
But one of the great things wedid, we had a disability expo at
(19:59):
Thompson Bowling, had 9,000people come through that and see
what you could do fordisability.
Technology was just coming inthen this was 1994 for people
with disability, anyway.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
So and then we had Saturday night had 10,000 people
come to but think about thisall the time that you put in at
UT, all of your being an athlete, and you were able to go back
to where your life reallystarted in college, you know,
(20:32):
and playing golf.
You got to bring something backto Thompson Bowling.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Well, we've had a bunch of events there, big
events I mean again if you wantto do it big, that's amazing.
We brought in Franklin Graham10 years ago, no, and then we
had another one in NeylandStadium.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Anyway, just and just the Billy Graham.
I mean for people that don'tknow Billy Graham, rest in peace
.
He really changed a lot in theway people looked at
Christianity.
My grandmother watched the 700Club.
I meant like when, when theysay religiously, religiously,
(21:16):
you know that type thing, and sothat we had those backbones,
those type things that reallyreally helped mold us.
But being a Christian, nowadaysthere are so many people that
are finding Christ and that's agreat thing it is.
But I think that this younggeneration, what would you say
(21:38):
to them that when some of theirfriends may think Christianity
is not cool, what would you sayto them as a young person at 35
years old, finding Christ?
Speaker 4 (21:49):
As you were saying.
I feel sorry for everybody thatdoesn't have it, and the only
thing I can really do is, if theopportunity comes, expose them
to the gospel, but then pray forthem that they would receive it
or humble themselves enough.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
And then another thing even with the praying, you
know, like I was saying withDavid when he was in the
hospital, god told me in thefirst week he said do you want
your husband back?
Literally clearest day in myear he spoke to you.
He's like do you want yourhusband back?
He said get ready to work.
I'm like what do you mean, god?
I'm like God, please don't takemy husband.
(22:29):
I was like God, please.
And he said get ready to work.
Well, god made me go to everybed.
There's 30 beds at Park West'sCCU room.
Okay, 30 beds.
David was bed seven, 29 beds.
I'd have to go every day forthree and a half months to every
room and pray for families thatI didn't know nothing about.
(22:53):
And I'm like God, I'm goingthrough something.
Why would you want me to dothat, God?
You know I don't pray out loud.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
This is because I'm not a good prayer.
See, I talk to God.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Now I am.
But I'll just say back thenthat was the most scary thing to
me and that's why I try toshare it with people, because
I'm like, okay, it's scary, so Igo in these rooms.
I'm like, god, these peoplethink I'm crazy and so I go in
there and they would open up.
These people would justliterally and and everybody
(23:26):
wasn't a Christian, but not oneperson One said I don't want you
to pray, I don't want you topray.
God challenged me so much, msAnn, that while I was there, a
lady that really believed in meand saw me praying for people
had me to come pray.
Her husband had well lifepartner had died and she wanted
(23:52):
him to know Christ and so shethought, if I come and pray for
him, that it would help.
And I couldn't say, you know, Ihope he found Christ before he
passed.
I couldn't say that.
I couldn't say it because atthat time she needed me to pray,
because that's what shebelieved and I'm like God, you
want me to pray over a dead body, are you serious?
(24:13):
But it humbled me in such a waythat it gave me a burning
sensation of God of saying, if Ican do that, I can pray for
anybody.
Because literally I was likethis, because I tried to touch
him at the same time trying topray, and it was.
(24:35):
But it was so humbling to mebut it was something I needed to
do Because now there was a timewhen people would say, well,
will you pray for me?
I'm like, I'll be praying foryou, I stop.
Now, if somebody says I needprayer, I stop.
I don't care what I'm doing andI pray, because you may never
(24:56):
get that chance to bringsomebody to Christ.
So my next question is is thatall the different boards that
you have sat on and you knowhelp nurture?
How was it like to be aChristian in the room of people
that may not have found Christyet?
Was it easier for you?
Speaker 4 (25:18):
Well, once I became a Christian, so much of my energy
was involved in Christianboards.
That's a good point.
Yeah, so I still did what I hadto do.
You know, UT-wise, I coachedthe women's golf team.
I started the women's golf teamat UT in 91.
So I have been involved in alot of things.
(25:39):
But my real passion has beenwhen we had Johnny come in and
did those four events.
A month later she called me.
Do you know who Johnny EricksonTata is?
Your fans out there need toknow who Johnny Erickson Tata is
.
She's a quadriplegian.
She's 77 now.
She broke her neck when she was17.
(26:00):
She has an internationalfabulous ministry.
We have Johnny and FriendsKnoxville here.
There's Johnny and FriendsNashville.
Now there's 24 or 5 areaministries of Johnny and Friends
.
But that's just a little bit.
Collect wheelchairs, refurbishthem in prison, send them
overseas.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Y'all make sure that you look up this story.
J-o-n-i, Johnny, Johnny, lookup this story and that's how you
get involved.
My next question is charitywork.
You know, so many people saythey want to do charity work,
but they don't know how.
I was one of those people Yearsago.
I didn't know how to get intocharity, and charity is not
(26:40):
always big.
You can start small and let Godlead you.
What would you tell someonethat wanted to get into charity
work?
Speaker 4 (26:50):
You've got to decide what is your area of interest or
how are you going to use thegifts that God has given you.
I mean, I think that's how youwould decide what area you would
be involved in.
If you want to help somebodywith disability, get involved
with Johnny and Friends.
They have camps.
It's a wonderful ministry,amazing feeling to be connected
(27:15):
to it and build it up.
Yeah, I would imagine.
Yeah, anyway, and one thing wehaven't talked about is I'm on
Ann Graham Lott's board.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Let's talk about it, billy.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Graham's daughter.
Really yeah.
Did you not know that?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
No, I didn't know that part.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Angel Ministries is Billy Graham's daughter, ann,
who is the best preacher in thefamily without question the best
preacher in the family, reallyOkay, yeah, so you're on her
board.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I have been on it since 1999, I guess so basically
what she said is once she foundChrist that you started
aligning yourself withChristian-driven boards and
their messages.
Yes, Is that what I'm?
Speaker 4 (27:58):
hearing Well again, how God has opened those doors.
I mean you wouldn't say no, I'mgoing to go be on Johnny
Erickson Tata's internationalboard.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Well, it just happened.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
It happened because we did this.
And one thing when she asked meto go on, she says you remind
me of my mother, did she?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Although she's mine yes.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Well, her mother was athletic and competitive, and
Johnny was too.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Okay and anyway, she said you remind me, yeah, but
you probably have the.
It probably gives her a senseof peace around you Because even
though y'all are the same ageage, there's things that remind
her of her mother.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
Yeah, anyway, we love each other and, uh, I'm still
an emeritus on her board.
I was on for 20, I went on 94and went off about 2020 or
something like that so long timegoing back and forth to
california.
That's where their headquarters, so you're always traveling
Well, not now, but back andforth Anyway.
(28:57):
But Ann, how we got on, how Igot so close to her, is when
Leanne went to Duke.
Our daughter went to Duke.
She said Mother, this is not asouthern university, this is a
northern university.
And it just so happened.
Ben Testerman, kyle Testerman,the mayor and all his son was
(29:17):
friends of Danny Lotz and AnnLotz.
Ann Graham Lotz and they,Leanne, went to their house.
So she went to their houseevery weekend just about, and
when I would go over to see herthen I would go to their house.
And this time I'm doing theseevents here in Knoxville, these
major events in Knoxville, andAnn is changing course in her
(29:41):
ministry and she it's anunbelievable story how?
but we started Just Give MeJesus.
Had 35 countries, or 35, allover the world.
Major events.
The first Just Give Me Jesuswas had 35 countries or 35 all
over the world.
Oh wow, major events.
The first Just Give Me Jesuswas done here at Thompson
Bowling Amazing.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Anyway, it's.
So, looking back from 35 up,what's the one thing that you
cherish?
Speaker 4 (30:07):
As a.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Christian Right.
But as a Christian, is thereany certain thing in your early
days that you can say I learnedthis and I cherish that and I
always try to apply it?
Are you?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
talking about my Christian life, your Christian
life.
35 on.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Yes, it's 35 on.
Is there any certain thing thatsticks out to you?
It may not.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
It may just be a lie.
Well, just try to glorify Godevery day, all day.
There you go.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
I mean, we're God's child and we should, people
should know that.
It should radiate, it shouldreflect on us.
I tell people this I said it'snot what you talk is your walk.
If you are, and yes, yes, youhave to talk and say I'm a
Christian, you know, if you'retalking to somebody and you're
trying to get them to turn toChrist, yes, there's going to be
some talk in there.
But I think that the biggestthing is, if you really know
(31:03):
Christ, people should know byyour walk, by your walk, and
then you just naturally startweeding out things that is not
pleasing to you anymore and thatcan be friends.
It can be anything that is notpleasing or aligning with your
walk with God.
Do you agree with that?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Yeah, but you're still going to have some
associates that are notChristian.
Yes, you are.
You're going to have plenty,and it doesn't mean that they're
bad people.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
It's just they haven't found Christ, and
hopefully your walk will makethem want to find Christ.
Is there any certain thing thatyou would say that you would
love, because the landscape ofKnoxville has changed so much,
so much?
Is there any certain thing forthe future that you would say,
hey, I would love for this tohappen for Knoxville?
(31:55):
And the reason why I'm askingyou that?
Because, after all the thingsthat your family and you have
done, it's like everybody wantsto hear what your future, what
you see for the future ofKnoxville.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
I think Knoxville is a special place.
I do too, and I would hope thatit remains a godly place and
that our values remain centered.
And no, I think I telleverybody, knoxville is a
wonderful place, not only thebeauty around us, but yeah, I
(32:30):
think we're poised.
For, you know, the whole worldconcerns me, the whole where we
are the cultures.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I totally agree, the clash scares me, but I know that
God has a plan and I alwayskeep that in my thing, even
though that something is notpleasing to me or I see things
or hear things.
I had to learn that in thehospital, no matter what the
doctors told me, no matter whatI saw of David if I went off of
(32:58):
sight, he was a dead man.
If I went off the spirit, hewas alive and David is alive.
So that just tells me.
With the world, I'm like, okay,I go back to David.
I'm like, if God can do thatand I saw death in front of me
it was as close as it could bethat my husband should not be
here.
And then I'm like, if God canbring him back from death all
(33:22):
the way back for him to do amission and do a blood drive
every year to give back to thecommunity and all that kind of
stuff, I'm like the world isgoing to be okay, the way God
would have it to be.
Let's touch on your daughter.
Your daughter has, and thereason why I'm touching on that
(33:42):
is because your daughter, if Iwouldn't have met your daughter,
I would have probably never metyou, and so your daughter is
running all the dealerships anddoing a phenomenal job.
You know what do you think madeher path that way?
So your daughter is running allthe dealerships and doing a
phenomenal job.
You know what do you think madeher path that way?
What did you and Mr Sam put inher mind to go down that road?
Speaker 4 (34:04):
Well, Leanne has always been driven.
I mean, she did super duper inhigh school, all sorts of things
Went to Duke, great, Then has amaster's in clinical social
work, but she's waiting on herhusband to graduate from Duke.
She came back to Knoxville, gothim because she thought she
(34:25):
might like to do some counseling.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Realized there was no money in that.
She said no money and I need togo somewhere else.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
Yeah, anyway, they got married and then he went to
Harvard for two degrees.
There she got an MBA up there,came back and said one day she
called and said Mother, I wantto get an MBA and a law degree.
I said, leanne, why do you needto get an MBA?
You know you've got all this.
She said I just want to do that.
And so she got all those things.
(34:49):
But all along she said, though,I think I'm going to go in the
car business because I can raisea family and still do that
Really.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
Yeah, and she did that and she's done and she's
shown women.
But she saw it from her mother.
Look what you've done.
If she would not have had anexample, okay, a strong example
of a woman, okay.
(35:18):
And I tell people this all thetime.
I'm like daughters may be closeto their dads, what they say,
but daughters have to see theirmother excel.
They have to see their motherexcel in whatever it is okay and
they have to see their motherbe an example to them and I
think that with Leanne, that shegot to see you.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
Well, I think that's somewhat right.
And again, do your best ineverything you do and anyway
I'll give you she would love forme.
I always use this VinceLombardi quote the quality of
your life is directlyproportional to your striving
for excellence.
Say it one more time thequality of your life is directly
(36:05):
proportional to your strivingfor excellence.
Now, you may not reach everygoal you're trying to reach or
do it, but you will have afabulous life if you strive for
the best, yeah, for excellence.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
And so let me just say to Leanne thank you so much
for being kind, because I trulybelieve that your mother is
going to be in my life foreverand I probably would have never
met you if she wasn't so kind tome that night, so I thank her
for that.
The last couple of questions isis there anybody that was a
mentor in your life that youwould like to say thank you to
(36:47):
publicly?
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Well, my mother got me started on the right track,
no question about that, butafter she died.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
I had— what is your?
Speaker 4 (36:55):
mother's name Belle.
What was her full name?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Belle Hitch Evelyn Belle Hitch.
We're going to dedicate thisepisode to her.
Oh, thank you yes we're going todedicate it to her.
So we'll get all that down sothat we can dedicate it and show
that her legacy still lives inyou.
Well, thank you, thank you.
Do you agree with that?
Yeah, again, battling bell,battling bell.
(37:19):
And the last question if youcould give one piece of advice
to young women in Tennesseetoday?
Now, of course the world'sgoing to hear this, but if you
could give one piece to women inTennessee, what would it be?
That's a hard question.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
That's why I was trying to keep it at the end,
because I'm like, okay, we livein a great state I call it a
moderate state where peoplereally still listen to each
other.
You've got to listen.
You've got to communicatePersonally.
You're going to have to stepout.
(38:03):
If you're not feeling something, not feeling like you've
accomplished something or doingsomething, you have to take a
chance.
You have to step out and take arisk.
One thing I've always said isyou got to have goals.
I'm a big goal oriented person.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
I write them down every day Goals, dreams, and
they got to become reality.
You've got to fight to get themreality.
So you're saying step out onfaith.
Speaker 4 (38:27):
Yeah and you don't know what God's going to do with
your life.
Even if you're not a Christian,you still you've got to step
out.
One thing that I've used isthat we're built like a bicycle.
Only as long as you're pedalingand going forward will you not
fall over.
So you have to keep pedalingand going forward, keep pedaling
(38:50):
and going forward.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Yeah, guys, this was Anne Farrell.
I am honored that you were onhere.
Thank you so much.
Tune in next Friday.
Bye, guys.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
Thanks for listening to Talkin' Tennessee with Yvonca
.
Watch out for our weeklyepisodes from the First Family
of Real Estate and check us outon the web
wwwyavoncasalesrealestatecom.
See our videos on Yvonca'sYouTube channel or find us on
Facebook under Yvonca Landis andTwitter at Yvonca Landis, and
(39:27):
don't forget to tell a friendabout us.
Until next time.
Yvonca signing off.
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