Family Testimony Night with Troy and Rebecca Warner

Troy and Rebecca share their heartfelt stories about faith, love, and ministry, reflecting on their journeys from childhood through marriage and parenting while navigating the challenges of full-time ministry. Their conversation highlights the importance of authenticity, trusting God's provision, and the unbreakable bond that faith creates even in the toughest seasons of life.

• Reflecting on childhood church foundations and influences 
• Troy's journey from youth group to ministry 
• Rebecca's late acceptance of Christ and its impact 
• How the couple met and discerned their call together 
• Trials and blessings during their early marriage in ministry 
• Insights on raising children in a faith-centered home 
• Navigating the dynamics of caring for elderly parents 
• Emphasizing God's unwavering faithfulness in every season

Episode Transcript

Intro (00:02):
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's Way
Radio exclusive where weintroduce you to some amazing
people.
In John, chapter 15, verse 15,jesus says I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my Father I have made
known to you.
That's our aim that God wouldbe made known to you.
Stay with us until the end ofour conversation for more

(00:22):
information on this program andother unique offerings from
God's Way Radio.

Zak (00:27):
Troy and Rebecca, if you want to share a little bit,
maybe just on your childhood.
If you guys always grew up in aChristian home, if you guys
were always saved since themoment you were born, or how did
that work for you guys?

Rebecca (00:39):
No, I was not.
I was raised with a mom and adad an intact family.
Not, I was raised with a momand a dad an intact family and
we went to a church traditionalchurch when I was very young,
but we stopped going when I wasvery young, six or seven.
I have a few memories of that,but not am I doing that.

(01:01):
Is that me?
Do I need to do it?
No, keep going, okay.
And so we stopped going, forwhatever reason, and then just
kind of went through mychildhood until I was just about
to start high school and I hada girlfriend who was preaching
the gospel to me and I gotinvited to a youth group and she
just kept sharing.

(01:21):
I was exposed to people who whotalked about Jesus and who sat
in a circle at girl, you know,at a girl's house, with a sort
of a girl's fellowship, and theywere just talking about the
Lord like he was their friendand it was super new and super
weird for me and but I loved it.
I was so, so pulled into theidea of the family and the I

(01:46):
don't know, just the peace thatthey had and the purpose and the
comfort and the strength and sothe sisterhood.
And anyway, long story short,that youth group went to Calvary
Chapel, costa Mesa in SouthernCalifornia, which is where I was
born and raised, and the gospelwas given at a Saturday night
concert and I went forward tothe altar and gave my heart to

(02:09):
Christ and I was a pretty goodkid.
I wasn't really involved in alot of stuff, but I always say I
didn't know how lost I wasuntil I was found.
I didn't know how blind I wasuntil I could see.
And every time, my goodness.
I'm 58 years old and that'sbeen a while since high school,
and yet it still moves my heartbecause the Lord is so faithful

(02:29):
and he just pulled this younggirl who knew nothing about the
Lord.
I mean, I got saved and Ithought Ezra was a woman.
You know, I didn't know thatEzra was a man he's probably so
insulted in heaven, goingwhatever, but I didn't know the
stories of Daniel and Joseph andEsther and Mary and I didn't
know anything.
And so, gosh, all of it was sobrand new to me, everything I

(02:52):
remember going to church andreading verses out loud, you
know, to share, and it wasliterally John 3.16.
And I'm like you guys listen tothis and all of the people like
him who were raised in thechurch were like, yeah, and I
was like, but that's amazing.
And so, anyway, the Lord justflipped my life and, yeah, gave

(03:16):
me purpose and strength andpeace and hope.
And I was very zealous in highschool to preach the gospel at
my public school and, yeah, theLord just began to work in my
life and so that's when I cameto Christ, like 15 years old, 14
years old, right at thefreshman year.
So that's kind of the beginningof the work of the Lord in my
life.

Zak (03:36):
And so, yeah, Troy if you want to take us through
childhood up until high schooland youth group as well.

Troy (03:49):
Yeah, so I was very blessed to be born into the
family that I was, two parentsthat love the Lord.
They love each other and theyactually live with us now, and
so we are blessed to have themstill very close and involved in
our life.
But I was raised in the church.
I never can remember a timewhen we were not in church.

(04:12):
I can't remember my lifewithout the Bible or Jesus.
It's as common as anything else.
And yet there was a time I wassix years old and there was an
evangelistic week taking place,a revival week taking place.
We were living in Palm Springs,california, and so, because we

(04:35):
were out there every night thatweek, my parents let my sister
and myself kind of sit over withsome of the younger kids.
So, uh, I got up and I kind ofsnuck down to the altar because
my parents were like they wantedme to be older.
So, as I don't really rememberthis part but they tell, this
story is that I got up and Istarted walking down the aisle

(04:58):
and I turned around and lookedback at them and just smiled
like I got away.
And so, yeah, six years old, inkindergarten, I gave my life to
the Lord at the Jimmy NettlesRevival.
And so, yeah, they told me Ineeded to share the gospel.
So I went to school the nextday and got up for show and tell

(05:20):
and I told everybody that theyneeded to believe in Jesus,
otherwise they were going to dieand go to hell and burn forever
.
My practicing Jewish teacherdid not appreciate that, and so
they had a parent-teacherconference and said you need to
tell Troy, he can't say thosethings.
And my parents were like we'renot going to tell him that, and

(05:43):
so that just was the kind ofhome I was raised in.
Still in kindergarten I thentook my evangelistic efforts out
into the playground and we wereout there eating lunch and I
had we all came.
Some of you remember I was bornin 67, so, whatever, that would
have been like 73.
You guys remember our metalcartoon lunch boxes and I had

(06:08):
what is it?
Hr Puff and stuff, is that?
Yeah, I had HR Puff and stuff,and this became a prop for my
preaching, and so I began toshare the gospel with Peter,
dickie and Marley, and as Ishared with them, peter and
Marley gave their life to theLord, and Dickie did not give

(06:32):
his life to the Lord, so I triedto persuade him that he should
do that.
So I opened my lunchbox and Isaid put your hand in here.
And he put his hand in thereand I slammed it.
I said hell's going to be a lotworse than that.
Nobody taught me those things.

Zak (06:50):
They're just kind of fire and brimstone.

Troy (06:54):
So you know I was blessed to grow up in a really godly
home and his parents shared thegospel and the grace of the Lord
with that Jewish teacher.

Rebecca (07:03):
They didn't just say you know too bad, he's going to
say it.
I mean they shared with her andloved on her.
And just to wrap that up sothat you didn't think wow, okay,
yeah.

Troy (07:15):
And another part of my story, which I don't know how
this really ties in.
It kind of ties in, but it'sjust, I'll share it.
So I was probably in thirdgrade, so that was kindergarten,
and, um, yeah, peter did not Imean sorry, dickie did not
receive the Lord.
Um and uh, we were gettingready to move out to Orlando,
actually from Palm Springs, andso my parents were all out here

(07:37):
looking for a home.
We were back in California, um,staying with my grandmother, um
, in San Diego.
If you've ever been to SanDiego or Southern California in
the summer, especially like June, it's called June gloom or May
gray.
You don't see the sun in sunnyCalifornia until probably about

(07:57):
noon.
And so it was one of those daysand I looked out the window as
third grader and it was verycloudy and I said the plane is
going to crash into the side ofthe mountain.
And my grandmother did notappreciate that she goes why
would you say that?
I'm like I don't know.
You know, it's just a littleboy.
And we get to the airport andand I was a handful I, I know I

(08:20):
was a handful as a little kidand so she was ready for me to
go fly back to Palm Springs onthis little commuter flight.
And so we're in the San Diegoairport and I'm riding my
skateboard all over the airport.
She's ready for me to go.
And they said go ahead and geton the flight.
And with my sister, who wasolder, four years older, but my
mom had said do not getseparated from your brother

(08:41):
under any circumstances.
And so that point, we don't geton that flight, with much
protest from me, because onlythere's so small of a plane,
only there's only enough roomfor me to go, I was gonna be
able to ride in the cockpit.
I didn't ride on that plane.
That plane did end up crashinginto the side of the mountain
and dickie was on that flight.

(09:02):
So I've often wonder if thereever was something that happened
with that little guy.
And it's in that time whichwill come back maybe later in my
story that my mom and dad wereout and my mom said we've got to
go back to the hotel and prayfor Troy.
So they lined the time up andit was right at the time that my
sister and grandmother werebattling whether Troy was going

(09:25):
to get on the plane or not, andso my sister I mean, you know,
seventh grader prevailed overgrandma and I didn't get on that
plane.
But it was at that moment that,as my mom just felt a deep
concern for me and my well-being, that the Lord said to her Troy
will be fine and I'm going touse him in ministry.

(09:47):
I have many plans for his lifewhich they never told me until I
told them I was called intoministry.
So they held on to that.
So, yeah, it's a little bit ofmy early years.
I ended up moving from Orlandoout to Sunshine Ranches, not far
from here, and then we moved toTexas and then eventually back

(10:08):
to California and went toCalvary Chapel, costa Mesa.
And that's where I'm thenhaving a call of God in my life,
sensing it as a young man, 17years old, to be in full-time
ministry.
My parents wanted me to be atCalvary Costa to Mesa.
So bad to see that ministry umas a model, and so that's um

(10:29):
where I grew in my faith.
So you know, my teen years werenot the, the, the greatest uh
for the, the kingdom of God, ormy walk, and that's eventually
where we ended up.
Meeting was on a missions tripand in the youth group.

Zak (10:43):
Yeah, but if you want to tell us how you guys met, was it
love at first sight?
She?

Troy (10:48):
was totally swept off her feet.
Go ahead.

Rebecca (10:58):
No, I, um, I fell deeply in love.
I'm still deeply in love, but,um, when we met, we, um, I'm a
year older than he is I knowit's scandalous a year older, he
doesn't let me forget it either.
So I was a senior, he was ajunior.
We had the same group offriends, we were in the same
youth group it's a big youthgroup, but we had good friends.

(11:18):
And so it was after we bothgraduated that we started being
around one another more, becausewe both stayed around to be
counselors in the youth group,in the high school group there
at Costa Mesa.
And so then my car broke downand we had the same college
class, and so he started givingme rides and I just the Lord

(11:40):
started putting a spotlight onhim.
And, you know, I had broken upwith a boyfriend who, you know,
just the Lord had somebody elsefor me and for him.
And I had just told the Lord,you know, I don't want to date,
I don't want to do this, I justwant the person that you have
for me, lord.
And I really had sensed, evenin my high school years, even
without having the spiritualpedigree that he has, that I was

(12:05):
supposed to serve the Lord, youknow, and I began.
You know you're setting upchairs or you're running and
fetching or you're doingwhatever you need to do just to
help.
You know anything for Jesus, itdoesn't matter how little it is
, if it's for him, it matters,and he sees that.
And so, anyway, I knew somehow Iwas going to serve the Lord,

(12:27):
but I knew nothing aboutmissions and Bible, college and
you know, all these kind ofthings.
It wasn't in my world reallyuntil around this time, as I was
older.
And so, anyway, so we I hadjust told the Lord, I don't want
to have a boyfriend, I want tojust wait for the guy that you
have for me.
And so, just a few months laterwas when we started, you know,
hanging out more.
And then he, you know, westarted to, yeah, to get to know

(12:50):
each other, and we went out fora Coke.
He asked me if I would go outfor a Coke.
You know it was generic, it wasone of those.

Troy (12:57):
Big spender.

Rebecca (12:59):
We were going to.
But you know, we both kind ofknew that there was something,
you know perhaps, and it wassort of an evaluation and a
talking, and you know he justwas like listen, god's got a
call on my life and I'm nevergoing to be wealthy and rich and
I'm not going to be, you know,doing these things.
I'm going to seek the Lord andI know that I don't know what
that's going to look like, but Iknow it's going to be service

(13:31):
and he's like, you know,hopefully you're, you know
that's what you're all about andmight be going different places
for the Lord.
And I was just signed me upbecause by then I was like I
really like him and I felt likethe Lord was the one, you know,
making that happen.
And so, within six months ofthat time of me saying about six
months, you know, Lord, justbring the guy.
Then it was like, within liketwo, three weeks, it was like I
knew for sure it was going to behim.
We didn't get married until alittle bit later but it was like

(13:51):
, oh, this is great because youknow, and here's the thing for
you, men, and it works for bothof you, if you're the man.
Lead her spiritually.
Hear the voice of the Lord,seek the Lord, learn the voice
of the Lord, know what he'ssaying and leading you in.

(14:12):
Know that the Holy Spirit wantsto speak and lead you.
You're that male that God hasput in that relationship.
And, ladies, look for the guythat's doing that and encourage
your man.
If he's doing that, help him todo that, Encourage him to seek
the Lord.
And, yeah, if you're single, bethe woman that that kind of man
is going to be attracted to.
And, men, be the man, be theleader.
Recognize that a godly woman isgoing to have to follow and
submit to you, and so she'sgoing to want to know that

(14:33):
you're hearing from the Lord.
And it doesn't mean it's goingto always be perfect, you know.
But you can say I believe theLord is leading this way and
we're going to make thisdecision for our family, for our
kids, for our marriage, for ourfinances, whatever it is, and
she can follow that.
And that was the thing with him, that it was just like, oh my
goodness, he knows where he'sgoing, he knows what he's doing.
Praise the Lord.
That's what I want too.

(14:54):
Let's go.
So that's kind of how we right?
Am I leaving anything out?
That's important, Except yourmom?
That's kind of important,except your mom?
That's kind of important.
We were getting ready to go toEngland with the youth group for
a short-term missions trip andwe were having a meeting
beforehand and there was worshipand it was kind of a lively

(15:15):
song and I'm clapping andworshiping and we're just all
there and visiting and Troy'smom leaned over to her husband,
to his dad, and said, pointed atme, and said I want her for
Troy and he was like Zell.
And then they get home and tellTroy and he's like, oh, she has
a boyfriend, they're probablygoing to get married.
But then of course that's notwhat happened.

(15:35):
And so now we've been married36 years and she takes all the
credit for that.
She said I picked her out, Ipicked her out, I knew it was,
it was gonna be.

Zak (15:44):
So just a fun little thing that the lord did so so a quick
question, growing up in costamesa, so for some people that
have been around coverage chapel, they hear costa mesa, they
hear chuck.
I think you guys are theretowards the tail end of the
revival and some people canthink like, oh, I missed out, I
missed out on a great revival,being missing on a great.
Is there a difference in theair or in the building or in the

(16:07):
Bible study there compared towhether it's at Calvary Chapel
Lynchburg or Calvary ChapelMiami, calvary Chapel Philly?
Is there a difference there?
Or what would you say, almostas a word of exhortation, to
those that are here today at aCalvary Chapel and thinking, man
, I missed it, or what is Godgoing to do with me?

Troy (16:25):
Yeah, that's a great question.
We definitely loved our homechurch and Pastor Chuck and our
youth pastor, richard Cimino,and Valerie his wife and all the
people that poured into us andwe loved that.
And she was there a little bitearlier I didn't get there until
84, and you started going in1980.
no-transcript so she was even alittle closer and so, um, while

(16:49):
you didn't see the same kind ofuh Jesus, people kind of thing
taking place, um, I think whatyou, what I noticed uh coming in
, was that, uh, there was stilllike I guess the wave from that
was still, you could still sensethe presence of the Lord and
there's still a lot of peoplewere getting saved and stuff.

(17:11):
But for me, coming from thebackground, that I did, although
I was saved and called intoministry and baptized and
discipled in this denomination.
When I went to Calvary, costaMesa, I went to the youth group.
I was not happy to be there.

(17:31):
We moved in my second semesterof my junior year, I was not
happy to be moving at all and sowe went to this church and, of
course you can imagine, I haddetermined I was not going to
like anything except for where Iwas.
I was going to meet a newfriend.
I didn't want to go to a newchurch, I didn't want to go to a

(17:53):
new school.
I didn't care about any of that.
And, yeah, when I walked in andI saw people my age worshiping
and lifting their hands, and Iremember this one guy who became
a good friend of mine, actuallyjust bowing down and his hands
lifted up For me, what reallyhit me.

(18:14):
I wasn't thinking in terms ofrevival, I just remember
thinking that's not like thechurch I've gone to and I
remember just saying to the LordI can't remember the message,
but I can remember the worshipand I remember saying to the
Lord I don't know what that guyknows about you, that I don't
know, but I know I need to knowthat and I want to do that.

(18:35):
It's just a rededication of mylife.
So there's many great thingsthat were going on and I mean
our, the youth group was.
There's so many of us that arein ministry.
Some of you may maybe know Jimand Christy Gallagher down at
Calvary Chapel, vero Beach.
She was in our wedding.
We were taught home fellowshiptogether.
Jim and myself started teachinghome fellowship together.
So there's a lot of people thatGod was doing a great work and

(18:58):
then raised up in ministry andsent out.
But I mean, I can just tell youwhere the, wherever the word of
the Lord is, is preached andwherever um fellowship is taking
place and wherever people arewilling to respond to the Lord,
that's the place you want to beand um.
So I don't think we should everlong for what the Lord has not
put us in.
Um, you know, and and kind oflike I missed out, since I think

(19:21):
we can pray for it and want itin the sense of I missed out if
I wasn't there, I think I don't.
Yeah, I think the Lord isbigger than that and probably
the majority of the churchthroughout her history has lived
in a non-revival time.
That's where most of the churchhas lived.
And even if you look at you know28 chapters in the book of Acts

(19:44):
they say there's about oneamazing thing for every I'm
sorry, over a 28-year period,that there's about one amazing
thing that took place in everyone of those years in the book
of Acts.
So over 28 years, if you will,one amazing thing happens.
So then we can read the book ofActs.
So over 28 years, if you will,one amazing thing happens.
So then we can read the book ofActs and think like every
single day something off thecharts was taking place.

(20:07):
I'm sure there was more thanwhat's recorded, right, but I
think that's instructive becauseI mean, was it 40 years this
church been here?

Zak (20:17):
Yes, in 1989.
So 30, 35 years.
35 years 35 years.

Troy (20:23):
So I bet if you were to write down a history of every
amazing thing that God has doneat Calvary Chapel, miami, I bet
you'd come up with 35 of them.
You see what I'm saying.
And then, if you were to writethat and record that and begin
to talk about the good works ofthe Lord, you would stand back
and say I want to be a part ofit.
And yet here you sit, you are apart of it.
And yet here you sit, you are apart of it Amen, amen.

Zak (20:44):
So what was it like after you guys met, once you got
married?
Early marriage life?
What was that like?
Was it surfing in SouthernCalifornia, listening to the
Beach Boys?
What was that?

Rebecca (20:53):
like there was a lot of Beach.

Zak (20:55):
Boys, we did listen to the.

Rebecca (20:55):
Beach.

Troy (20:56):
Boys yeah, we did.

Rebecca (21:06):
So in that youth group we had been dating for, you know
, I guess about a year, and thatsummer that same youth group
went to australia on ashort-term submission trip,
which he went on.
I didn't go on that trip, Istayed home and um, so while
there the, the pastor, um thathad organized that missions trip
, um wanted to leave hisdenomination and start at
Calvary Chapel.
So he asked Troy and a buddy tocome back and help him.
These young guys right.
And so he's planning andpraying through that.

(21:28):
And then it's about it's duringthat sort of prep time when we
were at Christy Gallagher'shouse on a Friday night in a
prayer meeting and I was sittingthere going, lord, what's going
on?
I thought for sure we weresupposed to get married, but now
he's going to be gone and Idon't know what's going to
happen.
We haven't finished school, wehaven't, we don't have careers,
we don't.
You know, just kind of um Iwill say interceding with a dash

(21:48):
of whining, but it but it couldhave been the reverse, it could
have been the whining with adash of intercession, but I was
just being honest with the wasCause I was like what's going to
happen?
I don't know, and I just feltlike in flux and, you know,
because of the call of God on mylife and the call of God on his
life, the Holy spirit spoke tomy heart.
I mean, he might as well havejust been speaking audibly.

(22:10):
He just said he belongs to mebefore he belongs to you.
He's my man and I have a planfor his life that's going to
take him other places and if youare not on board with that,
then you need to break up withhim right now.
And it was like the Lord, justyou know how someone, when
they're two-year-olds on theground and they just kind of
pick them up when they're havinga tantrum and set them on their
feet, that's kind of what theLord did with me spiritually.

(22:32):
He was just so clear like I'mnot playing with you, I have a
plan and a purpose and for youand for him.
And so, anyway, I spent thesecond half of the prayer
meeting repenting and saying, ohLord, thank you, and giving the
relationship back to him andsaying, lord, I really want what
you want for him, I want whatyou want for me, and spent that
time and said, lord, just get usready.

(22:52):
Plan, you know, show us whatthe plan is, and so I could then
release him from ministry, andI can tell you honestly over the
you know.
So we got married, um, so hestayed for the fall.
And then that after thatChristmas I went for a visit um,
this is all Reader's Digestversion and then in January, um,
while I was visiting them, himin Australia, we got engaged,

(23:13):
went back to California in Apriland then went back together as
a married couple for a couple ofyears, just under, to help
start a Calvary Chapel.
We, we were 21, very young, andyou know, but that was God's
plan for us.
And so, yeah, we started ourmarriage on the mission field.
We know nothing of marriagewithout service.
Really, our whole relationship,even before marriage, it's

(23:34):
about the Lord, it's about thekingdom, you know, and I'll tell
you what.
There's a scripture that'spretty shocking and it says even
if you're married, you shouldlive like you're not.
And that doesn't mean, oh, Ishould ignore that.
I have a spouse like that guythat you mentioned this morning,
like that coach that said, well, I have this other goal, so
goodbye.
It's not like that.
The point is you're yokedtogether for the kingdom of God
and he has purposes for you, andso I can't allow that to over

(23:59):
the relationship or the personor what.
I want to overshadow thekingdom, and that we need to be
living for the kingdom first.
And so, um, honestly, in theentire 36 years, I can only
think of maybe a couple of timesthat I've ever said don't don't
go, I need you to stay, ordon't don't do that thing.
Um, because I really feel like awife is like Jonathan and his

(24:20):
armor bearer.
Remember that when they'resitting there with the
Philistines and he goes hey, itmay be, you know what, the Lord
doesn't need a whole army todefeat them.
He can do it with one or twopeople.
He goes hey, man, how about you?
And I go up and see whetherit's going to happen.
And you know what the armorbearer didn't say You're crazy,

(24:42):
what are you kidding?
He said do all that's in yourheart.
I am with you, and I thinkthat's a model.
Really, I use it as a model formarriage, because women, that's
what we should be standingthere with them and going I'm
with you, honey, let's go see,cause we live by faith, don't we
?
So in those years, I feel likethere's only been a couple that
I can think of.
It's not always been easy Russia, Yugoslavia, nepal, israel, all
over the place for the Lord,and it's been great to send him.
And then now, of course thatwe're a little older, I get to

(25:04):
come with him.
But so, anyway, you know, theways of the Lord really are the
best.
They're full of joy, they'refull of purpose, they're full of
just that sense that don't youlove, that when you're in that
place and you do something andyou go, that was that pleased
the Lord.
I feel so content in my spiritright now because I know that
was what the Lord wanted me todo.
And boy, we can live in thatpeace when we live with the

(25:27):
mindset of not my will, lord,but yours.
So, yeah, we started off on themission field and it was not
always an easy thing.
On the mission field we hadthings that we went through
planting a brand-new baby church, as young people, you know,
helping anyway.
But anyway, we learned a lotand we're still learning as we
go.

Zak (25:45):
So, troy, what was that like being you guys got married
at what?
21.
Then being married at 21,leaving from California all the
way to Australia.
I think some of the Hispanicmoms would pass out if their
kids did that.
Was it easy going with yourparents?
And then, what was that like?
Providing for a wife while alsodoing full-time ministry, while

(26:07):
also being in a foreign country?
You know how did you handlethat and how would you encourage
some of the young men that feellike they need the full career,
the full perfect house, thefull perfect insurance before
they could get married andprovide for a family?

Troy (26:21):
Yeah, I think you got to hear the voice of the Lord and
if the Lord is calling you to go, then you can't.
You know, you don't run itthrough to.
You know some, you know quickento see if, if you know, you can
fund God's plan.
I mean, you just got to go anddo what the Lord is calling you
to do.
And so, uh, yeah, my mom got togo and do what the Lord is

(26:44):
calling you to do.
And so, uh, yeah, my mom anddad were very supportive.
Again they, when I told him Ifelt called into ministry, they
said we know, um, when this cameup, they also knew that I've
been praying for at least a year, if not longer, about going to
Australia.
So they were supportive of theidea.
But then, when we were goingback as a married couple, my mom
said I'm so sad that you'regoing so far away.

(27:06):
Sensitive, young, 20-year-old,21-year-old says well, you know
what the Bible says mom, leaveand cleave.
And she goes yeah, it says that, but you don't have to do it
that far away.
And I'm like, well, yeah,that's true, but they were
supportive, they were verysupportive.
And I'm like, well, yeah,that's true, but they were
supportive, they were verysupportive.
They are supportive to thisvery day, I mean after every

(27:29):
Bible study.
You know, son, that was the bestBible study I've ever heard
Every every Bible study, and somom, dad, mom's not allowed to
come to a lot of the not allowedcome to a lot of the not
allowed.
She's she's allowed, but herhealth does not allow her to
come to a lot of the churchevents, so she listens online.
But, yeah, dad, the same way,so super supportive in in all of

(27:52):
that.
As far as providing for myfamily, um, let me just say this
I didn't, I didn't, I couldn'tmake money.
My visa did not allow me tomake money over in Australia and
all I was able to do was to getmoney from the startup church
that was really, really tiny,and so they, when I got there, a

(28:17):
check for 22 or,000 or $24,000was written yeah, australian
dollars and 30% to 40% less thanUS dollars and more expensive
over there to live.
And so this guy wrote thischeck, he handed it to me and of
course I'm 21 years old, I'dnever seen a check like that
before and he says here is yourmoney.

(28:39):
This is for the next two years.
You spend it all.
You don't get anything else.
My encouragement to you is totake this and put it in a
savings account and go and takeout what you need for that month
, each month, and don't touchthe rest.
And that's what I did.
And so, yeah, we live reallylean.

(29:00):
It was very lean.
We watched the Lord provide fora lot of things and so for the
first while you know peoplegiving us meals, we didn't buy
new clothes.
As a matter of fact, we cameback one time for a visit, and
probably about a year into it,and people noticed you're
wearing the same clothes whenyou left.

(29:22):
I'm like we are.
And they said did everybodyneed new clothes?
I don't remember who said thatto us, but we probably shouldn't
remember, but we do rememberthat, yeah, and we just didn't
have anything.
And we had food and we had aplace, anything, and we had food

(29:47):
and we had a place.
I mean, when we got there, theflat that myself and my, my good
friend, had, which was allborrowed, all borrowed,
everything in that house, I meaneverything.
We didn't own anything.
And when we got back there, all, all of it was gone.
And so we come walking back tothis flat of borrowed stuff and
there's nothing in there.
There's not a refrigeratoranymore, there's not a couch

(30:10):
anymore.
There might have been a tablestill a really rickety old table
.
Yeah, there's no bed, there'snothing, and so we had money
from the wedding.
So we just went in the car andwent down to this furniture
store and just said this is allwe have.

(30:31):
And I told him the story and,yeah, he, I think he hooked us
up big time and so they evenmight have delivered it that
night, I think, and so.
But you know, we just spenteverything we had because that's
all there was.

Rebecca (30:47):
But we learned about the provision of the Lord.
You know, I mean it's such agood thing.
We read all the stories in theBible about the provision of the
Lord and we're like isn't thatwonderful?
But we don't want to be put inthat place of need sometimes
because we want it to becomfortable and provided.
And so I mean, and we did too.
I mean we want to becomfortable too.

(31:07):
It's not like we're weirdos,but it's just nice that the Lord
, who promises to take care ofus, is going to do that.
He's good to his word.
You know, and we read thesewonderful biographies and
autobiographies George Mueller,the Lord providing for hundreds
of orphans and they have no food.
And he's like what do I do?
You know, lord providing forhundreds of orphans and they
have no food.
And he's like, what do I do?
You know, they're like we don'thave anything.
He said, well, sit the kidsdown at the table, you know.
And then what happens?

(31:27):
He goes to pray and then ding,dong, the door bell rings and
the milk truck had broken down.
Hey, I have all this milk.
It's all going to spoil in thesummer.
Do you want it?
Thank you, lord, you, lord.
And so we love that story, butdo we want to be in that
position?

Troy (31:45):
So, anyway, we began to learn and we still are learning
but, God is providing all of thetime for us, that's true, and I
think there was no panic, therewas no worry.
I was out of my mind, excitedthat I was in full-time ministry
.
I couldn't believe it.
I mean, I was in full-timeministry, I couldn't believe it.
I mean, you know, I was likewe're missionaries and we're
newly married and this is infront of us, so all of that

(32:07):
stuff we just didn't worry aboutit, you know, and both of us
came from our families, weren'trich, but you know, we're
definitely, you know,middle-class America and never
had want.
And you know, you knowmiddle-class America and never
had want and, you know, hadprobably more things that you
know we wanted and didn't needgiven to us, and so it's not

(32:28):
like we came from nothing, butwe I don't remember having a
moment of anxiety about nothaving that- and you know the
funny thing is we were there for, like I said, about two years
and our very first check thatwas from the church for us came
the week or the month, the week,right the week we were going

(32:49):
back home.

Rebecca (32:51):
So something had happened to where the Lord was
like, no, no, the provision isnot going to come from what you
expect and what you want to relyon.
You're going to learn to relyon me and you know quick story
too when we were in fast forwarda little bit, but when we went
from Australia back toCalifornia for a period of time,
had a baby and then anotherbaby, three years old, six

(33:12):
months old, the Lord called usto Virginia.
You have to then walk out thatwhole faith thing again.
Now we're starting our ownfellowship with little children
and very little, small church,small funds, all those things.
And I remember there was thenext year.
My daughter was the little oneand it was like, well, she's
going to need clothes for thenext season and there was no
money.
And I was like I've heard thestories of your provision, lord,

(33:34):
and I'm just going to seek you.
I'm not even going to tell Troy, I'm not going to say we've got
to charge money, we've got tocall your mom, we've got to call
my mom.
I was like, lord, I'm going togo in the secret place and I'm
going to seek you and I want tosee you do those things in my
own life.
And these are your promises.
And so I sat before the Lord andI prayed.
Lord, she needs clothes.
You know she needs clothes.

(33:54):
You love her.
You want to provide?
Next, like a week I mean withina few days we are at a t-ball
practice with our son and I'mjust sitting there.
I know nobody We've only beenin the town for about a year and
so I'm just sitting there andthis woman comes over oh hi, how
are you?
You know?
Oh, you have a son.
Yeah, my son's on that team too.
Oh, yeah, that's great.
She goes, my daughters are.

(34:14):
And then she looks at me andgoes does she need clothes?
And I just about fell off thechair.
It was like, uh-huh, she does.
And she said well, I have twindaughters that are just a little
bigger than she is.
Would you like some of theclothes?
And I was like, yes, I wouldThank you, lord Jesus.
And I gave glory to the Lord andsaid I have prayed for this

(34:35):
thing.
And she showed up at my housewith boxes of clothes and she
didn't dress her twins the same,so it was a ton of different
clothes.
And the Lord goes I hear you, Isee you Give the Lord that
opportunity to provide for yourlife, for what you need.
And so I was learning Again.
I'm still learning, I stillhave faith issues.
I don't always have perfectfaith now because of those

(34:56):
things, but you know, I can lookat those things and go.
Lord, you've been so faithful.
You hear me when I cry and ifyou're starting out, or in faith
and you're older, or if you'reyoung and you're starting out,
trust the Lord, know that hispromises are true.
So these are the things we'vebeen learning along the way,
right.

Zak (35:12):
Yeah, so, troy, if you want to take us from Australia
through the ministry route towhen you planted the church in
Lynchburg.

Troy (35:20):
So, after spending a couple of years in Australia,
we're coming to the time wherewe either had to, our visas were
coming to an end and I eitherneeded to renew the visas and or
come home.
So it was, it was decision timeand and I think even the whole

(35:41):
visa thing is just so amazing.
Before we went, you know Iwanted to go.
I'm young, I'm naive, I justknow I'm supposed to go to
Australia and so I, you knowwe're living in Orange County,
so I drive down to LA, go to theAustralian consulate, I walk in
and I said, hey, I need to getto visas for two years.

(36:03):
And he said, well, for us,we'll be doing this.
You want work visas?
I go, yeah, and the guy goes.
The lady said hang on a second.
So the guy comes out, themanager, and he goes what is it
you want?
And I told him he goes.
You can't just do that.
He goes, you can't just comedown here and get visas.

(36:28):
I said, okay, well, what do Ihave to do?
He goes, it doesn't work likethat.
I said, well, how does it work?
And I'll do that.
And he just said, well, youhave to do this.
And he's like I can't evenbelieve I'm helping you.
And so we go through this wholething and we get the visas.
And now a friend of ours, someof you may know, uh, bill and
joy welsh.
They also went to australiaafterwards and it was a
nightmare for them to get thosethings.
And, um and the lord just goesbefore you and just provides.

(36:51):
So now we're in this visa thing.
I still don't know.
It's hard to get a visa at thispoint in my life, um, and so
we're just like well, what do wedo?
And we had a strong call tocome home and we got home and
that first support check was atthe house by the time we got
there.
We surprised family.
We didn't tell them.
And I get back and they're likehey, you got a support check.

(37:13):
I'm like, oh, 100 bucks, this isawesome, we need this.
And I thought, ah, and I wasmeeting with Pastor Chuck that
week and I was like I bettertell him that we're home.
I don't know if I should cashthis check or not.
So I was in the meeting.
I went to his office and metwith him and I said, hey, we got
this check.

(37:33):
So first support check came.
He goes well, I guess you won'tneed that anymore.
And he took it.
I remember thinking, yes, I do.
I'm living in my house,sleeping in my old bedroom with
my wife.
Yes, I think I need that ahundred bucks.
Well, he just said to me youneed to go.
You need to find somebody thatyou can be on staff with.

(37:53):
I think you have a lot morelearning to do.
He was 100% right.
And so the Lord led us to go onstaff at Calvary Chapel Vista.
And so the Lord led us to go onstaff at Calvary Chapel Vista.
We were on staff there for fourand a half years and Pastor
Brian had a huge heart to sendguys out all over the world to
go plant churches.
And he, yeah, there's a whole.

(38:15):
I don't know how much time wehave.
It is an amazing story of howthe Lord led and he guided us.
At that time I was a missionspastor and we had gone, we're
doing I'd gone on a missionstrip to Ukraine, I'd gone to a
missions trip to Hungary andmissions trip to Subotica, we're
doing conferences as we wentalong.
And so this is.

(38:36):
You know, when I met RichChafin and and so so I remember
sleeping on the kitchen floor inHungary, and we're about now to
depart and go home and the Lordsaid you've come and you
visited your friends who arepastors and missionaries here
planting these churches.
It's now time for you to gohome and it's time for you to go
plant a church somewhere.

(38:57):
It was very clear.
And so then I come home and theyoung man who had borrowed my
guitar left a note in the casethat was waiting in my office.
He said hey, if you ever go tostart a church, let me know.
I'm your worship leader.
I thought, well, that'sinteresting, tony.
And so then Pastor Brian saidhey, tell me about the trip.

(39:19):
So he called me into office andI began to just run down how
the mission trip went.
And he says I hope you don'ttake this the wrong way, but he
goes.
Well, you were gone.
The Lord told me it's time foryou to leave and I said I know
it.
And so I told him that I wentand got the note and I laid it
out in front of him and he said,all right, well, now we know

(39:47):
where you're going.
Where are you going, like Idon't know?
And so there's just super neatconfirmation that the Lord gave
to us, and eventually we foundout about a need in Lynchburg,
virginia, and the only thingthat really was on our list of
what we wanted to do was wewanted to go somewhere where
there wasn't a lot of Calvarychapels.
So I wanted to go somewherewhere yep it just it wasn't
there.
I wanted, I wanted to bring theexperience of what I had at

(40:11):
Calvary Chapel in the worshipand through the word, and I
wanted to bring that into acommunity that didn't have it,
because I often looked back andthought how would have I lived
my life, what would have myChristian walk been different if
I would have been in a placewhere I was being fed and taught
like that?
So that was kind of pretty much.
Our only standard was we had toget away from other Calvary

(40:33):
chapels, and so Lynchburg,virginia, sounded dangerous, and
um, it's really not, it's namedafter a guy by the name of John
Lynch.
But it sounded dangerous andthere were no Calvary chapels
within hours of that, and so wemade our way out there Did you
know anybody in Virginia whenyou guys went out there.
No, we didn't know, any Well,take that back.

(40:56):
Joey Buran had been on staff atVista with us and so he had gone
out to start a church inVirginia Beach and I knew it had
gone well and I knew a familywas looking to see a Calvary
Chapel get started there.
I called them.
They ended up calling Joeybecause Joey was driving four
hours out from the beach to do aBible study with them.

(41:18):
Because they were looking andthey told, say hey, do you know
Troy?
And he's like like, yeah, Iknow Troy, so Joey calls me.
So we had all these kind ofcool connections happening, but
not among that group, yeah, notin Lynchburg.
So we packed up and as we weregoing and started to go, the
church really supported us, Imean financially and I mean in

(41:38):
so many different ways.
I really got behind this andsuper blessed by the generosity,
and then people started funnyout.
They're like, hey, we want togo with you, we want to go with
you.
And so the Lord put togetherlike this team of people we had
a worship leader and a guy thatwas going to do youth and a guy
that was going to do theevangelism.
And yeah, I mean some of thesepeople we didn't know.

(41:59):
Some of these people we met forthe first time and they
followed us out.
A married, you know oldercouple followed us out.
He was assistant pastor and sheand we're still like very close
and some of them have gone withthe Lord.
One guy is falling away fromthe Lord.
Most of these people are juststill a part of our life, and so
the Lord put together this likelaunch team, but that was

(42:22):
before the days in which anybodyknew what a launch you know,
church planning team would evenbe it just like, yeah, let's go,
let's go, let's go.
And so we had a team that camewith us and there was about
three couples okay um that werethere so about 12 minutes left.

Zak (42:38):
So what was it like raising three young kids going cross
country from California toLynchburg not knowing anybody,
with two little ones?
So what was it like raisingyoung kids in ministry?
Low income parents aren'tnearby, family's not nearby.
What was that like for you guys?

Troy (42:55):
That was definitely tough, not having family around,
because we're a close family, sonot having anybody around made
it difficult.
But what the Lord had was a lotof other families that were
moving into Lynchburg FromCalifornia At that time and a
lot of them had gone to CalvaryChapel and they didn't have

(43:16):
family either.
So these people that were cominginto the church With kids the
same age Became like our familyand so we did Easter and
Christmas and birthdays and allkinds of events like this.
And so there was just thistight-knit group and it was

(43:36):
obviously a very smallfellowship, so small that when
we did, when church was over,I'd say, hey, who wants to go
out to the restaurant?
And we all would go out to therestaurant together and very
sweet times, very, you know,wonderful things.
So the Lord really provided,just within the body of Christ
that you know that.
And yeah, finances were tough.

(43:58):
Sometimes she would workpart-time, you know, sometimes I
got a job, I was deliverednewspapers and became
affectionately known as PastorTroy, the paper boy, whole story
and all that.
But the Lord provided and theLord has blessed us.
The Lord has blessed us, youknow Was it easy raising kids?

Zak (44:21):
Did they always walk with the lord, three angels, three
saints?

Troy (44:24):
I know you guys in your story not necessarily walking
away from the lord or anythingwell, I did have some years,
although my parents, if theyheard this, would find out for
the first time that I was not.
Um, I asked, I told my mom, shesays one day.
She said you know what she was.
We're so proud of you, how youhave followed the Lord.
And I said mom, I don't think Iwas as good a kid as you

(44:44):
thought I was.
She goes, and I'm not as naiveas you think I am.
I said well, let's leave itthere, she goes.
Why don't we leave it there?
So, so, um.
So I had some years um, but Inever turned my back on the Lord
.

Rebecca (45:00):
All before he got from Texas to.

Troy (45:03):
California, that's right yeah.

Rebecca (45:04):
Once he got to California and got in that youth
group, that's when the Lordreally got a hold.

Troy (45:10):
Yeah, big time.

Rebecca (45:11):
So from 17 on it's not been that long.

Troy (45:14):
Yeah, there's not been that, so, yeah, so we, our kids,
we're, we're just very blessed.
They may say, well, there'sstories that you don't know
about mom and dad.
And I might say, well, we'renot as naive as you think we are
and we leave it at that too,but it's been a joy and a

(45:37):
blessing and our kids have nothad rebellious years.
They have not turned away fromthe Lord.
I'm sure all of them had theirown trials and testings and they
had to work things out, but asa decision of their life or as a
season of their life, theynever denounced or walked away
from the Lord.
And we are just so superblessed by that.

(46:02):
And even to this day I think Imentioned it maybe, maybe this
morning but our kids are stillwalking with the Lord and
they're married to spouses thatserve the Lord and they're
raising their kids in the waysof the Lord, and it is the
greatest joy of our life.

Zak (46:18):
Yeah, any specific nugget or mindset that you guys had
raising kids?
Because a lot of pastors kidsaren't so fortunate or aren't
doing so well, a lot of themgrow bitter at the ministry or
bitter at the Lord.
Was there any specific mindsetyou guys had in in raising them?
Said, hey, let's, let's trythis a little bit different?
Or a certain burden the Lordput on your heart?

Troy (46:39):
I don't think we were that intentional about trying to
avoid our kids from beingshipwrecked because we were in
the ministry.
I don't think it ever crossedmy mind that that would happen
Again.
We were so young when westarted in ministry and I want
to answer that question verycarefully, because I don't know

(47:04):
that we did things that otherparents didn't do, and so in
offering up what we did, I don't.
I think it's more like aproverb, it's not a promise.
Right, these are principles andso, but I would say this and
I'll let you speak I think theone thing maybe this is too,

(47:26):
we'll see that was mostimportant outside of the obvious
things like you know, likeraising your kids, having
devotions, spending time withthem, and devotions like family
devotions, are the most chaoticthing on planet earth.
You know, do them, try, goodluck have, just keep trying.
But you're probably going tohave the conversation in the car

(47:47):
.
That's my conclusion.
I would give myself a C forfamily devotions and an A plus
for car ride Bible time.
So yeah, of course, all ofthose things right, get them in
church, get them in the youthgroup, get them serving, teach
them to get themselves away.
All of those things right, getthem in church, get them in the

(48:08):
youth group, get them serving,teach them to get themselves
away, all of those things.
But I would say what I think isprobably the most important was
that I was not one man in thepulpit and a different man at
home.
I was the same person,certainly not perfect.
I apologize to my kids a lotfor, you know, not handling
things properly and said, youknow, daddy got angry and I

(48:28):
shouldn't have, or you know,this was not right or that was a
stupid rule I made.
Let's just burn it up and notdo that again.
There's all kinds of thingslike that.
But the one thing I was, I wasconsistent with the person I was
.
I was honest.
When I missed the mark, even infront of them, I would, I would
apologize, but I loved theirmama and they really loved their
mommy, and so I loved her,still love her, respected her

(48:54):
and served her, and so I thinkthat a lot of times, um, that
can just ruin kids, you know,especially when they have this,
this, uh, you know, christianideal that's put in front of
them.
And so I think that me lovingher and her loving me, um, I

(49:16):
think that went a long way, butI don't know if there's anything
you add to that.

Rebecca (49:20):
So we had the two when we got there and we had another
one two years later.
So we ended up with three, ason and two daughters.
And, uh, so think I want to sayfirst of all, I think the
ministry and I think church getsblamed for a lot of stuff.
Oh, it's the ministry and Ithink we're just trying to find
a reason why somebody doesn'twant to walk with the Lord.
And we can call it church hurt,we can call it you know

(49:40):
different things that people sayand I think that you know what
that people say and I think thatyou know what.
Jesus didn't hurt you.
Jesus will never hurt you andhe's the one that we're
following, and so I kind of wantto sort of put that out there.
I think ministry gets blamed fora lot of things because you
know what we're all in ministry.
I mean it looks a littledifferent in our lives than
yours, but you're walking infaith, you're taking steps of

(50:02):
faith and pressing on andseeking the Lord for his will,
for your life and for your kidsand maybe your grandchildren.
Now, so, yeah, I think you knowloving them, speaking, you know
, you know he was gone, like Isaid he would, he would leave
for a couple of weeks at a timeand I had to choose what kind of
woman I was going to be.
Am I going to be the woman whojust complains?

(50:23):
I'm taking care of all thesethree kids and he's gallivanting
all over the world and he getsto do all the fun stuff and I'm
home wiping noses and, you know,mopping up floors and all of
those things.
Or I could go hey, kids, daddygets to serve Jesus.
Let's pray for Jesus, pray foryour dad, that Jesus would just
fill him and that great thingswould happen.

(50:43):
And let's pray that daddy'ssafe and let's have, you know,
pancakes for dinner.
I was the hero.

Zak (50:50):
You know.

Rebecca (50:50):
So you can either just really resent where God has you
or you can choose to say, man,we get to be a part of what God
is doing and this is our part.
You know my part and I lovedthat part.
I loved being a mom and raisingmy children.
Was it hard when he was gone?
Did the dog get sick and thekids miss the bus and the
refrigerator breaks down and youknow all that stuff happens

(51:11):
because there is a whole warfareaspect, isn't there, of walking
with the Lord.
But, man, I had to make thatchoice of saying you know, I
love that he gets to do whathe's doing and I'm so a part of
that and he was so good atmaking sure that we knew that
this was our thing we're doing,even though we were in different
places for those days.
So, you know, I think it'schoice to do that and to try to

(51:34):
model that.
I tried to model that for mykids.
Serving Jesus is awesome.
You know, it's not like we gotto go to church.
You know, come on, you betteract right.
You're the pastor's kid.
Never did that come out of mymouth to my kids.
You know, you better make melook good.
You know.
I used to tell them this thoughwhen you go to someone's house,
use your good manners.
Leave the bad manners at home.

(51:54):
Take the good ones with you.
Please don't embarrass me byhow you eat, you know, or
whatever.
But I never wanted to pull thaton them.
Of that.
They had a responsibility.
It's the adult's responsibilityto model for children.
It doesn't matter who theirparents are, and so we never
pulled that on them either.
It was just like you know whatthey're a kid, and we're going
to point them to Jesus as bestwe can and love each other and
have a home that was.

(52:15):
Jesus was at home, you know, and, like I said, I did not come
from a Christ-centered home atall.
We had a really big fat Bibleon the table, but we never
talked about Jesus.
My parents were not born againuntil much later in their lives,
and I'll tell you what.
When I was 15 and went to thebeach and got baptized, my
parents were like you did what?
Oh my gosh, what are you doing?
I mean, sat me down.

(52:36):
Me and my sister both had a bigtalk, what are you doing?
And I was just likeno-transcript me to say it.

(52:56):
Whatever it was, find me laterand I'll think of it, but, um,
anyway, doing um our best forthe lord and and for the
children and just loving themand and uh yeah yeah, it's just
a blessing to do anything forthe Lord.
It doesn't matter Again ifyou're setting up chairs, if
you're on the mission field, ifyou're, oh, teach the children.
You know, I mean, if you'redoing whatever you're doing, it
doesn't matter how young you are, how old you are.

(53:17):
You can do something for theLord, you know, and just honor
him with how that looks.
And so, anyway, I don't know.
There's so many things to talkabout from now we're.
Now we're like empty nesters,but we moved in to a house with
his parents, which is justglorious and fun.
But you know, adult children,adult.
You know, parenting adults,that's harder than three year

(53:38):
olds.
I'm just warning you, those ofyou who have little ones, when
they are adults, that's when itbecomes challenging.
But anyway, I told him, I saidI taught you to follow Jesus,
but I meant follow him here, butthey all followed him.
No, I want them to follow theLord.
Anyway, I'll shut up, okay.

Zak (53:56):
So, then, I mean just wrapping up within our church
family in this season, we have alot of couples that are now
taking care of their elderlyparents or a spouse having taken
care of their spouse as theydecline in age.
Is there anything the Lord'sbeen showing you guys as now
those roles begin to reverse, or, if they've already reversed,
just an exhortation or justsomething the Lord's been

(54:18):
showing you guys, as now you'reministering to and caring for
your parents your mom not alwaysbeing able to be healthy enough
to be at church any specificexhortation there?

Troy (54:29):
Yeah, I think this is they're still able to take care
of themselves, they're stilltaking care of things, but we
know that them being in theirmid-80s, things can begin to
change at any time.
So we try to be alert to that,try to serve them, try and take
responsibilities off of him thatare just too much, try to find

(54:52):
ways to involve him.
You know, because he dideverything right.
I mean, he didn't pay anybodyto do anything.
That's why he had me and that'swhy, you know.
So we did everything.
You know, we painted everything, we fixed everything.
We, you know, that was my dadand he wasn't going to pay
anybody to do it.
So now and you just mentionedthis, he's got, you know, all of

(55:16):
these tools and all this stuffthat he really cannot use the
way he used to, and so that'schanged.
And so that's changed.
And to make certain that, yeah,you know, my sister called me
and she's, you know, because dadwas out doing something.

(55:36):
She goes.
I heard that dad's out doing.
She lives in Colorado.
I heard that, you know, dad isout, I don't know, mowing the
yard or doing something.
I go, yeah, he is.
And and she said what do youthink that's a good idea.
And I said do you mean, do Ithink he might get hurt?
And she goes, yeah, and I said,yeah, he might.
I said, but it's going to hurthim even more if I tell him not

(55:56):
to do that, so let's let himjust do it.
So.
And then there's other thingsthat I'm like I'll step in and
say get off off that ladder,well, I can do this.
He said, no, you can't.
I said, because if you fall,you have not helped me.
So I can talk to my dad like,all right, big guy, you know
I'll get off the ladder, youknow, so I can talk to my dad

(56:16):
like that, it's notdisrespectful.
So I think that you know I'mlearning to.
You know, find ways.
Although there's veryself-sufficient, there's certain
things physically that theycan't do.
But I also have to be carefulthat I just don't yank
everything away from them andstill give them that opportunity
and find the things that I caninvolve them.
Him, really, I mean, he's thedoer of stuff.

(56:39):
So so you know, hey, dad, canyou do this for me?
I could do it.
But you know I'm looking forthose ways and it truly is
helpful to me as well.
But rather than just doing itrunning.
I try to involve him with thosethings.
And then also, yeah, they getforgetful.

(56:59):
As you get older, you getforgetful and so there's no
reason to get frustrated withthat.
And so I had to say again, or Ihad to repeat myself again, and
well, I don't think anybodylikes doing that, but you know,
we were even talking about this.
I said, why do I feel like I'vegot to remind him that you've

(57:20):
already told me that or I'vealready told you?
That accomplishes nothing.
It's not going to move the balldown the field at all.
I just need to just tell themagain or just listen to the
story again.
And so I think, just walking inpatience and love and not
allowing things to irritate theyput up with me, they still puts

(57:42):
up with me.

Rebecca (57:44):
Yeah, I think there's that kindness.
And I just want to say onething about the elderly.
Thing is so my mom became ill,had a stroke-like event that
they could never verify, but shebecame bedridden for three and
a half years and she didn't livenear me, we were in Virginia
and she was in just outside ofMemphis, tennessee, where my

(58:06):
sister was, so she had the bruntof it.
My sister did trying to figureout care for my mom.
So you know it was three and ahalf years of regularly me
driving all the way 11 hours oneway and one, you know, back and
visiting and trying toalleviate for my sister and
minister to my mom and be therefor her and honor the Lord.
Because it wasn't easy with mymom.
She was not an easy woman.

(58:26):
She became harder and harder astime had gone on.
It was prickly and hard andpainful and insulting and all
these things.
But this is my mother and I'm aChristian woman who wants to
honor the Lord and the word ofGod tells me to honor my mom.
So I'm going out there.
My dad had already passed and soI would have people in my
fellowship who love me and arepraying for me and they know

(58:48):
that it's not easy and thatshe's ill and that's painful to
know she's going to go soon andnot knowing how long she would
linger, and they would ask mehow's it going?
How's your mom?
How can I pray for youregularly, like probably weekly,
at least once during one of theservices, whatever?
And and I was tempted at thebeginning, you know you want to
give information, but then whenyou start feeling it and it can,

(59:10):
when a trial goes longer, youget trial fatigue a little right
.
And I was like I start, I foundmyself saying, oh, it's really
hard.
I wish the Lord would just sortof take her home and relieve
her and relieve us.
And it's hard to see her likethat and it's hard to get out
there and everyone'scompassionate and kind and you
know, and the Lord again spoketo my heart and went you need to
stop talking, because you'recomplaining about my will for

(59:33):
her life, the number of days Ihave for her and what I've
assigned to you for this season.
You need to be quiet and watchyour words, because what we say
about our circumstances reflectson who our Father is and God is
never not good.
He is always good, he is alwaysloving, he never does anything
outside of love and he allowedmy mom, for whatever reason in

(59:56):
her own life, to suffer for awhile, and now she's in glory,
she's not suffering anymore.
And I just needed to just say,all right, lord, I'm just going
to be quiet, I'm going to pray,and when someone asks me, I will
say, oh, oh, it's a little,it's hard to see her like that.
Yeah, just pray for her, prayfor us.
And then how about that weatheror you know whatever?
Just so, try to change it from.

(01:00:17):
Oh, it's so hard and I make theLord look bad when I speak that
way, and so you know, um, it's.
That goes for many differentthings in our lives.
You know, speaking well of theLord and it's, yeah, I just
think, being careful about whatwe're saying, because it's not
an easy thing to watch anybodyyou love decline and having to

(01:00:37):
care for them and feeling thepull between all the other
responsibilities that we have,responsibilities that we have.
So, anyway, that was one thingthe Lord had really was teaching
me was just to be quiet and notcomplain, which is so biblical.
I mean, the Bible tells us,right, do all things without

(01:00:58):
complaining and murmuring Like,oh, was that what I was doing.
I thought I was just sharing,yeah no, no, I was complaining
about the situation and makingyou know, really just sort of
impugning the Lord with beingunkind, and God is never unkind,
and so, yeah, that's one thingthat I would say I would share
If you get to that place withsomeone in your life.
Yeah, just be careful what yousay.

Zak (01:01:17):
So, in closing, is there any one nugget that comes to
mind, or one overarching themeor scripture that the Lord has
sort of reminded you in thedifferent season of life, that
you just want to let the flockknow about as we close up?

Troy (01:01:33):
I just I think the that the Lord is faithful in all
those seasons.
Whether it's you know, you knowTroy in the airport
skateboarding around, drivinggrandma crazy, he's faithful to
protect.
Or whether it's having a familyand not having provision,
having to deliver papers to putfood on the table, or whether

(01:01:58):
it's any season of life, theLord is faithful.
You can trust him and you learnto cling to him and rely upon
him.
And the psalmist says all daylong.
I know I've waited upon theLord and I think we're good
sometimes for maybe about 30minutes, but the idea is not
even like 12 hours or 24 hours.
The idea is I'm not lookinganywhere else except for the

(01:02:19):
Lord.
And so, yeah, let the Lord showup in your life.
And so sometimes you're gonnahave to endure need and you're
to have to endure the unknown ordiscomfort, but that's when you
get to see the Lord show up,that's when you get the stories,
when you get the testimoniesand you're able to pass them on.

Intro (01:02:37):
We hope you enjoyed Friends and Family, unique
conversations recorded andproduced in our studios, where
you get a chance to hear whatGod is doing in people's lives.
Jesus tells us in John 15,verse 15, I have called you
friends For all things that Iheard from my Father I have made
known to you.
So that's why we love to sharethese exclusive interviews with
you.
Our hope is that through theirstories God will be made known

(01:03:01):
to you, but you can only findthem here on God's Way Radio.
Just check GodsWayRadiocom forour full program schedule.