When my friend Mark McCraw and I reflect on our lives, it's clear that the most transformative moments often spring from the deepest trials. This episode is a testament to that truth as we share the powerful shifts from secular existence to a life embraced by faith in Jesus Christ. Together, we navigate the memories of our previous worldly endeavors, discussing how adversity and a sense of purpose in our professional lives led us down a path to spiritual enlightenment. Mark's leap of faith into the world of Christian radio with me, a mission that resonated hope throughout the Gulf Coast, is a cornerstone of our fellowship that continues to thrive.
Mark's story takes an even more touching turn when he recounts the emotional odyssey with his late wife Patrice – from their love's beginning, through the hardships of infertility, to her valiant battle with cancer. The grace found in their son Grayson, the comfort drawn from the phrase "Thy Will Be Done," and Savannah’s unwavering support highlight an episode that is as much about healing as it is about loss. And as we conclude, I share advice for parents fostering their children's passions and the significance of imparting spiritual wisdom, trusting in God's timing. It's a conversation that promises to move hearts and strengthen beliefs, shining a light on the enduring message that through it all, Jesus is the constant answer.
- If you would like to be a guest and share your story, click this link: https://thepromoter.org/story/
Thanks for Listening, and subscribe to hear a new episode each week!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ron Meyers (00:00):
A friend for many, many years.
Welcome to the studios, mark.
Thank you, very nice studio.
Well, I wanted to talk with youbecause you and I have a past.
I mean you and I before Jesus'days and after Jesus' days, and
where did we first meet?
Mark McCraw (00:17):
Back in 1985.
I moved here to the coast in 84, and we were doing an event
with the radio station and Ithink I met you in your office
back in 1985 when you werewearing the starch crisp shirts
with nice ties and littlesuspenders.
Ron Meyers (00:32):
Suspenders.
Yeah, I looked important.
That was important in my ownmind.
But yes, in our journey, bothled us different roads.
How did you meet Jesus?
Mark McCraw (00:46):
Uh, both led us different roads.
How did you meet Jesus?
It was July, june or July of1998 before Hurricane George
came, came ashore.
It seemed like everybody I raninto in my just daily travels
around the coast, going to thestore and whatnot.
It seemed like everybody wastelling me about Jesus.
And I thought to myself why areall these people telling me
about Jesus?
(01:06):
And then, in August of 98, Ifound out why that's when my
wife at the time was going tofile for divorce.
And all of that led to megetting back into a men's group
in church.
Even though I wasn't officiallygoing to the church yet, I
(01:27):
started going to the men'smeetings once a month.
And then in December December7th 1998 is when I actually
walked the aisle and gave mylife to Christ.
Ron Meyers (01:37):
Wow, you know and you bring up a point that
sometimes I encourage people.
If you don't really know aboutJesus, just test the waters.
Go to a study group once amonth.
Just go check it out, see if wereally have little antennas
coming out of our head and if wecan talk in weird language.
No, we're just normal peoplelike everybody else that wanted
(02:00):
to trade in our life of so manynonsensical things that we did
in life to a life of peace,purpose and passion.
And now when I met you, youwere secular radio.
Mark McCraw (02:16):
You've been on like radio all over the state of
Mississippi.
Basically, yeah, yeah, yes.
I got started in radio in 1980,back in Hattiesburg, when I was
going to USM studying criminaljustice, and I decided that
radio was what I wanted to doinstead of being a police
officer getting shot at.
Ron Meyers (02:33):
So that's it.
And when I had an opportunityin 2000, and I believe it was
one or two or something tobecome manager of American
Family Radio Gulf Coast, Icalled you and I said, mark, I
need you for the morning showand because you're such a godly
(02:55):
man and you're such anincredible presence on radio,
and you did the journey that'sright, it was after Candy
Anderson had left WAOY back inthe day and you were the journey
.
Mark McCraw (03:04):
That's right, it was after Candy Anderson had
left WAOY back in the day andyou were the manager.
You called me and I don't know,it was just.
You know, when you called meand asked me about doing a
morning show, I thought, wow,yeah, okay, this would work.
Ron Meyers (03:17):
You know, because at the time our pastor at
Northwood had gotten us in thehabit of reading the one-year
Bible on a daily basis and I hadalready been through the Bible
probably five times, cover tocover, and I just realized that
there was so much encouragementin the Word of God that it would
just benefit anybody, whetherChristian or not, and so you and
(03:40):
I, I started assembling a teamof sharp people and our message
was this and I had no experiencein Christian radio, but I did
have an organization in theproduction business was to take
this station and we call it thelight of the Gulf Coast and put
(04:01):
it all over the Gulf Coast andjust promote Jesus.
And we had fun, didn't we?
We?
Mark McCraw (04:06):
did, absolutely, we had fun, you know, in WAOY at
that time, because of theplacement of the tower and the
antenna, we had phone calls frompeople up in Jackson saying
they were picking us up.
Ron Meyers (04:20):
Yeah, I know, yeah and only God could do that.
And then of course I know, yeah, only God could do that.
And and then of course, lifechanges.
But I do want to go back tosomething because, friends, I
want you to get this picture.
When Mark and I first met, hewas at a secular radio station
and he was an emcee for some ofmy events that had bikini
(04:42):
contest and we were selling lotsof beer.
So we were having fun in theworld, but at the right time,
with God's awesome destiny mind,he took us in separate journeys
, took us out of the world andput us in Jesus.
And today we've been friendsfor many years.
(05:02):
And how many years?
Well, 1998.
I was 1999.
I didn't realize we were thatclose together of really coming
to know Jesus.
Mark McCraw (05:11):
It's amazing you know God's timing, how he works
things together for our good andfor his purpose and his will.
Ron Meyers (05:19):
And I'll never forget how we saw it with this.
When we were the station, wehad what was called an open door
policy.
We wanted people to come by,have coffee, get a prayer,
whatever they needed to do, andwe had people coming in all the
time of just some encouragementand to see the body of Christ in
action by just loving peopleand praying with them.
(05:42):
It was pretty special.
Mark McCraw (05:44):
It was.
It was really special.
You know we were talking aboutyou and I getting saved about
the same time.
You used to have the WarehouseChurch back in.
What was that?
99 or 2000?
Ron Meyers (05:57):
Well, let me give you a little background.
I had the Warehouse Church but,friends, it was not a church,
it was a warehouse full of allmy props and buildings for my
festivals and the beer boothsand everything.
Well, when I started followingJesus, I was poor.
I was so poor I couldn't payattention.
(06:18):
But I was happy and I had toclose this warehouse.
Nobody wanted that wood, nobodywanted the two by fours, Nobody
wanted the signage the four byeight sheets of plywood.
And I really heard that quietvoice that said build a church.
To make a long story short,because it's all in my book and
I'll send it to you if you wantone listeners.
(06:39):
Within seven days we had a andthen I felt the Lord say go,
invite people from Feed my Sheepand the Red Cross and do it on
a Tuesday night.
Don't compete with the churches.
And we just started, you know,doing a service with some music
and you know maybe three or fourpeople inside the warehouse and
(07:01):
it just started growing.
And remember that we wouldoften look up in this warehouse
and see rats go across therafters and if people went to
the restroom you could hear whatthey were doing.
Mark McCraw (07:14):
But nobody cared, mark, because we were just
looking for an encounter withJesus Exactly, and I think the
people that attended thewarehouse church, they were
looking for an encounter withJesus too, because and we've
talked about this before that somany of the people who came to
the warehouse church probablywould never set foot in a
(07:35):
regular church because they feltlike they would not be welcomed
.
Ron Meyers (07:38):
You know, and and, and I've always felt that the
ministry that God has called meto is outside the four walls, in
a warehouse, at the Walmarts,at the gas stations, the radio
for podcasts, that people, who'sgoing to hit the people that
don't go to church?
We can invite them, but they'renot going to come to church.
(08:00):
Maybe at Christmas, maybe atEaster.
So let's go meet them.
Let's find innovative ways tothink outside the box to reach a
hurting population that reallydoes need Jesus.
They just don't know it becauseno one's really ever
communicated the real Jesus tothem.
In my opinion, You're right.
Mark McCraw (08:19):
You're right, Exactly right.
You know, and a lot of thepeople that came to the
warehouse church were homeless.
Oh yeah, you know.
Ron Meyers (08:24):
I can remember one gentleman, a young guy by the
name of.
Mark McCraw (08:25):
Robert, you know, and a lot of the people that
came to the warehouse churchwere homeless.
Oh yeah, you know.
I can remember one gentleman, ayoung guy by the name of Robert
, you know, that used to come tothe warehouse church.
He would always show up on hisbicycle yeah, with no seat, no
seat, no seat.
He would ride that bicyclestanding up and he would come to
the warehouse church on Tuesdaynights and he was such a good
guy and just talking to him youcould see that there was that
(08:46):
spark in him.
Ron Meyers (08:47):
Yeah, and there were times that one of there was a
few people that had to spend thenight in the warehouse church
or they stayed there and reallythere wasn't anything in there
except the little rats runningaround.
I said, hey, if you don't mind,you can be the security guard,
but we had such a love forpeople in the community and we
(09:07):
would go out often and we'd fireup the grill, have some hot
dogs free for the people, somehamburgers, and come and go
outside the warehouse, out ontothe yard, across the street, and
just do something.
And you know, there's somethingabout the freedom in Christ
when you don't know any better.
And what I mean is no training,no classes, you just start
(09:32):
doing something and talkingabout Jesus and it just takes a
life of its own on?
Mark McCraw (09:39):
Yeah, it does.
It's kind of scary to step outin the unknown sometimes.
Ron Meyers (09:45):
And then Mark, and then we became good friends with
you and I had the pleasure Iforgot about this to marry you
and your wife Patrice, and tellus a little bit about that
beautiful encounter, themarriage, and then what you went
(10:06):
through a few years ago.
Mark McCraw (10:08):
Yeah, patrice.
I like to say that Patrice isthe one in a million woman.
She was one in a million.
I can remember, you know, Iused to run sound at the church
many years ago and Patrice wouldcome up and talk to me, you
know, after the services a lotof times, and then sometimes we
would hang out in the parkinglot talking until you know just,
(10:30):
we were basically the only onesleft in the parking lot.
And then one night at Taco Bell, I can remember we were eating
after a church service and shewas talking about something and
I remember thinking to myselfyou know, I wouldn't mind being
married to this woman.
And this was after we hadalready we had already gone to
see a movie and they went tolunch afterwards and I told her.
(10:50):
I said look, you know, I'm notlooking for a relationship.
I've just recently becomedivorced and I don't want to be
the guy who comes to churchlooking for a new wife.
And I remember telling her thatday if you want us to be
friends and just go have lunchevery now and then maybe go to a
movie, we can do that, you know.
But I'm just not looking for aserious relationship.
And then the Taco Bell momenthappened several months later.
(11:12):
That's a TV commercial.
Ron Meyers (11:15):
You might get royalties.
Mark McCraw (11:17):
Patrice and I got married on April the 20th in
2001.
And we were together for nearly20 years.
We tried to have children andcouldn't.
She had endometriosis in a veryserious way and we decided to
adopt, and that's when weadopted.
Grayson was back in 2011 whenhe was born and we walked with
(11:44):
his mother through the pregnancy.
We brought him home from thehospital and she had eight, nine
wonderful years with him and I,Wow.
And so in 2014, she wasdiagnosed with endometrial
cancer.
The doctor made the decision todo a total hysterectomy, got
(12:07):
that done and within a year shewas diagnosed with cancer again,
and one thing led to anotherand it just kept getting worse
and worse.
It was like none of thetreatments that we tried were
working.
You know, sometimes we wouldget a decent report from the
(12:29):
doctor, but it was never exactlywhat we wanted to hear, and
many times, when we came out ofthe appointments, the song Thy
Will Be Done would be playing onthe radio.
Wow, and it was just so odd andI mean it got to the point that
we would come out of a doctor'sappointment with the worst
possible news that the cancerhad spread to her lungs, it had
(12:51):
spread to her lymph nodes.
And every time we got in thecar, that song Thy Will Be Done
would be playing on the radio.
And it got to the point wherewe were crying and laughing at
the same time.
Ron Meyers (13:04):
Wow, Wow, Somebody going through something like
that right now.
What would you tell them?
It sounds like you're talkingtheir story.
Mark McCraw (13:17):
You got to trust God.
Everything passes through God'shands the good stuff, the bad
stuff, everything passes throughhis hands, and I think that God
doesn't cause bad things tohappen, but there is a purpose
for everything that does happen.
That's what I believe, and Idon't know why God would take
(13:39):
Patrice out of this world whenshe had such a huge heart for
children, you know.
And now that she finally had ason of her own and passed away
with endometrial cancer, thefinal straw that broke the
camel's back, so to speak.
She developed blood clots inher legs and they were talking
about amputation, but it woulddo nothing to address the cancer
(14:01):
.
And that was that was it.
That was June of 2020.
She went into hospice and, forsomeone who might be going
through something similar tothis, the thing is that the
Bible tells us that we can prayand we can ask for whatever we
need.
God already knows what we need,but we need to understand that
(14:24):
in the end, when all is said anddone, god's will is going to be
done.
Ron Meyers (14:30):
Amen, as you said, that song Thy Will Be Done.
Mark McCraw (14:33):
Exactly.
But you know, Ron, through allof this we had been believing
for Patrice's healing.
We had been believing that Godwould heal her.
And even all the time that shewas in hospice we were believing
, right up until her very lastbreath, that God was going to
heal her.
And even all the time that shewas in hospice, you know, we
were believing, right up untilher very last breath, that God
was going to heal her.
And in her passing, you know, Igot the revelation that in her
(14:57):
passing she received herultimate healing, that in death
we get our ultimate healing.
So healing may not take placehere on earth, but it does in
death.
Ron Meyers (15:09):
Wow, but now you are a wonderful dad, little Grayson
.
He has grown up to be a goodyoung man.
How old is he now?
Mark McCraw (15:20):
He's 13 years old.
13 years old and taller than Iam.
Of course he likes to telleverybody that he's taller than
me because I'm short.
Ron Meyers (15:29):
You know I've said sometimes Mark, god knows
everything.
He knows the beginning from theend, and he knew one day that
Patrice would be gone and you'dbe alone.
Have you ever thought thatthat's why he blessed you so
early with Grayson?
Because if you didn't haveGrayson right now, it was just
(15:52):
you.
Mark McCraw (15:52):
Look, you know, I make no bones about it, the
first two years after Patricepassed were hard.
They were very difficult.
It was almost like time stopped.
You know, the only thing thatkept me going was Grayson and my
daughter Savannah.
She's 30 now.
Had it not been for the two ofthem, I don't know where I'd be.
(16:14):
I just I don't know.
It was just like I was.
You know, when you, when youare a caretaker for someone that
you love as deeply as I lovedPatrice, you know, and then all
of a sudden they pass away, it'salmost like, well, what do I do
now?
Yeah, what do you do now?
What do I do now?
You know, and and thankgoodness that I had Grayson and
(16:34):
my daughter Savannah, and youhad, something else is a lot of
friends.
Ron Meyers (16:40):
I mean, everybody loves Mark McCraw.
You're a kind, you're a gentleman.
I mean, mark, you helped mewith production, with this
podcast, with this radio show.
You still have a job, but Icall you coach.
You helped me because you are abrilliant sound man and with
production, which you do somethings now for iHeartRadio,
(17:03):
you're so good and there's a lotof people that were praying for
you when you didn't even knowthem and just like a lot of
people listening right now, thatsometimes you think you're all
alone.
But there are people that loveyou, they care about you and
they're praying for you rightnow and you may never know about
it, but there are people thatfeel the pains that we go
(17:27):
through and they pray for us.
Without calling us.
They say I'm going to pray forRon today.
I'm going to pray for Marktoday, yeah, do you ever feel
those prayers?
Mark McCraw (17:34):
Oh, I do, I do.
I feel them all the time.
Ron Meyers (17:40):
So what's the future ?
Like You've got little Grayson13.
What's he want to do when hegrows up?
Be in radio like his daddy.
Mark McCraw (17:45):
Oh, I don't know about that.
You know, grayson and I we metwith his counselor a few weeks
ago.
It was just a, you know, normal, usual meeting with the
counselor, just to discussgrades, and you know what's
coming up next year.
And she asked him have youthought about what you want to
do for a career?
And of course he's only 13years old, you know, and I've
(18:06):
always encouraged him, you know,figure out what you enjoy doing
and then try to get a job doingthat.
And then it's like you won'tever be going to work every day,
you'll just be going to dosomething you enjoy.
And she mentioned engineeringto him and he perked up and said
oh, that sounds good.
And when I started thinkingabout what engineering entails,
there are so many differentareas that he can go into
(18:28):
Software development, computerengineering, you know.
Even radio stations, you know.
Still, radio stations needengineers to maintain the
transmitters, you know.
Ron Meyers (18:38):
So any number of areas and I know you told him
that God has a plan and God hasdestiny and just to trust in
Jesus and it will all fall inplace.
Mark McCraw (18:48):
Yeah, is it?
Ron Meyers (18:50):
that simple, does it just all fall in place, mark?
Mark McCraw (18:52):
Well, you know, I got to tell you.
You know I take everyopportunity I can to teach him
about God and teach him aboutthe Bible, you know.
But I understand that at 13years old, you know there are
other things that have yourattention.
Yeah, so I'm trusting God andI'm believing God that he will
call Grayson when the time isright.
Ron Meyers (19:13):
Amen brother, that's some good parental advice.
Can't push him, can't push him.
Got to love the hell out ofthem.
Well, mark, before we go, willyou pray for the listeners?
Mark McCraw (19:26):
Our Father in heaven.
Lord, god, I just thank you forthis opportunity to speak to
those who are listening to thisprogram.
Father, you know the troublesand the trials they're going
through.
You know the challenges oftheir life.
Dear Lord, I just ask you justto touch them, lord.
(19:46):
Father, call them by name.
Father, god, give them wisdomin all of their situations.
Help them, lord, to see thatJesus is the answer.
Father, that Jesus will helpthem, will take them by the hand
and lead them through thetroubles and the trials that
they may be going through.
Thank you, god, that your wordin Isaiah 41 says that you will
help us, for you are our God,and we thank you, father, for
(20:09):
everything that you do for us.
Thank you for being our refugeand our strength in times of
trouble.
Thank you, god, for everythingyou do for us.
In Jesus' name, amen.
A friend for many, many years.
Welcome to the studios, mark.
Thank you, very nice studio.
Well, I wanted to talk with youbecause you and I have a past.
I mean you and I before Jesus'days and after Jesus' days, and
where did we first meet?
Mark McCraw (00:17):
Back in 1985.
I moved here to the coast in 84, and we were doing an event
with the radio station and Ithink I met you in your office
back in 1985 when you werewearing the starch crisp shirts
with nice ties and littlesuspenders.
Ron Meyers (00:32):
Suspenders.
Yeah, I looked important.
That was important in my ownmind.
But yes, in our journey, bothled us different roads.
How did you meet Jesus?
Mark McCraw (00:46):
Uh, both led us different roads.
How did you meet Jesus?
It was July, june or July of1998 before Hurricane George
came, came ashore.
It seemed like everybody I raninto in my just daily travels
around the coast, going to thestore and whatnot.
It seemed like everybody wastelling me about Jesus.
And I thought to myself why areall these people telling me
about Jesus?
(01:06):
And then, in August of 98, Ifound out why that's when my
wife at the time was going tofile for divorce.
And all of that led to megetting back into a men's group
in church.
Even though I wasn't officiallygoing to the church yet, I
(01:27):
started going to the men'smeetings once a month.
And then in December December7th 1998 is when I actually
walked the aisle and gave mylife to Christ.
Ron Meyers (01:37):
Wow, you know and you bring up a point that
sometimes I encourage people.
If you don't really know aboutJesus, just test the waters.
Go to a study group once amonth.
Just go check it out, see if wereally have little antennas
coming out of our head and if wecan talk in weird language.
No, we're just normal peoplelike everybody else that wanted
(02:00):
to trade in our life of so manynonsensical things that we did
in life to a life of peace,purpose and passion.
And now when I met you, youwere secular radio.
Mark McCraw (02:16):
You've been on like radio all over the state of
Mississippi.
Basically, yeah, yeah, yes.
I got started in radio in 1980,back in Hattiesburg, when I was
going to USM studying criminaljustice, and I decided that
radio was what I wanted to doinstead of being a police
officer getting shot at.
Ron Meyers (02:33):
So that's it.
And when I had an opportunityin 2000, and I believe it was
one or two or something tobecome manager of American
Family Radio Gulf Coast, Icalled you and I said, mark, I
need you for the morning showand because you're such a godly
(02:55):
man and you're such anincredible presence on radio,
and you did the journey that'sright, it was after Candy
Anderson had left WAOY back inthe day and you were the journey
.
Mark McCraw (03:04):
That's right, it was after Candy Anderson had
left WAOY back in the day andyou were the manager.
You called me and I don't know,it was just.
You know, when you called meand asked me about doing a
morning show, I thought, wow,yeah, okay, this would work.
Ron Meyers (03:17):
You know, because at the time our pastor at
Northwood had gotten us in thehabit of reading the one-year
Bible on a daily basis and I hadalready been through the Bible
probably five times, cover tocover, and I just realized that
there was so much encouragementin the Word of God that it would
just benefit anybody, whetherChristian or not, and so you and
(03:40):
I, I started assembling a teamof sharp people and our message
was this and I had no experiencein Christian radio, but I did
have an organization in theproduction business was to take
this station and we call it thelight of the Gulf Coast and put
(04:01):
it all over the Gulf Coast andjust promote Jesus.
And we had fun, didn't we?
We?
Mark McCraw (04:06):
did, absolutely, we had fun, you know, in WAOY at
that time, because of theplacement of the tower and the
antenna, we had phone calls frompeople up in Jackson saying
they were picking us up.
Ron Meyers (04:20):
Yeah, I know, yeah and only God could do that.
And then of course I know, yeah, only God could do that.
And and then of course, lifechanges.
But I do want to go back tosomething because, friends, I
want you to get this picture.
When Mark and I first met, hewas at a secular radio station
and he was an emcee for some ofmy events that had bikini
(04:42):
contest and we were selling lotsof beer.
So we were having fun in theworld, but at the right time,
with God's awesome destiny mind,he took us in separate journeys
, took us out of the world andput us in Jesus.
And today we've been friendsfor many years.
(05:02):
And how many years?
Well, 1998.
I was 1999.
I didn't realize we were thatclose together of really coming
to know Jesus.
Mark McCraw (05:11):
It's amazing you know God's timing, how he works
things together for our good andfor his purpose and his will.
Ron Meyers (05:19):
And I'll never forget how we saw it with this.
When we were the station, wehad what was called an open door
policy.
We wanted people to come by,have coffee, get a prayer,
whatever they needed to do, andwe had people coming in all the
time of just some encouragementand to see the body of Christ in
action by just loving peopleand praying with them.
(05:42):
It was pretty special.
Mark McCraw (05:44):
It was.
It was really special.
You know we were talking aboutyou and I getting saved about
the same time.
You used to have the WarehouseChurch back in.
What was that?
99 or 2000?
Ron Meyers (05:57):
Well, let me give you a little background.
I had the Warehouse Church but,friends, it was not a church,
it was a warehouse full of allmy props and buildings for my
festivals and the beer boothsand everything.
Well, when I started followingJesus, I was poor.
I was so poor I couldn't payattention.
(06:18):
But I was happy and I had toclose this warehouse.
Nobody wanted that wood, nobodywanted the two by fours, Nobody
wanted the signage the four byeight sheets of plywood.
And I really heard that quietvoice that said build a church.
To make a long story short,because it's all in my book and
I'll send it to you if you wantone listeners.
(06:39):
Within seven days we had a andthen I felt the Lord say go,
invite people from Feed my Sheepand the Red Cross and do it on
a Tuesday night.
Don't compete with the churches.
And we just started, you know,doing a service with some music
and you know maybe three or fourpeople inside the warehouse and
(07:01):
it just started growing.
And remember that we wouldoften look up in this warehouse
and see rats go across therafters and if people went to
the restroom you could hear whatthey were doing.
Mark McCraw (07:14):
But nobody cared, mark, because we were just
looking for an encounter withJesus Exactly, and I think the
people that attended thewarehouse church, they were
looking for an encounter withJesus too, because and we've
talked about this before that somany of the people who came to
the warehouse church probablywould never set foot in a
(07:35):
regular church because they feltlike they would not be welcomed
.
Ron Meyers (07:38):
You know, and and, and I've always felt that the
ministry that God has called meto is outside the four walls, in
a warehouse, at the Walmarts,at the gas stations, the radio
for podcasts, that people, who'sgoing to hit the people that
don't go to church?
We can invite them, but they'renot going to come to church.
(08:00):
Maybe at Christmas, maybe atEaster.
So let's go meet them.
Let's find innovative ways tothink outside the box to reach a
hurting population that reallydoes need Jesus.
They just don't know it becauseno one's really ever
communicated the real Jesus tothem.
In my opinion, You're right.
Mark McCraw (08:19):
You're right, Exactly right.
You know, and a lot of thepeople that came to the
warehouse church were homeless.
Oh yeah, you know.
Ron Meyers (08:24):
I can remember one gentleman, a young guy by the
name of.
Mark McCraw (08:25):
Robert, you know, and a lot of the people that
came to the warehouse churchwere homeless.
Oh yeah, you know.
I can remember one gentleman, ayoung guy by the name of Robert
, you know, that used to come tothe warehouse church.
He would always show up on hisbicycle yeah, with no seat, no
seat, no seat.
He would ride that bicyclestanding up and he would come to
the warehouse church on Tuesdaynights and he was such a good
guy and just talking to him youcould see that there was that
(08:46):
spark in him.
Ron Meyers (08:47):
Yeah, and there were times that one of there was a
few people that had to spend thenight in the warehouse church
or they stayed there and reallythere wasn't anything in there
except the little rats runningaround.
I said, hey, if you don't mind,you can be the security guard,
but we had such a love forpeople in the community and we
(09:07):
would go out often and we'd fireup the grill, have some hot
dogs free for the people, somehamburgers, and come and go
outside the warehouse, out ontothe yard, across the street, and
just do something.
And you know, there's somethingabout the freedom in Christ
when you don't know any better.
And what I mean is no training,no classes, you just start
(09:32):
doing something and talkingabout Jesus and it just takes a
life of its own on?
Mark McCraw (09:39):
Yeah, it does.
It's kind of scary to step outin the unknown sometimes.
Ron Meyers (09:45):
And then Mark, and then we became good friends with
you and I had the pleasure Iforgot about this to marry you
and your wife Patrice, and tellus a little bit about that
beautiful encounter, themarriage, and then what you went
(10:06):
through a few years ago.
Mark McCraw (10:08):
Yeah, patrice.
I like to say that Patrice isthe one in a million woman.
She was one in a million.
I can remember, you know, Iused to run sound at the church
many years ago and Patrice wouldcome up and talk to me, you
know, after the services a lotof times, and then sometimes we
would hang out in the parkinglot talking until you know just,
(10:30):
we were basically the only onesleft in the parking lot.
And then one night at Taco Bell, I can remember we were eating
after a church service and shewas talking about something and
I remember thinking to myselfyou know, I wouldn't mind being
married to this woman.
And this was after we hadalready we had already gone to
see a movie and they went tolunch afterwards and I told her.
(10:50):
I said look, you know, I'm notlooking for a relationship.
I've just recently becomedivorced and I don't want to be
the guy who comes to churchlooking for a new wife.
And I remember telling her thatday if you want us to be
friends and just go have lunchevery now and then maybe go to a
movie, we can do that, you know.
But I'm just not looking for aserious relationship.
And then the Taco Bell momenthappened several months later.
(11:12):
That's a TV commercial.
Ron Meyers (11:15):
You might get royalties.
Mark McCraw (11:17):
Patrice and I got married on April the 20th in
2001.
And we were together for nearly20 years.
We tried to have children andcouldn't.
She had endometriosis in a veryserious way and we decided to
adopt, and that's when weadopted.
Grayson was back in 2011 whenhe was born and we walked with
(11:44):
his mother through the pregnancy.
We brought him home from thehospital and she had eight, nine
wonderful years with him and I,Wow.
And so in 2014, she wasdiagnosed with endometrial
cancer.
The doctor made the decision todo a total hysterectomy, got
(12:07):
that done and within a year shewas diagnosed with cancer again,
and one thing led to anotherand it just kept getting worse
and worse.
It was like none of thetreatments that we tried were
working.
You know, sometimes we wouldget a decent report from the
(12:29):
doctor, but it was never exactlywhat we wanted to hear, and
many times, when we came out ofthe appointments, the song Thy
Will Be Done would be playing onthe radio.
Wow, and it was just so odd andI mean it got to the point that
we would come out of a doctor'sappointment with the worst
possible news that the cancerhad spread to her lungs, it had
(12:51):
spread to her lymph nodes.
And every time we got in thecar, that song Thy Will Be Done
would be playing on the radio.
And it got to the point wherewe were crying and laughing at
the same time.
Ron Meyers (13:04):
Wow, Wow, Somebody going through something like
that right now.
What would you tell them?
It sounds like you're talkingtheir story.
Mark McCraw (13:17):
You got to trust God.
Everything passes through God'shands the good stuff, the bad
stuff, everything passes throughhis hands, and I think that God
doesn't cause bad things tohappen, but there is a purpose
for everything that does happen.
That's what I believe, and Idon't know why God would take
(13:39):
Patrice out of this world whenshe had such a huge heart for
children, you know.
And now that she finally had ason of her own and passed away
with endometrial cancer, thefinal straw that broke the
camel's back, so to speak.
She developed blood clots inher legs and they were talking
about amputation, but it woulddo nothing to address the cancer
(14:01):
.
And that was that was it.
That was June of 2020.
She went into hospice and, forsomeone who might be going
through something similar tothis, the thing is that the
Bible tells us that we can prayand we can ask for whatever we
need.
God already knows what we need,but we need to understand that
(14:24):
in the end, when all is said anddone, god's will is going to be
done.
Ron Meyers (14:30):
Amen, as you said, that song Thy Will Be Done.
Mark McCraw (14:33):
Exactly.
But you know, Ron, through allof this we had been believing
for Patrice's healing.
We had been believing that Godwould heal her.
And even all the time that shewas in hospice we were believing
, right up until her very lastbreath, that God was going to
heal her.
And even all the time that shewas in hospice, you know, we
were believing, right up untilher very last breath, that God
was going to heal her.
And in her passing, you know, Igot the revelation that in her
(14:57):
passing she received herultimate healing, that in death
we get our ultimate healing.
So healing may not take placehere on earth, but it does in
death.
Ron Meyers (15:09):
Wow, but now you are a wonderful dad, little Grayson
.
He has grown up to be a goodyoung man.
How old is he now?
Mark McCraw (15:20):
He's 13 years old.
13 years old and taller than Iam.
Of course he likes to telleverybody that he's taller than
me because I'm short.
Ron Meyers (15:29):
You know I've said sometimes Mark, god knows
everything.
He knows the beginning from theend, and he knew one day that
Patrice would be gone and you'dbe alone.
Have you ever thought thatthat's why he blessed you so
early with Grayson?
Because if you didn't haveGrayson right now, it was just
(15:52):
you.
Mark McCraw (15:52):
Look, you know, I make no bones about it, the
first two years after Patricepassed were hard.
They were very difficult.
It was almost like time stopped.
You know, the only thing thatkept me going was Grayson and my
daughter Savannah.
She's 30 now.
Had it not been for the two ofthem, I don't know where I'd be.
(16:14):
I just I don't know.
It was just like I was.
You know, when you, when youare a caretaker for someone that
you love as deeply as I lovedPatrice, you know, and then all
of a sudden they pass away, it'salmost like, well, what do I do
now?
Yeah, what do you do now?
What do I do now?
You know, and and thankgoodness that I had Grayson and
(16:34):
my daughter Savannah, and youhad, something else is a lot of
friends.
Ron Meyers (16:40):
I mean, everybody loves Mark McCraw.
You're a kind, you're a gentleman.
I mean, mark, you helped mewith production, with this
podcast, with this radio show.
You still have a job, but Icall you coach.
You helped me because you are abrilliant sound man and with
production, which you do somethings now for iHeartRadio,
(17:03):
you're so good and there's a lotof people that were praying for
you when you didn't even knowthem and just like a lot of
people listening right now, thatsometimes you think you're all
alone.
But there are people that loveyou, they care about you and
they're praying for you rightnow and you may never know about
it, but there are people thatfeel the pains that we go
(17:27):
through and they pray for us.
Without calling us.
They say I'm going to pray forRon today.
I'm going to pray for Marktoday, yeah, do you ever feel
those prayers?
Mark McCraw (17:34):
Oh, I do, I do.
I feel them all the time.
Ron Meyers (17:40):
So what's the future ?
Like You've got little Grayson13.
What's he want to do when hegrows up?
Be in radio like his daddy.
Mark McCraw (17:45):
Oh, I don't know about that.
You know, grayson and I we metwith his counselor a few weeks
ago.
It was just a, you know, normal, usual meeting with the
counselor, just to discussgrades, and you know what's
coming up next year.
And she asked him have youthought about what you want to
do for a career?
And of course he's only 13years old, you know, and I've
(18:06):
always encouraged him, you know,figure out what you enjoy doing
and then try to get a job doingthat.
And then it's like you won'tever be going to work every day,
you'll just be going to dosomething you enjoy.
And she mentioned engineeringto him and he perked up and said
oh, that sounds good.
And when I started thinkingabout what engineering entails,
there are so many differentareas that he can go into
(18:28):
Software development, computerengineering, you know.
Even radio stations, you know.
Still, radio stations needengineers to maintain the
transmitters, you know.
Ron Meyers (18:38):
So any number of areas and I know you told him
that God has a plan and God hasdestiny and just to trust in
Jesus and it will all fall inplace.
Mark McCraw (18:48):
Yeah, is it?
Ron Meyers (18:50):
that simple, does it just all fall in place, mark?
Mark McCraw (18:52):
Well, you know, I got to tell you.
You know I take everyopportunity I can to teach him
about God and teach him aboutthe Bible, you know.
But I understand that at 13years old, you know there are
other things that have yourattention.
Yeah, so I'm trusting God andI'm believing God that he will
call Grayson when the time isright.
Ron Meyers (19:13):
Amen brother, that's some good parental advice.
Can't push him, can't push him.
Got to love the hell out ofthem.
Well, mark, before we go, willyou pray for the listeners?
Mark McCraw (19:26):
Our Father in heaven.
Lord, god, I just thank you forthis opportunity to speak to
those who are listening to thisprogram.
Father, you know the troublesand the trials they're going
through.
You know the challenges oftheir life.
Dear Lord, I just ask you justto touch them, lord.
(19:46):
Father, call them by name.
Father, god, give them wisdomin all of their situations.
Help them, lord, to see thatJesus is the answer.
Father, that Jesus will helpthem, will take them by the hand
and lead them through thetroubles and the trials that
they may be going through.
Thank you, god, that your wordin Isaiah 41 says that you will
help us, for you are our God,and we thank you, father, for
(20:09):
everything that you do for us.
Thank you for being our refugeand our strength in times of
trouble.
Thank you, god, for everythingyou do for us.
In Jesus' name, amen.
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