October 31, 2025 • 55 mins
In this episode, Bambi Lynn shares how God’s love transformed her life and gave her a new beginning. Once weighed down by struggles and searching for hope, she found freedom, healing, and purpose through Jesus Christ.
Her testimony is a powerful reminder that no matter where we’ve been, God can restore, redeem, and write a greater story. This is an episode filled with encouragement, faith, and the assurance that His grace is always enough.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Links to connect with Bambi Lynn:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Living Testimonies! If you were inspired by today's conversation, please share this episode with a friend or family member.
Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and more inspiring content.
Join us next time for another inspiring conversation!
Your Story, His Glory!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Israel Caminero (00:04):
Thank you so much for tuning in to today's
episode.
I'm grateful for your supportand for being part of this
community.
If you've been enjoying thepodcast so far, I'd love it if
you could take a minute to leavea review.
Your feedback helps me reachmore people and share these
inspiring stories with others.
Let's spread the word.
Please share this podcast withyour friends and family.
(00:27):
And if you haven't already, besure to like and subscribe for
new episodes.
To stay connected and up todate on all the latest news,
updates, and exclusive content,head over to my Facebook page,
Living Testimonies.
While you're there, be sure tosubscribe to my newsletter.
The link is on the page.
(00:48):
Thanks again for listening, andI'll catch you in the next
episode.
Welcome to Living Testimony,Stories of Faith and Redemption.
(01:13):
I'm your host, Israel Caminero,and I hope everyone that's
listening today is blessed anddoing well.
With me today, I have my sisterin Christ.
Her name is Bambi Lynn, andshe's here as always as all my
guest star to share hertestimony.
Could you introduce and say alittle bit about yourself to
everyone, Bambi?
Bambi Lynn (01:31):
Absolutely.
I'd love your name.
So is your name really Israelor is it Jacob?
Israel Caminero (01:36):
No, it's Israel.
Bambi Lynn (01:38):
It's really Israel.
Well, that is awesome that yourparents vogly named you Israel.
So that's so yes, I'm excitedto finally be on here.
Um, you know, it's been a whilesince we've tried to connect
back and forth for a couplemonths now.
Yes.
So yes, my name is Bambi.
I am a mother of six adultchildren.
In 2026, I will have 15grandchildren.
(02:02):
Um, I am a life coach.
A year ago in October, Iactually lost my job with the
Nielsen TV ratings, and Idecided to pursue my dream of
being a life coach.
I'm also an author of three umpublished books that I have
written.
And I am, let's see, I am atransplant from the western New
(02:26):
York to the Golden Isles ofGeorgia.
And I have been a Christian andI've known Christ as my savior
since 1986.
Israel Caminero (02:38):
That's a long time to know Christ, and that's
a good thing.
Bambi Lynn (02:42):
Yes.
Israel Caminero (02:43):
Well, I'm glad you're here.
Like she said, we've been goingback and forth trying to get
this podcast recorded for awhile, but obstacles got in the
way.
And I say, the enemy didn'twant this testimony out, but
here we are, ready to record.
Absolutely.
But before we do that, I'd liketo pray, and I'd like to say,
Heavenly Father, we thank youfor this day and for the
(03:05):
privilege of hearing how you'veworked in Bambi's life.
Lord, fill her with peace andboldness as she speaks, and lets
every word be guided by yourspirit.
May her testimony stir hope,awaken faith, and point every
listener towards the love ofJesus.
Use this moment to encouragethe brokenhearted, strengthen
the weary, and draw the lost toyourself.
(03:26):
And Lord, above all, may you beglorified in everything said
here today.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
Bambi Lynn (03:34):
Amen.
Israel Caminero (03:35):
All right, friends.
So I'm excited that she's hereto share her testimony.
You've heard me say it before.
Every testimony is a display ofGod's grace, mercy, and power.
And today we get to hear howhe's worked in Bambi's life in a
way that will inspire andencourage you.
So let's jump right in.
Bambi, what was it like for youbefore you came to know the
(03:56):
Lord?
Bambi Lynn (03:57):
Oh my goodness.
Well, I actually was a brokenlittle girl that had lived in a
home full of trauma.
You know, there was uh mymother was a single parent
because until the age of 10years old, my mom and my dad
would go back and forth to witheach other.
Every time my dad got sober, hewould come back, and then he
(04:19):
was a brutal alcoholic, and thenhe would leave and back and
forth, back and forth.
And as a young little girl, Ihad a grandfather that thought
it was thought it was a goodidea to come into my room
whenever I went into, whenever Igot to stay at my grandmother's
house to come into my room witha bathrobe.
There was a lot of trauma, youknow, in my life.
(04:41):
I tried to commit suicide threedifferent times because of some
sexual abuse that I was goingthrough.
And I wasn't living a life ofpeace.
When I was a young girl, weused to go to church on a church
bus.
And every Sunday the church buswould pick us up, would go
(05:01):
around the neighborhood and pickand pick up all the misfits,
you know, within theneighborhood, the the children
that the parents wanted to getrid of their kids for a few
hours so they can have somepeace and quiet of themselves.
And so I grew up on this churchbus.
I grew up knowing who Jesuswas, but I never believed that
Jesus was for me because I wasjust a misfit.
(05:22):
I was just a church bus kid andI wasn't a name in the church.
So I would sit up front in thechurch and I would just listen
to them tell about Jesus andhoping that someday maybe I
could be part of the church andhave and have a name in the
church that Jesus would acceptme.
And so that's kind of like howI lived my life until about 14
(05:45):
years old.
The church had a girl thatactually had a teenage
pregnancy, and we were told, wewere told all the kids that were
at the church, the teenagers atthe church, we were told that
we could not have a relationshipwith her and that we could not
speak to her or anything becauseshe chose to have make an adult
decision and take on adultresponsibility.
(06:08):
So we were not to have any kindof relationship with her.
And so I ended up leaving thatchurch and I went to this one
other church in our town, and Ionly went there a couple times
because it was, you know, theguy wore a robe and it was so
formal and things like that.
(06:29):
And I continued my waywardlife.
You know, I thought that I wasa girl that nobody was ever
going to love unless I was inthe backseat of their cars, and
I didn't know what love was.
I thought that's what love was.
And I moved out of my mom'shouse the day after my 16th
birthday because my life wastough at my home.
(06:49):
And then my life was also toughat school because I was bullied
a lot.
We are a very poor family.
Plus, as you've noticed, I havea different name, and so that I
was made fun of all the timeover my name.
And I went and I moved in withan uncle that sexually assaulted
(07:10):
me over and over again.
I finally left there and Imoved in with a guy that was in
our was in the town of where Igrew up.
He was a drug dealer in ourtown.
I had no place to go though, soI moved in to his apartment
with a friend of mine, and therewas a lot of partying going on.
I didn't get myself tooinvolved in a lot of drugs.
(07:33):
I did for a little while, butnothing really major that made
me become addicted because Ijust didn't like the feel of it.
But I remember one night onDecember 28th, 1986, that my
life came crashing down, and Iwent to the police station,
walked across the street to thepolice station, and the police
(07:53):
officers knew who I was becauseI had family that lived in our
town.
And he said, What's going onwith you, Bambi?
And I said, I don't know.
And I remember walking out ofthe out of that um police
office, and I walked down to ourthe bridge in our hometown.
And I looked down into thewater, and I felt like nobody
(08:14):
was ever going to care that Iwas even alive.
I felt like my life was comingto an end.
And if I jumped today, itprobably would take them weeks
and weeks to even notice if Iwas gone.
I felt like I was just asecond-class citizen, this, you
know, nighttime girlfriend thatI had no value in myself.
So I went to jump off thebridge to end my life.
(08:37):
And that police officer hadgotten into his car and fouled
me, which I didn't know becauseI was so out of it.
And he grabbed me and threw meinto the back of the police car
and drove me to a psychiatriccenter.
And that psychiatrist thatpsychiatric center was actually
for adults, and they realizedthat I was only 16 years of age.
(08:59):
And so they drove me to anotherum, it was a children's
psychiatric center, took methere, did some blood work, did
a physical, let me go to bed.
The next morning the doctor umcalled me into the office.
He had his clipboard, his legscrossed, and he looked at me and
he said, Did you know that youwere pregnant?
Oh wow.
(09:19):
And I said, I had no idea.
And he said, People like youdon't have babies, and we'll
make arrangements and we'll giveyou your options tomorrow.
I asked him if I can go into myroom and just to have some time
to myself, and they usuallydidn't do that.
They didn't allow you that.
Once you were out of your roomfor the day, they locked the the
(09:40):
door so that you know theycould see who was in the center.
But they allowed me to go intomy room.
And on December 28th, 1986, Ifell down to the floor and I
surrendered my life to Christ.
It wasn't this cutesy thing.
I just said, God, I don't knowwhether you accept people like
me.
And I don't know whether youwould even want me in your
(10:03):
family, but I need you and Ineed you to save me and my baby.
And if you do that, I willhonor you and I will obey you
all the days of my life if youjust save me and my baby.
So that was my that was mymoment of surrender, that was my
moment of total despair, offeeling like I didn't know where
(10:26):
I was going.
But if God was true, then hewas going to save me and my
baby.
And, you know, 28 days afterthat, I had the pastor that had
gone to his church on a coupletimes, the one that was in a
robe, he actually came to thepsychiatric center.
The police officer went to hishouse when I went in, and he
(10:49):
said, Hey, I just wanted you toknow that you know, B is in
here, she's gonna need a placeto stay.
And he said, Well, we'll takeher.
And so they came 28 days laterat that center.
They came and they picked meup, and I lived at their house,
rented a room in their home for$50 a week, and live there until
(11:12):
I actually, you know, marry.
I wish I could tell you that,you know, I think that once that
people think that once youaccept Jesus that everything is
going to be perfect, thateverything is going to work out.
I wish I could tell you thatthat's what it is.
But you know, the Bible'spretty clear that we're going to
we're going to deal withsuffering in our lives, and
(11:34):
we're going to deal with thingsthat are going to take our
breath away because it's, youknow, the Bible does tell us
that seven times we fall, butit's not the falling that really
matters.
It's the getting back up.
It's realizing that God didsave me and He did wrap me in
the palm of His hands and He didcall me His child.
And no matter what has happenedin my life, no matter what I've
(11:57):
been through in my life, I havealways surrendered to that.
And there were times that itwould take me, you know, there
would be times that I would wantto give up, but I remembered
that, I remembered thatagreement that I made with God.
So some of the times that Ichose not to give up wasn't
because I was this super, youknow, wonderful Christian and I
(12:20):
could just hang on to faith andI could just go, praise you,
Jesus, praise you, Jesus.
I just remembered the vow thatI made, the decision that I
made, that God, if you save me,you know, I'll I will honor you.
So some of the some of thetimes that I have fallen and and
the times that I have cried,you know, there's a song that
(12:41):
says, if my pillow could talk,that a girl wrote, and the times
that, you know, if my pillowcould talk, they would know my
my desperation and my despairand and how much I just wanted
to serve God, but all of thiswas all too hard.
But it is by the word of ourtestimony.
And I think that when we becomesaved, so many times we put God
(13:03):
in this box, and God says,Don't put me in this box.
And sometimes when we getsaved, we want to stop sharing
what we've been through becauseyou know, we that was already
us, you know, once before.
But the Bible's pretty clearthat it's with the word of our
testimony, it's us sharing wherewe have been, it's us sharing
(13:24):
the the depth of the surrenderthat we've had to go through in
our lives, you know, for othersto see, you know, that that God
is the King of Kings, and all wehad to do is call upon Him and
to fall, you know, at the at thefeet of the cross and hang on
for dear life to the hem of Hisgarment.
Israel Caminero (13:45):
Amen.
I love that.
You're absolutely correct,Bambi.
I love the fact that that youwere partying and and lost and
you went to that police station,and how that police officer
actually followed you withoutyou knowing.
And you could see where whereGod's hand was with you even
before you knew him personally.
(14:06):
You know what I mean?
Bambi Lynn (14:07):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
He calls us.
You know, he the Bible tells usin Jeremiah 19, he, when Jesus
formed us in the palm of hishands and he put destiny, he put
purpose, even from thefoundations of time, you know,
that God called us forth inthose moments.
You know, our our parents, youknow, were they were the
(14:29):
incubator for what God hadalready created, and he had
already marked us and he hadalready called us.
And I, you know, I justbelieve, you know, the Bible's
really clear that for God soloved the world that he gave his
only begotten son, thatwhosoever believeth in him
should not perish but haveeverlasting life.
God wants none of us to perish,he wants none of us, you know.
(14:52):
I think that we, when you thinkabout this whole thing that has
happened within, you know, thelast week to 10 days into in our
country, if it has doneanything, it has brought the
lion to roar, it is broughtforth us to open up our mouths
even stronger and to know whatwhere we have been in our faith.
(15:15):
And I want I want to leadothers to him.
I want to be when I get toheaven that he does say, You
well and good and faithfulservant, and I get to see the
people that I don't even know,that I get to see those people,
and they say it's because ofyou, it's because of your life,
it's because of your testimony,it's because of your lifestyle,
(15:36):
it's because I heard you speak,it's because I listened to a
podcast and you were there and Iheard the plan of salvation.
That's what we should be doingas Christians is that we should
be surrendering our lives toChrist and to his mission and to
his desires to bring others toChrist.
Let's stop, especially asChristians, let's stop dividing
(15:59):
each other and let's move over.
I did a message, um, I went andI did a revival in Buffalo and
I talked about the 99.
You know, we always listen tothe, you know, the parable of
that one, right?
You know, that Jesus saw thatone.
But my question was, how didJesus see that one and those 99
(16:20):
didn't?
You know, how did Jesus seethat there was somebody lost,
but the 99 didn't?
It's because the 99 is notmoving over because they have
forgotten how they've even gotthere.
They have forgotten what Goddid in their lives, and they're
rejecting that one that Jesus isgoing after to find.
Jesus will go after those andhe will bring them in, but we as
(16:44):
the 99 have to move over tobring in the ones that people
have rejected.
That's our responsibility, andthat is that should be the
calling of each one of ourlives.
We know what it was to be lost,right?
We know what it was like to beblinded, and it's so our
responsibility to use ourtestimony to bring like what
(17:05):
Isaiah 61 says that open up theprison gates and let the captive
free.
When the captive is set free,there's got to be a place for
that captive to go.
And so, as Christians, weshould be bold enough to say,
come here, I'll move over foryou.
Israel Caminero (17:23):
Wow, that's good for sure.
I totally agree with you as faras the 99 and the one.
That that's a good analogy thatyou have there, and I love it.
Bambi Lynn (17:36):
Yeah, we never talk about that.
We never talk about the bummerlamb, you know, where does the
where if the when the shepherd,you know, heals the bummer lamb,
when the shepherd heals therejected, you know, where do we
go?
You know, last year I thoughtabout, you know, the movie that
came out about the Christmaspageant.
(17:57):
And it was all about how thesemisfits were coming into the
church, but the church bodydidn't want them.
The church mother said, wait aminute, I want my child to, you
know, be married.
I want my child to play this.
When the misfits walked in,they felt like, oh, what are
they doing?
But at the end of the movie,they realized it's the misfits
(18:20):
that brought life back into thechurch because they knew what it
was like to be lost.
They understood what it waslike to be poor and dirty and
homeless and drug-infected andprostitutes.
And but we as a sometimes as achurch body, we forget where we
(18:43):
came from.
And so we turn away from thosemisfits.
When God is bringing them by byloads, He's bringing them into
the kingdom, but there just hasto be a place that's right for
us to open up our hearts tothem.
Israel Caminero (19:00):
Yeah, totally.
I mean, you know, people judgepeople on their looks, on what
they wear, and just get thisvisual of them.
I remember one time, I don'tknow whether I should bring this
up or not.
I'll I try and keep it asanonymous as I can, but I was at
(19:20):
the church and we were doing afunction, and someone was asked
to go get something from thestore, and then another church
member kind of looked at me andwas like, Is he okay to do that?
Just because he looked a littledifferent, you know, he was new
to his faith, and I just in myhead I'm just thinking, like,
(19:43):
what kind of question was that?
You know?
Like, I could have let my fleshtake over, but and and let her
know a piece of my mind, but atthe same time, it's like we're
all God's people here, no matterwhat you look like, you know.
Bambi Lynn (20:00):
you're new to your faith or if I don't know is you
just made me think of that andthat happened like years ago
many years ago and I think thatthere's an awakening happen you
know now I you know I don't liketo talk about and I don't like
to talk about politics andthings like that because it su
(20:21):
so divides us yes but if wecould look at what has happened
in the last nine days and lookat ourselves within the mirror
and say hmm could I surrender mylife that way like that person
did have I given my all is mywhen somebody asks the question
what do I want to be rememberedby do I say that I had the cur
(20:45):
that I have the courage to serveJesus Christ those should be
the questions that we should beasking and I hope that these
past nine days that that is whatChristians are are asking you
know we're asking thosequestions we're not wondering
how this happened what thishappened what what people say
about here what people say abouthere but we're looking in the
mirror and we're wondering arewe taking people with us that
(21:10):
should be our goal as Christiansto get to get rid of the
politics of everything to getand get down to the nitty gritty
what do you want what legacy doyou want to lay at the altar of
the cross of Jesus what legacydo you want to leave when people
think of you what are the firstthings that they think about
(21:34):
you when people think about mewhat are the first things that
people say oh Bambi was this ohIsrael was this those are the
things that we should betransforming and to becoming
more like Christ that way andhave a hunger to bring others to
the saving knowledge of JesusChrist he didn't give us our
(21:56):
testimony for us to sit on thesidelines and watch other people
do the work he didn't give ushe didn't take us from the Maori
clay and put us on the potter'swheel for us to sit and do
nothing.
That's right he didn't take ourlives and have our lives be
from ashes to beauty for nothinghe didn't do it for us to hide
(22:18):
our testimonies in a box or hideour voice with within a room of
silence he wants us to raiseour voices and say I once was
lost but now I'm found I oncewas blind but now I see and I
want you to come to heaven withme.
(22:39):
You know it's funny today issupposed to be I just read just
before I got on here I'm it'ssupposed to be rapture day or
something.
I didn't know what that meantand I'm thinking rapture day
guys there needs to be a revivalof the 99 that are sitting
within the church you know weneed to if there's a rapture day
(22:59):
we need to make sure that webrought enough people and we've
shared enough of the gospel forthe rapture to take place and
our friends and our family andeverybody around us that we
touch that we were Jesus withskin on that we touch them that
they are coming up into the airwith us.
It's not I think that peopleare forgetting that the rapture
what if that's your theologythat you believe the rapture
(23:22):
he's coming back for the onesthat have surrendered their life
to him.
So we better be in business webetter be in places that we are
sharing the gospel to bringothers during the rapture let's
not get caught up in the rapturelet's get caught up in the
testimony that we are leavingfor people that when they lay
(23:45):
their head on their pillow atnight that they want to know and
they want to have what you havethat's what we should be
worried about.
I read about that today tootoday's supposed to be rapture
day but yeah I didn't know whatthat meant I'm like okay and
then I didn't know what you knowI don't I I guess I didn't even
(24:09):
understand what um conservativeChristians were like people
keep throwing in the last ninedays people have been throwing
around the word you knowChristian conservatives you know
oh these Christianconservatives these Christian
conservatives like it's a badthing and I didn't understand
what that meant I didn'tunderstand that that actually to
(24:29):
the world is a negative thingto me I should be a conservative
Christian.
I should be able to I should belooking at the word of God and
and having the word of Goddirect my path it should be it
should be my GPS for my life Ishould be wanting what Christ
wants within the word of God.
(24:50):
I should be loving the way thatChrist loves I shouldn't be
ashamed that I'm a Christianconservative a conservative
Christian because conservativejust means that I'm I'm just
conservat to me conservativemeans that I'm just I'm just not
doing the things of this world.
I'm just I'm just a littleconservative in what I believe
(25:12):
because I I want to line up tothe word of God and that they're
using it as a negative thingyou know today.
We need to use it as a positivething to say thank you thank
you and they've gotten a youknow I think the world has a
distaste of what because they'vecome up with an idea I I love
(25:34):
all people I love all people butthat doesn't mean and people
love me but that doesn't meanthat they agree with everything
that I do and that's okay that'swhat love is that's what family
is so we should be rejoicingyou know if somebody calls us a
a a conservative Christian orChristian conservative yeah I
(25:55):
don't I don't participate in youknow things in my life because
not because I'm perfect butbecause I just want to shine
with Jesus Christ.
I just want people to see mewith with skin on and I don't
want them to have to think hmmis Bambi representing Christ oh
Bambi did that she must not be aChristian I don't want to get
(26:17):
caught up in that.
I just want to get caught up inJesus and I think that that's
what we all should be able to dois to get caught up in Jesus
and what Jesus wants in ourlives.
Israel Caminero (26:29):
I'm convinced that those who are setting
rapture dates are tools of Satanto be honest with you.
I mean no man knows the day orthe hour that it's going to
happen.
Bambi Lynn (26:40):
Absolutely they're they're so concerned about that
instead of doing what we'reasked to do, which was go and
make disciples yeah a 31 yearold male died nine days ago I'm
sure he thought he was going tolive forever and and be on a
rocking chair at the end at youknow towards the end of his life
talking about all that God haddone sure he didn't think at 31
(27:05):
years old that his life would beover.
Right you know he probablythought you know he was going to
live to be a Billy Graham orwhatever but our life is but a
vapor we do not know the hournor the time but are you ready?
That's right.
That's what we should be askingare you ready if Jesus was to
come back today as a thief inthe night prowling around
(27:28):
wondering if he was to look intoyour house would he see Jesus
being represented you know yearsago and I think about that so
much years ago I you know when Iwas married I had been married
a couple times and my firsthusband um was a man that I
married from the church um butour relationship and our
(27:51):
marriage was full of infidelityand I just kept taking him back
and taking him back and thenfinally the marriage had ended
and then I married again tosomebody that was in the church
and two weeks after we gotmarried the hitting started and
for eight years our home was ahome of domestic violence.
And I remember the day that hefinally that it was finally over
(28:12):
and we had a huge big baywindow and I took down those
curtains in that bay windowbecause to me those curtains
represent bondage and I tookdown the curtains so when people
walked by our house they couldsee a house that served Christ
because for so long I had tohide because there was so much
(28:32):
hurt and damage that washappening in our lives.
And I just remember that versein Revelation you know that he
is he's like a thief in thenight he's looking he's looking
around to see who's going toserve him and who's going to
reject him and who's going tolift up their hands to him and
surrender.
And to me that was such a boldthing and I had my curtain I had
(28:56):
those curtains off of my thatwindow for two years because it
was a sign of freedom to me andit was a sign that Jesus was
welcome at all times and Iwasn't going to hide from him
the bruises and how I felt likeour home was was being
hypocritical because we would bein church three days a week but
yet he would be hitting me youknow all the rest of the days.
Israel Caminero (29:19):
I'm sorry to hear that.
Bambi Lynn (29:21):
But God used it.
Israel Caminero (29:22):
He did because look at you now I also want to
piggyback from before when youfirst started your testimony
before I forget you know youkept saying that you you were
sent to church on Sundaysbecause uh you know obviously
you said your parents didn'twant you around and all the kids
(29:43):
would go.
My question is obviously yourparents weren't saved back then
or maybe they were who or whatinfluenced you the most you know
in your early spiritualjourney.
Bambi Lynn (29:56):
I would say that there was a family that took me
in um well took me because I wasa church bus kid and I was one
of the kids that would thatreally that sat up front and
wanted to have you knowconversation and wanted to hear
the word of God and there was afamily that took me under their
wing and it her and we are suchdear friends today.
I realize we're only 15 yearsapart which is you know as a
(30:20):
young kid you don't realize thatthey were they were somebody
that took me under their wingyou know and different people
within that church took me undertheir wing and then the um the
bolsters that I stayed at theirhouse they took me under their
wing and I just always felt thatthat God had that God had a
purpose for my life.
(30:40):
I didn't understand what thatmeant and and one thing that I
want to tell people you knowwhen you have ministries like
that make sure that they're justnot ministries.
You know make sure that ifyou're taking on a bus ministry
and you're going around theneighborhood you know to pick up
these kids that are broken andthey've been, you know, they're
in poverty they're in homes thatare dysfunctional and things
(31:04):
like that.
And make sure that they're justnot a notch in the church's
belt to say oh we do this.
Make sure it becomes somethingthat is your heart and that you
are taking them on even on theirbirthdays and Christmas and and
times in their lives and andchecking in on them that it's
(31:24):
just not a ministry that you cansay oh our church has a bus
ministry because I did feel Ifelt you know that that Jesus
that he was picking me up andthat they were picking me up and
that I could that I could go tochurch to learn about Jesus but
I never felt that Jesus wasever going to accept me because
(31:45):
I was a church bus kid.
And and some of that is becausewe were just a ministry we were
just a quote unquote ministry.
So if I can give any advice topeople out there that have that
they call these ministries oryou know they're doing widow
ministries or they're doingunwed um mother ministries turn
(32:06):
it not into a ministry but turnit into a calling and a passion
that you have for people becauseyou go farther with that
because then you meet people forwhere they're at and you just
don't look at them as a ministryif that makes any sense and I
don't even know why I said that.
So yeah I did have people andthroughout my life I've had
(32:27):
people you know Titus two womenyou know in my life that taught
me how when I was a young mom,you know I had four children by
the age of 22 years old.
I had married at 18.
My husband adopted my mydaughter that was a teenage
pregnancy and they you know Ihad women come into my home to
(32:47):
teach me how to keep a housebecause a home was to represent
the wife in Christianity so myyour house had to be in order
you know the can't your househad to smell really nice we I
have a little cupboard wherethere's always snacks and tea
that somebody can stop at myhouse of the spare of a moment.
So I've had people that havepoured into me you know that way
(33:11):
you know into my life andthroughout my life.
Israel Caminero (33:15):
So you gave your life to Christ and how has
your relationship with Godchanged the way you face life
challenges today?
Bambi Lynn (33:23):
Well I mean that's why I wrote my first book The
Journey of Josephine and this ishow God took a broken little
girl and he mended my heart youknow becoming uh becoming saved
takes you on a journey becausenow you have somebody that loves
you unconditionally and youbuild a relationship with him.
And I when I think aboutsalvation you know the Bible
(33:46):
tells us that if we we believeon the Lord Jesus Christ thou
shalt be saved.
And believing is the first stepand the rest is relationship.
It's kind of like you stand atthe altar when you get married
and you promise these youpromise this person you know
your love you promise thatyou're going to be with them
through you know sickness andthen health and you promise all
(34:08):
of this and then you continue tobuild the relationship and you
do things for that personbecause you love that person.
And that person does things foryou because they love you.
It's kind of like a yo-yo it'sa back and forth and that's our
relationship with Christ I mybelief and this is just my
belief and I believe thatscripture um you know does say
(34:32):
that but believing in the LordJesus Christ is your salvation.
The rest is your relationshipwhere he comes in and he wants
you to re renew your mind dailyhe wants you to understand the
finished work at the cross hewants you to understand that
you're in relationship with him.
So he would like he'll begin tostart peeling you like an onion
(34:53):
you know hey Bambi let's dealwith this hey Bambi let's deal
with this and that's what mybook was The Journey of
Josephine was my memoir and mytestimony and how God did that
and how God took my life and hesaid hey let's let's work this
through let's work this throughand and I was willing to do that
because I felt safe with himbecause I had a relationship
(35:14):
with Jesus.
I didn't just believe which isthe first step of salvation but
I had a relationship and he tookme on a journey and and that
was my very first book TheJourney of Josephine and then I
wrote my second book TheTreasures of my heart which was
my gift you know to God in thefact that in the midst of all of
(35:35):
our storms in our lives theregood and bad run on the same
track.
And when we look at our livesand only look at our lives
through the lens ofdisappointment we only see
disappointment.
But if we look at our livesthat God has had a plan and a
purpose for our lives we beginto see treasures that He has
placed within the path of ourlives and life is like a roller
(35:58):
coaster for every single one ofus.
You know when we are in thevalley the valley is where we
find rest as the valley is wherewe find nourishment the valley
is where we find the stillwaters the creeks the streams
the lush grass the trees thatbring us shade and give us food
(36:19):
and nourishment to prepare us tobe climbing up the mountain.
And as we're climbing up thatmountain we are getting bitten
alive where our nails aregetting dirty our knees are
starting to get bruised becausewe're climbing up this mountain
but then we reach the horizonand we see how far God has
(36:40):
brought us but what people don'tunderstand that is a cycle over
and over again for all of uswhether we're saved or we're not
we now get to see the horizonbut now we have to come back
down again and then go throughthe valley again and then go
back up to the mountain but inthose in those times in our
(37:00):
lives there's so many treasuresit's like this the story of um
the oyster the oyster has nopearl right in it until it's
gone through some pain and stillthe parasites have come after
it until the hurricanes havecrashed over it and at the end
of life when you open up anoyster you see a beautiful pearl
(37:21):
and that's what God's doing forus is that every single storm
that we have gone through everysingle hurricane that we had
endured everything single tearthat we have cried every single
pain that we have endured andand that we brought us into a
fetal position he is creating abeautiful pearl that at the end
(37:42):
of life we will be able to seewhat all of this has done for us
because he works all things outfor good to those who are
called according to his purpose.
So that was my book TheTreasures of my heart was
finding the treasures in themidst of the storm and then I
wrote I just published in July4th of this year I just
published the book of The GodWho sees which is uh which is a
(38:06):
book it can be used as adevotional and an inspirational
time and it's 33 different womenof the Bible that I took their
stories and I looked deeper intotheir stories and I realized
that God had a lesson for us aswomen in in our lives that he
had these women tell theirstories of tell their stories of
their pain and their agony butyet now tell their stories
(38:29):
redemption because he knew thatwomen today would need those
stories.
So I told stories about womenthat had been sexually assaulted
I told a story of women thatwere in dem were in homes of
domestic violence which wasAbigail I told the story of a
girl that was raped in a blendedfamily which was Tamar you know
(38:50):
I told the story of a womanthat lost a child but had a
rainbow baby you know which wasBathsheba I told the story of a
of a mom that had to deal withmurder and and a death of a
child but yet she stillcontinued and that was Eve you
(39:11):
know so I told the stories in away that I didn't just write
them the way that the scripturesaid it and here's some verses
and blah blah blah but I I wrotethem in a way that I saw who
they were and who we needed howwomen needed of today I talked
about poverty you know I talkedabout sisters you know I talked
(39:32):
about um in-laws you know Italked about military women you
know that because Peter was theonly disciple that was married
and I could imagine I have Ihave child I have daughters and
that have to be on the frontline taking care of their their
(39:53):
children while their husbandsare gone you know in the
military and I use the story ofPeter And to encourage the women
that are standing in the frontline taking care of the
household while the men aregone.
So that is my the book, The GodWho Sees.
And I could write that bookbecause I had written The
(40:14):
Journey of Josephine and I letit all out.
And when I got my book, TheJourney of Josephine, my very
first book, I remember readingit that night, crying like a
baby and having God peel me evenmore.
And I closed the book and Ilooked up to heaven and I said,
God, this isn't me anymore.
You have done such a work in mylife.
(40:35):
You have healed me somiraculously.
But now I want to find thatwoman.
I want to find that girl.
I want to find that person thatneeds to tell her story.
And I want to give her thecourage to be able to say that
she can share her storiesbecause there is healing through
stories.
So that is my mission.
That is my ministry, isministering to women and to
(40:58):
young girls that there ishealing to your story, and your
story was not meant to be yourdeath sentence.
Your story was not meant tostrangle out your life, but your
story was meant to be a firstaid kit for the people behind
you.
Israel Caminero (41:14):
That's right.
Your story is your testimony,and it's all for his glory.
Bambi Lynn (41:21):
Amen.
Israel Caminero (41:22):
So the book she just mentioned, The Journey of
Josephine, The Treasures of MyHeart, and The Book of the God
Who Sees.
I'll have links to all those inthe description of this
podcast.
If anyone wants to go checkthose out and support Bambi and
read them because I'm surethey're probably good books.
Bambi Lynn (41:46):
Oh, wow.
Okay.
And I said you didn't have toshare them to me beforehand.
So your audience, this is asurprise to me too.
Israel Caminero (41:56):
Yeah, yeah.
I'm sure the audience alreadyknows the questions, but you
don't.
You chose not to know.
Bambi Lynn (42:02):
Not to I did choose not to know.
Israel Caminero (42:04):
So my first uh question is simple.
It's just what scripture ortruth carried you through your
turning point?
You know, like a life versethat you had while while you
were young that carried youthrough the fire, that you can
still look at today and whatthat scripture is and you know
what it means to you.
Bambi Lynn (42:24):
I would say it would have to be Joshua 1 9.
Be strong and courageous, donot be afraid or discouraged,
for the Lord your God will bewith you wherever you go.
And then, you know, the otherone, I will walk by faith even
though I cannot see, you know, 2Corinthians 5, 7.
So those would be probably mytwo.
Israel Caminero (42:46):
All right.
Bambi Lynn (42:46):
And what do what exactly comes in seasons, those
two, you know, like some reallyhits you in different seasons of
your life.
Israel Caminero (42:55):
Okay.
Can you explain to what thosescriptures mean to you?
I mean, it can mean somethingtotally different to whoever
reads it.
As you know, the Bible can, youknow, you read a scripture one
day and it can mean what onething to you and then read it
the next day, and it could be atotally different meaning to
you.
What do those scripturescompletely mean to you?
Bambi Lynn (43:17):
I would say that, you know, Joshua 1.9 to be
strong and courageous and don'tbe afraid or discouraged, is
that no matter what you're doingin your life, and no matter
what if you think that God hasforgotten about you, He hasn't.
He is working all things outfor good.
And he is preparing you toreceive that blessing that he
(43:39):
has for you.
So don't be discouraged in thetime of darkness because the
light is there.
To walk by faith is kind oflike the same thing.
You know, walking for Jesus isa faith walk.
Even when you explain Jesus,you know, to people, you can't
ex, you can't tangibly touchhim.
Like my sons can can tell youwho Christ is through history,
(44:03):
science, math.
I can tell you who Christ isthrough what he did in me and
the passion that he has given tome.
So I have you walk by faiththat he's got it all taken care
of.
The Bible tells us that heorders the steps of the
righteous and that he goesbefore us.
And we need to believe that hehas gone before us.
(44:27):
And sometimes that is sodifficult.
As I see in my own life, youknow, this year has been a year,
it will be a year, October14th, that I had lost my job for
the Nielsen TV ratings.
And I've been on a faith walkever since.
I've been on a walk ofwondering, okay, God, do you,
you know, are you how are yougoing to provide that I gone
(44:49):
from being plenty to now prayingand asking God for my daily
bread?
But I know that I know that Iknow that He put a passion and a
call into my life to ministerto people around me, to go and
and speak the truth and to doworkshops and things like that.
So I have to walk by faith.
(45:10):
I have to walk by faith andbelieve that he hasn't left me,
he hasn't forsaken me, he hasn'tturned his back on me, and that
he does have a plan for me andnot to be discouraged.
Israel Caminero (45:22):
Amen.
And it's his timing, not ours.
Bambi Lynn (45:25):
Yeah.
Israel Caminero (45:26):
Because we can get fairly impatient sometimes,
right?
Bambi Lynn (45:31):
Absolutely.
Israel Caminero (45:33):
All right, that's thank you for those uh
verses and answering, you know,what it means to you.
Now we're going to my back tothe past section of the podcast.
And what my back to the pastsection is, Bambi, if the Bambi
of today can travel, well, cango back in time, not travel, and
talk to the younger Bambi thatwas lost, knowing the things you
(45:55):
know now, what would you say toher and why?
Bambi Lynn (45:58):
It's funny.
Um, on a podcast that I was on,the lady, uh, the woman asks
that question.
Israel Caminero (46:06):
Oh, really?
Bambi Lynn (46:07):
She asks you to write a letter to your younger
self.
She asks you to um to take youryounger self, I'm trying to see
if I can find it, to take youryounger self and to write a
letter to her.
And I actually wrote a letterto my younger self of saying,
thank you for never giving upthe sparkle.
(46:28):
When everybody in the roomwanted you to be quiet, you
still came into the room andsparkled the room because that
55-year-old person that I amtoday needed you so much to
never give up.
And so I would say that to myyounger self, thank you so much
(46:49):
that even though your world wasupside down, and even though you
were hurt as a little girl, andthere's so much trauma that was
happening around you, I want tothank you for always dancing in
a room.
I want to thank her for nevergiving up her sparkle.
Because now, as a 55-year-oldwoman, I am bold when I walk
(47:11):
into a room and I not onlysparkle, but I leave glitter,
you know, everywhere around.
And that is because that littlegirl never gave up.
Israel Caminero (47:21):
That's awesome.
That's interesting that uh, youknow, another podcast asked you
to write a letter and then nowI'm asking you to go back in
time.
Bambi Lynn (47:32):
You know, yeah, and because some people ask me if I
can go back in time and changesomething, and I and I just I
don't like that question.
Um, because no, I wouldn't goback in time to change something
because that's a it's like ametamorphos.
It's you know, like if you goback to change anything, then
new new doors open, new roadsyou've got to climb, you've got
(47:52):
to go down, new mountains youhave to climb.
So there's no sense going backand thinking that I can change
something, because if I changesomething, then some then it's
going to be a domino effect thatother things are going to
change.
Israel Caminero (48:03):
That's right.
Bambi Lynn (48:03):
Um, so I never think about changing anything in my
life because everything in mylife has brought me to the
moment of where I am today thatI get to share my testimony, I
get to share my story.
You know, if I had theprivilege and the honor of
sharing my stories on over 250podcasts and sharing them on
(48:26):
radio stations and sharing themon live um virtual summits and
you know, in front of churchesand things like that, that this
this life that God gave to me,He prepared me for it.
And he prepared me through thepain and the fire and the
mountain climbing and the deepdark, darkest times in my life
(48:51):
has brought me, you know, to whoI am today and what I get to
share for the kingdom.
Israel Caminero (48:57):
That's true.
I've had people that haveanswered that way, that they
wouldn't change a thing.
I think maybe a couple people,more than more than a couple,
have answered that way, wereexactly what you just said.
Like, yeah, I wouldn't change,I wouldn't tell her anything.
Or them, you know, themanything, because they they
would change the course of youknow the the trials and stuff
(49:19):
they had to go through.
Bambi Lynn (49:20):
And that's why I look at that question so
differently.
It's not I'm changing anything,I'm thanking her.
Israel Caminero (49:27):
Yeah.
But I just want to say thankyou for sharing your testimony
and everything you shared withthe listeners today, Bambi, and
and for taking the time forbeing here.
This is our what fourth, fifthtime trying to schedule this.
Bambi Lynn (49:40):
And I just schedule it, yeah.
Israel Caminero (49:42):
Obstacles kept coming in the way for some
reason.
And like I said, I'll havelinks to all her books and
whatever else she wants to shareon the description of the
podcast.
If you want to go show her somelove and some support.
Before we close, do you thinkyou could pray for us?
Bambi Lynn (50:00):
Oh my goodness, absolutely.
Absolutely.
Father God, what an awesome Godyou are.
That we get to serve you, weget to glorify you, we get to
lay down our lives before you.
I want to thank you, FatherGod, for choosing me.
I want to thank you, FatherGod, from the foundations of
time, that you wrapped all of usand you formed each one of us.
(50:22):
You gave us each different DNAand characteristics because you
knew the gifts that we wouldneed for the people that we
would be ministering to withinour fold.
I want to pray for each personthat listens to this podcast.
I want to pray that no weaponformed against them shall
prosper.
I want to pray for open doorsof possibilities in their lives.
(50:44):
I want to pray that, FatherGod, that they believe without a
shadow of a doubt that you haveordered their steps and that
you have already gone beforethem, and that when the enemy
comes in like a flood, you comein, Father God, and you raise
the standard.
I just pray that that Israel'saudience, Father God, that they
would never put the enemy in thedriver's seat because he never
(51:06):
wants to be a passenger.
I just pray that they willsurrender their lives, that they
would hang on to the hem ofyour garment, Father God,
because you knew the woman andyou already, you did not call
her by her sickness, but youcalled her daughter and that you
knew the touch.
And I just pray that, FatherGod, that everybody that listens
(51:28):
to Israel's um podcast, thatthey would feel the touch and
that Jesus would turn around andsay, Who touched me?
Because they would know thatthat touch of desperation and
that they would know that touchthat of salvation, and that they
would know that touch thattoday is the day of their
salvation.
I just pray that, Father God,if there is anybody that is
(51:51):
listening today that does notknow you, I pray that they would
reach out.
I pray that they would know andbelieve that you came to set
the captive free.
That Father God, you promisedin your word that for God so
loved the world that he gave hisonly begotten son, that
whosoever, whosoever believethin him should not perish, but
(52:12):
would have everlasting life, andthey would have everlasting
life to you.
I pray that you would open upfavor to Israel's audience,
Father God.
I pray that they would see andknow that it was you, and that
you would give them aha momentsor God wings in their lives.
I pray that, Father God, thatthey that doors would be open,
(52:34):
provision would be there, andthat, Father God, that you would
supply their daily bread.
I pray that, Lord, that ifthere is ones that do not know
you as their savior, I pray thattoday would be the day of their
salvation and that they wouldsurrender their life to you and
they would begin the healingjourney of building that
relationship with you, and thatthey could trust in you with all
(52:57):
their heart, lean not intotheir own understanding, but in
all their ways acknowledge you.
And you, Father God, willdirect their path.
I pray for direction.
I pray that, Father God, thatthat direction will lead to the
foot of the cross and that theywill lift up their hands and
they will surrender, and that aswe would lay our head down for
(53:17):
the last moment of our lives,that you would welcome us and
say, You well and good andfaithful servants, because we
have served you and we haveglorified your name.
I pray for this day.
I pray that, Lord Jesus, thattoday that Israel's audience
would have aha moments with you,and that they that you would
pour out your love and yourblessings to them, pressed down,
(53:40):
shaken, and running over.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Israel Caminero (53:44):
Amen.
Amen.
Thank you for that powerfulprayer, Bambi.
And uh once again, thank youfor being here and sharing your
story.
Bambi Lynn (53:53):
You are so welcome.
Israel Caminero (53:55):
I'm sure there's someone out there that
it's gonna impact.
And I also want to thank allthe listeners for joining me and
listening to Bambi's powerfultestimony.
I pray that her storyencourages your faith and it
reminds you that no one is toofar gone for God's love.
Amen.
I also want you, you know, ifyou enjoyed the episode, I'd
(54:16):
love for you to follow thepodcast, share it with a friend,
and leave a review.
It not only helps others findthese stories, but more
importantly, it helps us spreadthe hope of Jesus and bring
glory to God.
So until next time, remember,it's your story, but it's also
all his glory.
Thank you so much for tuning in to today's
episode.
I'm grateful for your supportand for being part of this
community.
If you've been enjoying thepodcast so far, I'd love it if
you could take a minute to leavea review.
Your feedback helps me reachmore people and share these
inspiring stories with others.
Let's spread the word.
Please share this podcast withyour friends and family.
(00:27):
And if you haven't already, besure to like and subscribe for
new episodes.
To stay connected and up todate on all the latest news,
updates, and exclusive content,head over to my Facebook page,
Living Testimonies.
While you're there, be sure tosubscribe to my newsletter.
The link is on the page.
(00:48):
Thanks again for listening, andI'll catch you in the next
episode.
Welcome to Living Testimony,Stories of Faith and Redemption.
(01:13):
I'm your host, Israel Caminero,and I hope everyone that's
listening today is blessed anddoing well.
With me today, I have my sisterin Christ.
Her name is Bambi Lynn, andshe's here as always as all my
guest star to share hertestimony.
Could you introduce and say alittle bit about yourself to
everyone, Bambi?
Bambi Lynn (01:31):
Absolutely.
I'd love your name.
So is your name really Israelor is it Jacob?
Israel Caminero (01:36):
No, it's Israel.
Bambi Lynn (01:38):
It's really Israel.
Well, that is awesome that yourparents vogly named you Israel.
So that's so yes, I'm excitedto finally be on here.
Um, you know, it's been a whilesince we've tried to connect
back and forth for a couplemonths now.
Yes.
So yes, my name is Bambi.
I am a mother of six adultchildren.
In 2026, I will have 15grandchildren.
(02:02):
Um, I am a life coach.
A year ago in October, Iactually lost my job with the
Nielsen TV ratings, and Idecided to pursue my dream of
being a life coach.
I'm also an author of three umpublished books that I have
written.
And I am, let's see, I am atransplant from the western New
(02:26):
York to the Golden Isles ofGeorgia.
And I have been a Christian andI've known Christ as my savior
since 1986.
Israel Caminero (02:38):
That's a long time to know Christ, and that's
a good thing.
Bambi Lynn (02:42):
Yes.
Israel Caminero (02:43):
Well, I'm glad you're here.
Like she said, we've been goingback and forth trying to get
this podcast recorded for awhile, but obstacles got in the
way.
And I say, the enemy didn'twant this testimony out, but
here we are, ready to record.
Absolutely.
But before we do that, I'd liketo pray, and I'd like to say,
Heavenly Father, we thank youfor this day and for the
(03:05):
privilege of hearing how you'veworked in Bambi's life.
Lord, fill her with peace andboldness as she speaks, and lets
every word be guided by yourspirit.
May her testimony stir hope,awaken faith, and point every
listener towards the love ofJesus.
Use this moment to encouragethe brokenhearted, strengthen
the weary, and draw the lost toyourself.
(03:26):
And Lord, above all, may you beglorified in everything said
here today.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
Bambi Lynn (03:34):
Amen.
Israel Caminero (03:35):
All right, friends.
So I'm excited that she's hereto share her testimony.
You've heard me say it before.
Every testimony is a display ofGod's grace, mercy, and power.
And today we get to hear howhe's worked in Bambi's life in a
way that will inspire andencourage you.
So let's jump right in.
Bambi, what was it like for youbefore you came to know the
(03:56):
Lord?
Bambi Lynn (03:57):
Oh my goodness.
Well, I actually was a brokenlittle girl that had lived in a
home full of trauma.
You know, there was uh mymother was a single parent
because until the age of 10years old, my mom and my dad
would go back and forth to witheach other.
Every time my dad got sober, hewould come back, and then he
(04:19):
was a brutal alcoholic, and thenhe would leave and back and
forth, back and forth.
And as a young little girl, Ihad a grandfather that thought
it was thought it was a goodidea to come into my room
whenever I went into, whenever Igot to stay at my grandmother's
house to come into my room witha bathrobe.
There was a lot of trauma, youknow, in my life.
(04:41):
I tried to commit suicide threedifferent times because of some
sexual abuse that I was goingthrough.
And I wasn't living a life ofpeace.
When I was a young girl, weused to go to church on a church
bus.
And every Sunday the church buswould pick us up, would go
(05:01):
around the neighborhood and pickand pick up all the misfits,
you know, within theneighborhood, the the children
that the parents wanted to getrid of their kids for a few
hours so they can have somepeace and quiet of themselves.
And so I grew up on this churchbus.
I grew up knowing who Jesuswas, but I never believed that
Jesus was for me because I wasjust a misfit.
(05:22):
I was just a church bus kid andI wasn't a name in the church.
So I would sit up front in thechurch and I would just listen
to them tell about Jesus andhoping that someday maybe I
could be part of the church andhave and have a name in the
church that Jesus would acceptme.
And so that's kind of like howI lived my life until about 14
(05:45):
years old.
The church had a girl thatactually had a teenage
pregnancy, and we were told, wewere told all the kids that were
at the church, the teenagers atthe church, we were told that
we could not have a relationshipwith her and that we could not
speak to her or anything becauseshe chose to have make an adult
decision and take on adultresponsibility.
(06:08):
So we were not to have any kindof relationship with her.
And so I ended up leaving thatchurch and I went to this one
other church in our town, and Ionly went there a couple times
because it was, you know, theguy wore a robe and it was so
formal and things like that.
(06:29):
And I continued my waywardlife.
You know, I thought that I wasa girl that nobody was ever
going to love unless I was inthe backseat of their cars, and
I didn't know what love was.
I thought that's what love was.
And I moved out of my mom'shouse the day after my 16th
birthday because my life wastough at my home.
(06:49):
And then my life was also toughat school because I was bullied
a lot.
We are a very poor family.
Plus, as you've noticed, I havea different name, and so that I
was made fun of all the timeover my name.
And I went and I moved in withan uncle that sexually assaulted
(07:10):
me over and over again.
I finally left there and Imoved in with a guy that was in
our was in the town of where Igrew up.
He was a drug dealer in ourtown.
I had no place to go though, soI moved in to his apartment
with a friend of mine, and therewas a lot of partying going on.
I didn't get myself tooinvolved in a lot of drugs.
(07:33):
I did for a little while, butnothing really major that made
me become addicted because Ijust didn't like the feel of it.
But I remember one night onDecember 28th, 1986, that my
life came crashing down, and Iwent to the police station,
walked across the street to thepolice station, and the police
(07:53):
officers knew who I was becauseI had family that lived in our
town.
And he said, What's going onwith you, Bambi?
And I said, I don't know.
And I remember walking out ofthe out of that um police
office, and I walked down to ourthe bridge in our hometown.
And I looked down into thewater, and I felt like nobody
(08:14):
was ever going to care that Iwas even alive.
I felt like my life was comingto an end.
And if I jumped today, itprobably would take them weeks
and weeks to even notice if Iwas gone.
I felt like I was just asecond-class citizen, this, you
know, nighttime girlfriend thatI had no value in myself.
So I went to jump off thebridge to end my life.
(08:37):
And that police officer hadgotten into his car and fouled
me, which I didn't know becauseI was so out of it.
And he grabbed me and threw meinto the back of the police car
and drove me to a psychiatriccenter.
And that psychiatrist thatpsychiatric center was actually
for adults, and they realizedthat I was only 16 years of age.
(08:59):
And so they drove me to anotherum, it was a children's
psychiatric center, took methere, did some blood work, did
a physical, let me go to bed.
The next morning the doctor umcalled me into the office.
He had his clipboard, his legscrossed, and he looked at me and
he said, Did you know that youwere pregnant?
Oh wow.
(09:19):
And I said, I had no idea.
And he said, People like youdon't have babies, and we'll
make arrangements and we'll giveyou your options tomorrow.
I asked him if I can go into myroom and just to have some time
to myself, and they usuallydidn't do that.
They didn't allow you that.
Once you were out of your roomfor the day, they locked the the
(09:40):
door so that you know theycould see who was in the center.
But they allowed me to go intomy room.
And on December 28th, 1986, Ifell down to the floor and I
surrendered my life to Christ.
It wasn't this cutesy thing.
I just said, God, I don't knowwhether you accept people like
me.
And I don't know whether youwould even want me in your
(10:03):
family, but I need you and Ineed you to save me and my baby.
And if you do that, I willhonor you and I will obey you
all the days of my life if youjust save me and my baby.
So that was my that was mymoment of surrender, that was my
moment of total despair, offeeling like I didn't know where
(10:26):
I was going.
But if God was true, then hewas going to save me and my
baby.
And, you know, 28 days afterthat, I had the pastor that had
gone to his church on a coupletimes, the one that was in a
robe, he actually came to thepsychiatric center.
The police officer went to hishouse when I went in, and he
(10:49):
said, Hey, I just wanted you toknow that you know, B is in
here, she's gonna need a placeto stay.
And he said, Well, we'll takeher.
And so they came 28 days laterat that center.
They came and they picked meup, and I lived at their house,
rented a room in their home for$50 a week, and live there until
(11:12):
I actually, you know, marry.
I wish I could tell you that,you know, I think that once that
people think that once youaccept Jesus that everything is
going to be perfect, thateverything is going to work out.
I wish I could tell you thatthat's what it is.
But you know, the Bible'spretty clear that we're going to
we're going to deal withsuffering in our lives, and
(11:34):
we're going to deal with thingsthat are going to take our
breath away because it's, youknow, the Bible does tell us
that seven times we fall, butit's not the falling that really
matters.
It's the getting back up.
It's realizing that God didsave me and He did wrap me in
the palm of His hands and He didcall me His child.
And no matter what has happenedin my life, no matter what I've
(11:57):
been through in my life, I havealways surrendered to that.
And there were times that itwould take me, you know, there
would be times that I would wantto give up, but I remembered
that, I remembered thatagreement that I made with God.
So some of the times that Ichose not to give up wasn't
because I was this super, youknow, wonderful Christian and I
(12:20):
could just hang on to faith andI could just go, praise you,
Jesus, praise you, Jesus.
I just remembered the vow thatI made, the decision that I
made, that God, if you save me,you know, I'll I will honor you.
So some of the some of thetimes that I have fallen and and
the times that I have cried,you know, there's a song that
(12:41):
says, if my pillow could talk,that a girl wrote, and the times
that, you know, if my pillowcould talk, they would know my
my desperation and my despairand and how much I just wanted
to serve God, but all of thiswas all too hard.
But it is by the word of ourtestimony.
And I think that when we becomesaved, so many times we put God
(13:03):
in this box, and God says,Don't put me in this box.
And sometimes when we getsaved, we want to stop sharing
what we've been through becauseyou know, we that was already
us, you know, once before.
But the Bible's pretty clearthat it's with the word of our
testimony, it's us sharing wherewe have been, it's us sharing
(13:24):
the the depth of the surrenderthat we've had to go through in
our lives, you know, for othersto see, you know, that that God
is the King of Kings, and all wehad to do is call upon Him and
to fall, you know, at the at thefeet of the cross and hang on
for dear life to the hem of Hisgarment.
Israel Caminero (13:45):
Amen.
I love that.
You're absolutely correct,Bambi.
I love the fact that that youwere partying and and lost and
you went to that police station,and how that police officer
actually followed you withoutyou knowing.
And you could see where whereGod's hand was with you even
before you knew him personally.
(14:06):
You know what I mean?
Bambi Lynn (14:07):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
He calls us.
You know, he the Bible tells usin Jeremiah 19, he, when Jesus
formed us in the palm of hishands and he put destiny, he put
purpose, even from thefoundations of time, you know,
that God called us forth inthose moments.
You know, our our parents, youknow, were they were the
(14:29):
incubator for what God hadalready created, and he had
already marked us and he hadalready called us.
And I, you know, I justbelieve, you know, the Bible's
really clear that for God soloved the world that he gave his
only begotten son, thatwhosoever believeth in him
should not perish but haveeverlasting life.
God wants none of us to perish,he wants none of us, you know.
(14:52):
I think that we, when you thinkabout this whole thing that has
happened within, you know, thelast week to 10 days into in our
country, if it has doneanything, it has brought the
lion to roar, it is broughtforth us to open up our mouths
even stronger and to know whatwhere we have been in our faith.
(15:15):
And I want I want to leadothers to him.
I want to be when I get toheaven that he does say, You
well and good and faithfulservant, and I get to see the
people that I don't even know,that I get to see those people,
and they say it's because ofyou, it's because of your life,
it's because of your testimony,it's because of your lifestyle,
(15:36):
it's because I heard you speak,it's because I listened to a
podcast and you were there and Iheard the plan of salvation.
That's what we should be doingas Christians is that we should
be surrendering our lives toChrist and to his mission and to
his desires to bring others toChrist.
Let's stop, especially asChristians, let's stop dividing
(15:59):
each other and let's move over.
I did a message, um, I went andI did a revival in Buffalo and
I talked about the 99.
You know, we always listen tothe, you know, the parable of
that one, right?
You know, that Jesus saw thatone.
But my question was, how didJesus see that one and those 99
(16:20):
didn't?
You know, how did Jesus seethat there was somebody lost,
but the 99 didn't?
It's because the 99 is notmoving over because they have
forgotten how they've even gotthere.
They have forgotten what Goddid in their lives, and they're
rejecting that one that Jesus isgoing after to find.
Jesus will go after those andhe will bring them in, but we as
(16:44):
the 99 have to move over tobring in the ones that people
have rejected.
That's our responsibility, andthat is that should be the
calling of each one of ourlives.
We know what it was to be lost,right?
We know what it was like to beblinded, and it's so our
responsibility to use ourtestimony to bring like what
(17:05):
Isaiah 61 says that open up theprison gates and let the captive
free.
When the captive is set free,there's got to be a place for
that captive to go.
And so, as Christians, weshould be bold enough to say,
come here, I'll move over foryou.
Israel Caminero (17:23):
Wow, that's good for sure.
I totally agree with you as faras the 99 and the one.
That that's a good analogy thatyou have there, and I love it.
Bambi Lynn (17:36):
Yeah, we never talk about that.
We never talk about the bummerlamb, you know, where does the
where if the when the shepherd,you know, heals the bummer lamb,
when the shepherd heals therejected, you know, where do we
go?
You know, last year I thoughtabout, you know, the movie that
came out about the Christmaspageant.
(17:57):
And it was all about how thesemisfits were coming into the
church, but the church bodydidn't want them.
The church mother said, wait aminute, I want my child to, you
know, be married.
I want my child to play this.
When the misfits walked in,they felt like, oh, what are
they doing?
But at the end of the movie,they realized it's the misfits
(18:20):
that brought life back into thechurch because they knew what it
was like to be lost.
They understood what it waslike to be poor and dirty and
homeless and drug-infected andprostitutes.
And but we as a sometimes as achurch body, we forget where we
(18:43):
came from.
And so we turn away from thosemisfits.
When God is bringing them by byloads, He's bringing them into
the kingdom, but there just hasto be a place that's right for
us to open up our hearts tothem.
Israel Caminero (19:00):
Yeah, totally.
I mean, you know, people judgepeople on their looks, on what
they wear, and just get thisvisual of them.
I remember one time, I don'tknow whether I should bring this
up or not.
I'll I try and keep it asanonymous as I can, but I was at
(19:20):
the church and we were doing afunction, and someone was asked
to go get something from thestore, and then another church
member kind of looked at me andwas like, Is he okay to do that?
Just because he looked a littledifferent, you know, he was new
to his faith, and I just in myhead I'm just thinking, like,
(19:43):
what kind of question was that?
You know?
Like, I could have let my fleshtake over, but and and let her
know a piece of my mind, but atthe same time, it's like we're
all God's people here, no matterwhat you look like, you know.
Bambi Lynn (20:00):
you're new to your faith or if I don't know is you
just made me think of that andthat happened like years ago
many years ago and I think thatthere's an awakening happen you
know now I you know I don't liketo talk about and I don't like
to talk about politics andthings like that because it su
(20:21):
so divides us yes but if wecould look at what has happened
in the last nine days and lookat ourselves within the mirror
and say hmm could I surrender mylife that way like that person
did have I given my all is mywhen somebody asks the question
what do I want to be rememberedby do I say that I had the cur
(20:45):
that I have the courage to serveJesus Christ those should be
the questions that we should beasking and I hope that these
past nine days that that is whatChristians are are asking you
know we're asking thosequestions we're not wondering
how this happened what thishappened what what people say
about here what people say abouthere but we're looking in the
mirror and we're wondering arewe taking people with us that
(21:10):
should be our goal as Christiansto get to get rid of the
politics of everything to getand get down to the nitty gritty
what do you want what legacy doyou want to lay at the altar of
the cross of Jesus what legacydo you want to leave when people
think of you what are the firstthings that they think about
(21:34):
you when people think about mewhat are the first things that
people say oh Bambi was this ohIsrael was this those are the
things that we should betransforming and to becoming
more like Christ that way andhave a hunger to bring others to
the saving knowledge of JesusChrist he didn't give us our
(21:56):
testimony for us to sit on thesidelines and watch other people
do the work he didn't give ushe didn't take us from the Maori
clay and put us on the potter'swheel for us to sit and do
nothing.
That's right he didn't take ourlives and have our lives be
from ashes to beauty for nothinghe didn't do it for us to hide
(22:18):
our testimonies in a box or hideour voice with within a room of
silence he wants us to raiseour voices and say I once was
lost but now I'm found I oncewas blind but now I see and I
want you to come to heaven withme.
(22:39):
You know it's funny today issupposed to be I just read just
before I got on here I'm it'ssupposed to be rapture day or
something.
I didn't know what that meantand I'm thinking rapture day
guys there needs to be a revivalof the 99 that are sitting
within the church you know weneed to if there's a rapture day
(22:59):
we need to make sure that webrought enough people and we've
shared enough of the gospel forthe rapture to take place and
our friends and our family andeverybody around us that we
touch that we were Jesus withskin on that we touch them that
they are coming up into the airwith us.
It's not I think that peopleare forgetting that the rapture
what if that's your theologythat you believe the rapture
(23:22):
he's coming back for the onesthat have surrendered their life
to him.
So we better be in business webetter be in places that we are
sharing the gospel to bringothers during the rapture let's
not get caught up in the rapturelet's get caught up in the
testimony that we are leavingfor people that when they lay
(23:45):
their head on their pillow atnight that they want to know and
they want to have what you havethat's what we should be
worried about.
I read about that today tootoday's supposed to be rapture
day but yeah I didn't know whatthat meant I'm like okay and
then I didn't know what you knowI don't I I guess I didn't even
(24:09):
understand what um conservativeChristians were like people
keep throwing in the last ninedays people have been throwing
around the word you knowChristian conservatives you know
oh these Christianconservatives these Christian
conservatives like it's a badthing and I didn't understand
what that meant I didn'tunderstand that that actually to
(24:29):
the world is a negative thingto me I should be a conservative
Christian.
I should be able to I should belooking at the word of God and
and having the word of Goddirect my path it should be it
should be my GPS for my life Ishould be wanting what Christ
wants within the word of God.
(24:50):
I should be loving the way thatChrist loves I shouldn't be
ashamed that I'm a Christianconservative a conservative
Christian because conservativejust means that I'm I'm just
conservat to me conservativemeans that I'm just I'm just not
doing the things of this world.
I'm just I'm just a littleconservative in what I believe
(25:12):
because I I want to line up tothe word of God and that they're
using it as a negative thingyou know today.
We need to use it as a positivething to say thank you thank
you and they've gotten a youknow I think the world has a
distaste of what because they'vecome up with an idea I I love
(25:34):
all people I love all people butthat doesn't mean and people
love me but that doesn't meanthat they agree with everything
that I do and that's okay that'swhat love is that's what family
is so we should be rejoicingyou know if somebody calls us a
a a conservative Christian orChristian conservative yeah I
(25:55):
don't I don't participate in youknow things in my life because
not because I'm perfect butbecause I just want to shine
with Jesus Christ.
I just want people to see mewith with skin on and I don't
want them to have to think hmmis Bambi representing Christ oh
Bambi did that she must not be aChristian I don't want to get
(26:17):
caught up in that.
I just want to get caught up inJesus and I think that that's
what we all should be able to dois to get caught up in Jesus
and what Jesus wants in ourlives.
Israel Caminero (26:29):
I'm convinced that those who are setting
rapture dates are tools of Satanto be honest with you.
I mean no man knows the day orthe hour that it's going to
happen.
Bambi Lynn (26:40):
Absolutely they're they're so concerned about that
instead of doing what we'reasked to do, which was go and
make disciples yeah a 31 yearold male died nine days ago I'm
sure he thought he was going tolive forever and and be on a
rocking chair at the end at youknow towards the end of his life
talking about all that God haddone sure he didn't think at 31
(27:05):
years old that his life would beover.
Right you know he probablythought you know he was going to
live to be a Billy Graham orwhatever but our life is but a
vapor we do not know the hournor the time but are you ready?
That's right.
That's what we should be askingare you ready if Jesus was to
come back today as a thief inthe night prowling around
(27:28):
wondering if he was to look intoyour house would he see Jesus
being represented you know yearsago and I think about that so
much years ago I you know when Iwas married I had been married
a couple times and my firsthusband um was a man that I
married from the church um butour relationship and our
(27:51):
marriage was full of infidelityand I just kept taking him back
and taking him back and thenfinally the marriage had ended
and then I married again tosomebody that was in the church
and two weeks after we gotmarried the hitting started and
for eight years our home was ahome of domestic violence.
And I remember the day that hefinally that it was finally over
(28:12):
and we had a huge big baywindow and I took down those
curtains in that bay windowbecause to me those curtains
represent bondage and I tookdown the curtains so when people
walked by our house they couldsee a house that served Christ
because for so long I had tohide because there was so much
(28:32):
hurt and damage that washappening in our lives.
And I just remember that versein Revelation you know that he
is he's like a thief in thenight he's looking he's looking
around to see who's going toserve him and who's going to
reject him and who's going tolift up their hands to him and
surrender.
And to me that was such a boldthing and I had my curtain I had
(28:56):
those curtains off of my thatwindow for two years because it
was a sign of freedom to me andit was a sign that Jesus was
welcome at all times and Iwasn't going to hide from him
the bruises and how I felt likeour home was was being
hypocritical because we would bein church three days a week but
yet he would be hitting me youknow all the rest of the days.
Israel Caminero (29:19):
I'm sorry to hear that.
Bambi Lynn (29:21):
But God used it.
Israel Caminero (29:22):
He did because look at you now I also want to
piggyback from before when youfirst started your testimony
before I forget you know youkept saying that you you were
sent to church on Sundaysbecause uh you know obviously
you said your parents didn'twant you around and all the kids
(29:43):
would go.
My question is obviously yourparents weren't saved back then
or maybe they were who or whatinfluenced you the most you know
in your early spiritualjourney.
Bambi Lynn (29:56):
I would say that there was a family that took me
in um well took me because I wasa church bus kid and I was one
of the kids that would thatreally that sat up front and
wanted to have you knowconversation and wanted to hear
the word of God and there was afamily that took me under their
wing and it her and we are suchdear friends today.
I realize we're only 15 yearsapart which is you know as a
(30:20):
young kid you don't realize thatthey were they were somebody
that took me under their wingyou know and different people
within that church took me undertheir wing and then the um the
bolsters that I stayed at theirhouse they took me under their
wing and I just always felt thatthat God had that God had a
purpose for my life.
(30:40):
I didn't understand what thatmeant and and one thing that I
want to tell people you knowwhen you have ministries like
that make sure that they're justnot ministries.
You know make sure that ifyou're taking on a bus ministry
and you're going around theneighborhood you know to pick up
these kids that are broken andthey've been, you know, they're
in poverty they're in homes thatare dysfunctional and things
(31:04):
like that.
And make sure that they're justnot a notch in the church's
belt to say oh we do this.
Make sure it becomes somethingthat is your heart and that you
are taking them on even on theirbirthdays and Christmas and and
times in their lives and andchecking in on them that it's
(31:24):
just not a ministry that you cansay oh our church has a bus
ministry because I did feel Ifelt you know that that Jesus
that he was picking me up andthat they were picking me up and
that I could that I could go tochurch to learn about Jesus but
I never felt that Jesus wasever going to accept me because
(31:45):
I was a church bus kid.
And and some of that is becausewe were just a ministry we were
just a quote unquote ministry.
So if I can give any advice topeople out there that have that
they call these ministries oryou know they're doing widow
ministries or they're doingunwed um mother ministries turn
(32:06):
it not into a ministry but turnit into a calling and a passion
that you have for people becauseyou go farther with that
because then you meet people forwhere they're at and you just
don't look at them as a ministryif that makes any sense and I
don't even know why I said that.
So yeah I did have people andthroughout my life I've had
(32:27):
people you know Titus two womenyou know in my life that taught
me how when I was a young mom,you know I had four children by
the age of 22 years old.
I had married at 18.
My husband adopted my mydaughter that was a teenage
pregnancy and they you know Ihad women come into my home to
(32:47):
teach me how to keep a housebecause a home was to represent
the wife in Christianity so myyour house had to be in order
you know the can't your househad to smell really nice we I
have a little cupboard wherethere's always snacks and tea
that somebody can stop at myhouse of the spare of a moment.
So I've had people that havepoured into me you know that way
(33:11):
you know into my life andthroughout my life.
Israel Caminero (33:15):
So you gave your life to Christ and how has
your relationship with Godchanged the way you face life
challenges today?
Bambi Lynn (33:23):
Well I mean that's why I wrote my first book The
Journey of Josephine and this ishow God took a broken little
girl and he mended my heart youknow becoming uh becoming saved
takes you on a journey becausenow you have somebody that loves
you unconditionally and youbuild a relationship with him.
And I when I think aboutsalvation you know the Bible
(33:46):
tells us that if we we believeon the Lord Jesus Christ thou
shalt be saved.
And believing is the first stepand the rest is relationship.
It's kind of like you stand atthe altar when you get married
and you promise these youpromise this person you know
your love you promise thatyou're going to be with them
through you know sickness andthen health and you promise all
(34:08):
of this and then you continue tobuild the relationship and you
do things for that personbecause you love that person.
And that person does things foryou because they love you.
It's kind of like a yo-yo it'sa back and forth and that's our
relationship with Christ I mybelief and this is just my
belief and I believe thatscripture um you know does say
(34:32):
that but believing in the LordJesus Christ is your salvation.
The rest is your relationshipwhere he comes in and he wants
you to re renew your mind dailyhe wants you to understand the
finished work at the cross hewants you to understand that
you're in relationship with him.
So he would like he'll begin tostart peeling you like an onion
(34:53):
you know hey Bambi let's dealwith this hey Bambi let's deal
with this and that's what mybook was The Journey of
Josephine was my memoir and mytestimony and how God did that
and how God took my life and hesaid hey let's let's work this
through let's work this throughand and I was willing to do that
because I felt safe with himbecause I had a relationship
(35:14):
with Jesus.
I didn't just believe which isthe first step of salvation but
I had a relationship and he tookme on a journey and and that
was my very first book TheJourney of Josephine and then I
wrote my second book TheTreasures of my heart which was
my gift you know to God in thefact that in the midst of all of
(35:35):
our storms in our lives theregood and bad run on the same
track.
And when we look at our livesand only look at our lives
through the lens ofdisappointment we only see
disappointment.
But if we look at our livesthat God has had a plan and a
purpose for our lives we beginto see treasures that He has
placed within the path of ourlives and life is like a roller
(35:58):
coaster for every single one ofus.
You know when we are in thevalley the valley is where we
find rest as the valley is wherewe find nourishment the valley
is where we find the stillwaters the creeks the streams
the lush grass the trees thatbring us shade and give us food
(36:19):
and nourishment to prepare us tobe climbing up the mountain.
And as we're climbing up thatmountain we are getting bitten
alive where our nails aregetting dirty our knees are
starting to get bruised becausewe're climbing up this mountain
but then we reach the horizonand we see how far God has
(36:40):
brought us but what people don'tunderstand that is a cycle over
and over again for all of uswhether we're saved or we're not
we now get to see the horizonbut now we have to come back
down again and then go throughthe valley again and then go
back up to the mountain but inthose in those times in our
(37:00):
lives there's so many treasuresit's like this the story of um
the oyster the oyster has nopearl right in it until it's
gone through some pain and stillthe parasites have come after
it until the hurricanes havecrashed over it and at the end
of life when you open up anoyster you see a beautiful pearl
(37:21):
and that's what God's doing forus is that every single storm
that we have gone through everysingle hurricane that we had
endured everything single tearthat we have cried every single
pain that we have endured andand that we brought us into a
fetal position he is creating abeautiful pearl that at the end
(37:42):
of life we will be able to seewhat all of this has done for us
because he works all things outfor good to those who are
called according to his purpose.
So that was my book TheTreasures of my heart was
finding the treasures in themidst of the storm and then I
wrote I just published in July4th of this year I just
published the book of The GodWho sees which is uh which is a
(38:06):
book it can be used as adevotional and an inspirational
time and it's 33 different womenof the Bible that I took their
stories and I looked deeper intotheir stories and I realized
that God had a lesson for us aswomen in in our lives that he
had these women tell theirstories of tell their stories of
their pain and their agony butyet now tell their stories
(38:29):
redemption because he knew thatwomen today would need those
stories.
So I told stories about womenthat had been sexually assaulted
I told a story of women thatwere in dem were in homes of
domestic violence which wasAbigail I told the story of a
girl that was raped in a blendedfamily which was Tamar you know
(38:50):
I told the story of a womanthat lost a child but had a
rainbow baby you know which wasBathsheba I told the story of a
of a mom that had to deal withmurder and and a death of a
child but yet she stillcontinued and that was Eve you
(39:11):
know so I told the stories in away that I didn't just write
them the way that the scripturesaid it and here's some verses
and blah blah blah but I I wrotethem in a way that I saw who
they were and who we needed howwomen needed of today I talked
about poverty you know I talkedabout sisters you know I talked
(39:32):
about um in-laws you know Italked about military women you
know that because Peter was theonly disciple that was married
and I could imagine I have Ihave child I have daughters and
that have to be on the frontline taking care of their their
(39:53):
children while their husbandsare gone you know in the
military and I use the story ofPeter And to encourage the women
that are standing in the frontline taking care of the
household while the men aregone.
So that is my the book, The GodWho Sees.
And I could write that bookbecause I had written The
(40:14):
Journey of Josephine and I letit all out.
And when I got my book, TheJourney of Josephine, my very
first book, I remember readingit that night, crying like a
baby and having God peel me evenmore.
And I closed the book and Ilooked up to heaven and I said,
God, this isn't me anymore.
You have done such a work in mylife.
(40:35):
You have healed me somiraculously.
But now I want to find thatwoman.
I want to find that girl.
I want to find that person thatneeds to tell her story.
And I want to give her thecourage to be able to say that
she can share her storiesbecause there is healing through
stories.
So that is my mission.
That is my ministry, isministering to women and to
(40:58):
young girls that there ishealing to your story, and your
story was not meant to be yourdeath sentence.
Your story was not meant tostrangle out your life, but your
story was meant to be a firstaid kit for the people behind
you.
Israel Caminero (41:14):
That's right.
Your story is your testimony,and it's all for his glory.
Bambi Lynn (41:21):
Amen.
Israel Caminero (41:22):
So the book she just mentioned, The Journey of
Josephine, The Treasures of MyHeart, and The Book of the God
Who Sees.
I'll have links to all those inthe description of this
podcast.
If anyone wants to go checkthose out and support Bambi and
read them because I'm surethey're probably good books.
Bambi Lynn (41:46):
Oh, wow.
Okay.
And I said you didn't have toshare them to me beforehand.
So your audience, this is asurprise to me too.
Israel Caminero (41:56):
Yeah, yeah.
I'm sure the audience alreadyknows the questions, but you
don't.
You chose not to know.
Bambi Lynn (42:02):
Not to I did choose not to know.
Israel Caminero (42:04):
So my first uh question is simple.
It's just what scripture ortruth carried you through your
turning point?
You know, like a life versethat you had while while you
were young that carried youthrough the fire, that you can
still look at today and whatthat scripture is and you know
what it means to you.
Bambi Lynn (42:24):
I would say it would have to be Joshua 1 9.
Be strong and courageous, donot be afraid or discouraged,
for the Lord your God will bewith you wherever you go.
And then, you know, the otherone, I will walk by faith even
though I cannot see, you know, 2Corinthians 5, 7.
So those would be probably mytwo.
Israel Caminero (42:46):
All right.
Bambi Lynn (42:46):
And what do what exactly comes in seasons, those
two, you know, like some reallyhits you in different seasons of
your life.
Israel Caminero (42:55):
Okay.
Can you explain to what thosescriptures mean to you?
I mean, it can mean somethingtotally different to whoever
reads it.
As you know, the Bible can, youknow, you read a scripture one
day and it can mean what onething to you and then read it
the next day, and it could be atotally different meaning to
you.
What do those scripturescompletely mean to you?
Bambi Lynn (43:17):
I would say that, you know, Joshua 1.9 to be
strong and courageous and don'tbe afraid or discouraged, is
that no matter what you're doingin your life, and no matter
what if you think that God hasforgotten about you, He hasn't.
He is working all things outfor good.
And he is preparing you toreceive that blessing that he
(43:39):
has for you.
So don't be discouraged in thetime of darkness because the
light is there.
To walk by faith is kind oflike the same thing.
You know, walking for Jesus isa faith walk.
Even when you explain Jesus,you know, to people, you can't
ex, you can't tangibly touchhim.
Like my sons can can tell youwho Christ is through history,
(44:03):
science, math.
I can tell you who Christ isthrough what he did in me and
the passion that he has given tome.
So I have you walk by faiththat he's got it all taken care
of.
The Bible tells us that heorders the steps of the
righteous and that he goesbefore us.
And we need to believe that hehas gone before us.
(44:27):
And sometimes that is sodifficult.
As I see in my own life, youknow, this year has been a year,
it will be a year, October14th, that I had lost my job for
the Nielsen TV ratings.
And I've been on a faith walkever since.
I've been on a walk ofwondering, okay, God, do you,
you know, are you how are yougoing to provide that I gone
(44:49):
from being plenty to now prayingand asking God for my daily
bread?
But I know that I know that Iknow that He put a passion and a
call into my life to ministerto people around me, to go and
and speak the truth and to doworkshops and things like that.
So I have to walk by faith.
(45:10):
I have to walk by faith andbelieve that he hasn't left me,
he hasn't forsaken me, he hasn'tturned his back on me, and that
he does have a plan for me andnot to be discouraged.
Israel Caminero (45:22):
Amen.
And it's his timing, not ours.
Bambi Lynn (45:25):
Yeah.
Israel Caminero (45:26):
Because we can get fairly impatient sometimes,
right?
Bambi Lynn (45:31):
Absolutely.
Israel Caminero (45:33):
All right, that's thank you for those uh
verses and answering, you know,what it means to you.
Now we're going to my back tothe past section of the podcast.
And what my back to the pastsection is, Bambi, if the Bambi
of today can travel, well, cango back in time, not travel, and
talk to the younger Bambi thatwas lost, knowing the things you
(45:55):
know now, what would you say toher and why?
Bambi Lynn (45:58):
It's funny.
Um, on a podcast that I was on,the lady, uh, the woman asks
that question.
Israel Caminero (46:06):
Oh, really?
Bambi Lynn (46:07):
She asks you to write a letter to your younger
self.
She asks you to um to take youryounger self, I'm trying to see
if I can find it, to take youryounger self and to write a
letter to her.
And I actually wrote a letterto my younger self of saying,
thank you for never giving upthe sparkle.
(46:28):
When everybody in the roomwanted you to be quiet, you
still came into the room andsparkled the room because that
55-year-old person that I amtoday needed you so much to
never give up.
And so I would say that to myyounger self, thank you so much
(46:49):
that even though your world wasupside down, and even though you
were hurt as a little girl, andthere's so much trauma that was
happening around you, I want tothank you for always dancing in
a room.
I want to thank her for nevergiving up her sparkle.
Because now, as a 55-year-oldwoman, I am bold when I walk
(47:11):
into a room and I not onlysparkle, but I leave glitter,
you know, everywhere around.
And that is because that littlegirl never gave up.
Israel Caminero (47:21):
That's awesome.
That's interesting that uh, youknow, another podcast asked you
to write a letter and then nowI'm asking you to go back in
time.
Bambi Lynn (47:32):
You know, yeah, and because some people ask me if I
can go back in time and changesomething, and I and I just I
don't like that question.
Um, because no, I wouldn't goback in time to change something
because that's a it's like ametamorphos.
It's you know, like if you goback to change anything, then
new new doors open, new roadsyou've got to climb, you've got
(47:52):
to go down, new mountains youhave to climb.
So there's no sense going backand thinking that I can change
something, because if I changesomething, then some then it's
going to be a domino effect thatother things are going to
change.
Israel Caminero (48:03):
That's right.
Bambi Lynn (48:03):
Um, so I never think about changing anything in my
life because everything in mylife has brought me to the
moment of where I am today thatI get to share my testimony, I
get to share my story.
You know, if I had theprivilege and the honor of
sharing my stories on over 250podcasts and sharing them on
(48:26):
radio stations and sharing themon live um virtual summits and
you know, in front of churchesand things like that, that this
this life that God gave to me,He prepared me for it.
And he prepared me through thepain and the fire and the
mountain climbing and the deepdark, darkest times in my life
(48:51):
has brought me, you know, to whoI am today and what I get to
share for the kingdom.
Israel Caminero (48:57):
That's true.
I've had people that haveanswered that way, that they
wouldn't change a thing.
I think maybe a couple people,more than more than a couple,
have answered that way, wereexactly what you just said.
Like, yeah, I wouldn't change,I wouldn't tell her anything.
Or them, you know, themanything, because they they
would change the course of youknow the the trials and stuff
(49:19):
they had to go through.
Bambi Lynn (49:20):
And that's why I look at that question so
differently.
It's not I'm changing anything,I'm thanking her.
Israel Caminero (49:27):
Yeah.
But I just want to say thankyou for sharing your testimony
and everything you shared withthe listeners today, Bambi, and
and for taking the time forbeing here.
This is our what fourth, fifthtime trying to schedule this.
Bambi Lynn (49:40):
And I just schedule it, yeah.
Israel Caminero (49:42):
Obstacles kept coming in the way for some
reason.
And like I said, I'll havelinks to all her books and
whatever else she wants to shareon the description of the
podcast.
If you want to go show her somelove and some support.
Before we close, do you thinkyou could pray for us?
Bambi Lynn (50:00):
Oh my goodness, absolutely.
Absolutely.
Father God, what an awesome Godyou are.
That we get to serve you, weget to glorify you, we get to
lay down our lives before you.
I want to thank you, FatherGod, for choosing me.
I want to thank you, FatherGod, from the foundations of
time, that you wrapped all of usand you formed each one of us.
(50:22):
You gave us each different DNAand characteristics because you
knew the gifts that we wouldneed for the people that we
would be ministering to withinour fold.
I want to pray for each personthat listens to this podcast.
I want to pray that no weaponformed against them shall
prosper.
I want to pray for open doorsof possibilities in their lives.
(50:44):
I want to pray that, FatherGod, that they believe without a
shadow of a doubt that you haveordered their steps and that
you have already gone beforethem, and that when the enemy
comes in like a flood, you comein, Father God, and you raise
the standard.
I just pray that that Israel'saudience, Father God, that they
would never put the enemy in thedriver's seat because he never
(51:06):
wants to be a passenger.
I just pray that they willsurrender their lives, that they
would hang on to the hem ofyour garment, Father God,
because you knew the woman andyou already, you did not call
her by her sickness, but youcalled her daughter and that you
knew the touch.
And I just pray that, FatherGod, that everybody that listens
(51:28):
to Israel's um podcast, thatthey would feel the touch and
that Jesus would turn around andsay, Who touched me?
Because they would know thatthat touch of desperation and
that they would know that touchthat of salvation, and that they
would know that touch thattoday is the day of their
salvation.
I just pray that, Father God,if there is anybody that is
(51:51):
listening today that does notknow you, I pray that they would
reach out.
I pray that they would know andbelieve that you came to set
the captive free.
That Father God, you promisedin your word that for God so
loved the world that he gave hisonly begotten son, that
whosoever, whosoever believethin him should not perish, but
(52:12):
would have everlasting life, andthey would have everlasting
life to you.
I pray that you would open upfavor to Israel's audience,
Father God.
I pray that they would see andknow that it was you, and that
you would give them aha momentsor God wings in their lives.
I pray that, Father God, thatthey that doors would be open,
(52:34):
provision would be there, andthat, Father God, that you would
supply their daily bread.
I pray that, Lord, that ifthere is ones that do not know
you as their savior, I pray thattoday would be the day of their
salvation and that they wouldsurrender their life to you and
they would begin the healingjourney of building that
relationship with you, and thatthey could trust in you with all
(52:57):
their heart, lean not intotheir own understanding, but in
all their ways acknowledge you.
And you, Father God, willdirect their path.
I pray for direction.
I pray that, Father God, thatthat direction will lead to the
foot of the cross and that theywill lift up their hands and
they will surrender, and that aswe would lay our head down for
(53:17):
the last moment of our lives,that you would welcome us and
say, You well and good andfaithful servants, because we
have served you and we haveglorified your name.
I pray for this day.
I pray that, Lord Jesus, thattoday that Israel's audience
would have aha moments with you,and that they that you would
pour out your love and yourblessings to them, pressed down,
(53:40):
shaken, and running over.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Israel Caminero (53:44):
Amen.
Amen.
Thank you for that powerfulprayer, Bambi.
And uh once again, thank youfor being here and sharing your
story.
Bambi Lynn (53:53):
You are so welcome.
Israel Caminero (53:55):
I'm sure there's someone out there that
it's gonna impact.
And I also want to thank allthe listeners for joining me and
listening to Bambi's powerfultestimony.
I pray that her storyencourages your faith and it
reminds you that no one is toofar gone for God's love.
Amen.
I also want you, you know, ifyou enjoyed the episode, I'd
(54:16):
love for you to follow thepodcast, share it with a friend,
and leave a review.
It not only helps others findthese stories, but more
importantly, it helps us spreadthe hope of Jesus and bring
glory to God.
So until next time, remember,it's your story, but it's also
all his glory.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.