Abuse in any form may be the most horrendous and appalling condition that exists in the human family, especially when it is perpetrated against a child, since they will form views of God through the lens of their abuse. As a young child, Sabrine’s abusive alcoholic father set the stage for her descent into sin’s dark pit.
“My dad was very abusive to our family. My mother, a Seventh-day Adventist, gave us Bible studies, taught us to pray, and planted the gospel seed in our hearts. We had learned my mom had a brain tumor while I was in high school.
“I felt so worthless because of my dad’s abuse, so around 18, I left home and rebelled by choice. I chose to smoke, drink, use pot, and became a meth addict. I chose to sleep with the kids that dealt in meth to get my fix, and later to prostitute myself for other reasons. If I survived the night, I was fine; and if I didn’t, I would have welcomed death. To top it off, I found out I had bone cancer, and when my neck broke, they put a lot of metal in there.”
Sabrine was in her late 30s when she learned her mother was very sick, and returned home to care for her during her last years.
After losing her mom she thought, I can’t live like this. I’ll move somewhere and get a new start, so she decided to move to Landers, Wyoming. While there, she checked out a local Seventh-day Adventist church, but felt it just wasn’t time. However, a few weeks later, she found 3ABN. “I knew instantly this was an Adventist station, so stayed at home and contentedly watched 3ABN for three years,” she says. “During one of the programs, Pastor John Bradshaw of It Is Written said we needed fellowship with one another, so I got dressed and went immediately to church. I felt so welcome, and soon I was taking Bible studies from Pastor Jason Logan. I was baptized on August 6 of this year, and I can’t thank 3ABN enough for the way they presented the truth so God could reach deep into my pit of sin to fulfill His promise to me, ‘Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save.’ ”
Donna Steele grew up with ten siblings at the end of the Great Depression. They were was not raised in church, and God was never mentioned in their home. “In fact, there wasn’t a Bible in the house!” she says.“But I always knew there was a God, because He came to me in dreams.” After visiting a mansion for the first time, she says her goal suddenly became to own one. “But that night, God came to me in a dream, turned over and sat down on an old bucket, and talked to me about life’s values. I was not to seek the things of this world, but to seek love to spread out to others,” she recalls. When Donna’s parents divorced, she began attending her grandmother’s Baptist church, and at the tender age of nine she answered an altar call and was baptized. After she married, she began attending her husband’s Pentecostal church. “The people were loud,” she says, “and I didn’t like it. But it was church, so I kept going.” Her journey took her through the Nazarenes, Catholicism, and even the Native American beliefs, but there was always something missing. “I look back now and I realize that although I had loved and known about God all my life, I’d never met Him,” she admits. Then, several years ago, Donna moved to southern Illinois to help her daughter Kristina, who works for 3ABN. “At that point, I wasn’t going to church, because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere,” she says, “but Kristina kept mentioning her co-workers at 3ABN, so I began watching. I liked listening to Shelley Quinn, and soon I fell in love with the preaching of CA Murray, David Asscherick, and Kenneth Cox. Then one day, I met Danny Shelton and suddenly we were talking about the seventh-day Sabbath. I’d been taught that it was just for the Jews, but as I continued studying what Jesus said, everything lined up! Then I knew!”
She began attending the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, and says, “Everything I heard was backed up directly in the Bible, and I’ve been there from that point on.
“It’s an amazing journey, and at 75 years of age, I finally have a freedom I’ve never had. No matter what happens, I just trust God!”
Jane Gibbs was raised Catholic, but never really knew the Lord. Growing up with ten siblings, her father’s alcoholism and drug addiction made for a very unhappy childhood, but God made sure she felt His love. “A lovely Jehovah’s Witness family lived across the street, and they were very kind to me,” she says. “However, as I grew up, I began self-medicating, and my addictions kept me trapped for most of my life.
Then, one day, I found a channel I’d never seen before on DISH Network, and as I listened to 3ABN I was hooked! In time, I felt a need to be baptized, so I prayed, Lord, if You’re serious about this, please help me find a church. Then I called 3ABN, and they got in touch with the Oakwood Seventh-day Adventist Church in Taylor, Michigan.
When someone called to ask if I’d like to study the Bible, I was so excited that I blurted out, ‘What I really need is to be baptized!’ They sent Mary Skrobowski, who was also raised Catholic. We had so much in common; and as we studied, I felt so alive and so saved that I wanted to tell everybody!
I remember the day I was baptized. When I came up out of the water, I knew my life was different. I’d quit smoking, drinking, and taking drugs before; but this time it was real. The Lord was holding me up!” Pastor Ariel Roldan had the privilege of baptizing her and says that Jane is a tremendous blessing to his church.
“Just a few months ago I baptized two people who received Bible studies from her,” he says, “and she welcomes and nurtures all of our new members!”
Jane believes that 3ABN is a great tool, since it reaches everywhere. “I know firsthand,” she adds, “because you certainly reached me!”
Ellie grew up in a large Catholic family in Wisconsin. “I was number six out of seven siblings,” she says, “and life was difficult. All of us were made to attend Mass every week, and we sang in the choir, served food at weddings, and went to Catechism classes on Saturday. I loved God, and I loved singing the songs,” she continues. “It made me feel warm and fuzzy to be in church. But that’s about all I got out of it. I didn’t understand the communion thing. I just didn’t know what it meant, because I wasn’t taught well. There was never meaning in it for me, just symbolism.
“The first year I was out on my own, there was a Catholic church between my apartment and the school I was going to, so I thought, I’ll go to church. But it didn’t turn out how I expected. Instead of feeling warm and fuzzy, I realized I was in a church I didn’t know in downtown Madison—and I was almost alone in there. Then, after mass, everyone stepped out of their pew and walked home—and that made it easy not to go back.”
After many years of not going to church, a friend invited her to a Pentecostal service, and soon Ellie joined enthusiastically. “I was in 100 percent, and I went to church three times a week. But despite being happy and excited, my Pentecostal friends kept asking me if I had the Holy Ghost yet. I begged for the Holy Spirit to show Himself to me in the evidence of tongues, and I did it so often that it became old, tiresome, and even embarrassing. Why won’t the Holy Spirit come to me? I wondered. I must not be good enough, but why can’t I have the gift of tongues?”
Watch Out for Television!
Ellie says she remembers the pastor preaching once about how we should be careful about TV evangelists, and what they had to say. “He also preached that it wasn’t good to watch TV all the time, and I was becoming convicted. On the occasions where I turned it on, I knew I shouldn’t be watching it,” Ellie confesses, “but one night I flipped through the channels, and at that very second, I heard a preacher on this channel called 3ABN, so I stopped to listen. Let me see if they’re lying, I thought. But soon I realized that he agreed with everything I knew to be true.
“The next night I watched House Calls, and they were constantly referring to the Scriptures. They don’t say one word without backing it up with the Bible, I thought, so this is safe! I didn’t know if the other Pentecostals would approve, but I knew in my heart that God approved, so I didn’t tell them about it.
The more she listened, the more Ellie came to believe that she was hearing the truth. “Then one day, the Holy Spirit came to me in sudden inspiration, and told me, You Should find these people. It never occurred to me that there were Seventh-day Adventists in my city. I called around, found a church and was so excited about it. Then I realized that I had driven past it many times, and thought, Those are probably really nice people. They must be like the Amish.”
While Ellie visited the Seventh-day Adventist church, she continued attending her Pentecostal church, as well. “When I started going I had no intention of having to choose between them,” she says. “I knew I’d be an Adventist.”
Ellie was baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist, and although she was committed to her new faith, she longed for more church fellowship. “Then a friend in Watertown invited me to her church, and when I visited, I found that it was adorable, so now I come here every week, although it’s a 45 minute drive.”
Ellie loves to tell anyone who will listen about the station that introduced her to the truths of the Bible! “I’m grateful for 3ABN, but I’m also grateful for the Holy Spirit urging me to find the Seventh-day Adventist people,” she says. “If it wasn’t for Him, I would still just be watching TV.”
Watertown Seventh-day Adventist Church
Photo: Street View – www.maps.google.com
We praise God for how He has brought more Bible truth into Ellie’s life, and for all she does for those around her. If you’re in the area, why not visit with her church family at the Watertown Seventh-day Adventist Church in Wisconsin, located at 500 South 5th Street. They would love to meet you!
Mahalia Turner, from Mt. Vernon, New York, says, “I have always wanted to be close to God, so I asked Him to open my spiritual eyes and ears to the truth. Then, as I was watching television one day, I just ‘happened’ to find 3ABN! I just wanted the truth, and I found it on 3ABN.”
After watching Pastor John Carter one day, she sent an e-mail stating how she desperately wanted to be baptized if he happened to be in the New York area.
“Since he is in California, he forwarded that e-mail to me,” says Jill Morikone, 3ABN’s administrative assistant to the president, “and I contacted the New Rochelle Seventh-day Adventist Church and asked if Pastor Samuel Blair might call on her.”
Mahalia was thrilled. “I’ve visited many churches and never went back,” she says. “But when I attended the New Rochelle church, I felt so comfortable. Our pastor is passionate about what he’s speaking about, and my spirit feels wonderful!”
On December 31, 2016, Mahalia was baptized and joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. “I cannot thank 3ABN enough!” she exclaims. “This is the beginning of my dreams coming true.”
Welcome Mahalia! We love you, and we welcome you to your 3ABN family, too!
In November 2016, Philippine Ambassador, Bienvenido Tejano visited 3ABN headquarters during our thirty-second anniversary. While he was with us, he spoke about the miracles God performed in both the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, that allowed 3ABN to install and broadcast over full-power television stations in those countries.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the celebration for Three Angels Broadcasting Network’s thirty-second anniversary,” he began. “I’m so honored and privileged to express my best wishes to the management, and especially to brother Danny Shelton, who’s been leading this institution with God’s guidance.”
A Wonderful Surprise
During his talk, Ambassador Tejano mentioned a wonderful surprise he experienced at one of the largest Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the Philippines. “Just a few Sabbaths ago, I was invited to speak during the hour of worship at a large gathering of the Church’s communication group, with several thousands of people in attendance. I talked about the programs on Three Angels Broadcasting Network, and even shared a little bit of how brother Danny started 3ABN. Then, when I asked if there were some souls who had been blessed or baptized through the efforts of this ministry, I was much surprised to see hundreds and even thousands raise their hands.
“One particular woman caught my attention, though, but I couldn’t remember where I knew her from. As it turned out, she had been my secretary many years ago, when I was the chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board of the Philippines, under President Fidel Ramos. At the time, she wasn’t interested in religion, or even God, for that matter. In fact, I knew that she was a little bit prejudiced about it all. But there she stood, waving. Her face was so familiar, but I couldn’t remember her name, until she shouted, ‘I’m sister Vicki! I was your secretary!’
“I called her up on stage and interviewed her in front of the congregation, asking her, ‘How did you become a Seventh-day Adventist? Why and when did you join this church?’
“She jokingly answered, ‘How could I forget the vegetarian food of the Seventh-day Adventists that you shared with me? But all kidding aside, I’ll tell you what what happened. My television was broken, so I had someone fix it. But the moment it came back on, 3ABN was on, and in a few seconds, I saw you! I was interested, and tried to find out what was going on in this program, and kept watching. Lo, and behold, several messages and speakers later, I was learning about the doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventists, and from then on, I wasn’t able to stop watching this station until I got baptized! Now I’m here as member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.’
“I wasn’t able to hold back my emotions, so I hugged her, and said, ‘Welcome to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, I never thought you would be a part of this church.’
Ambassador Tejano is quick to add, “This is just one of the stories of what Three Angels Broadcasting Network is doing around the world. I know there are thousands of people who are blessed; so once again, I’d like to express my heartfelt congratulations to all of you.”
3ABN in the Philippines
Next, Ambassador Tejano spoke about how God providentially helped 3ABN obtain a television station license in the capital city of Manila.
“I remember when we started Three Angels Broadcasting Network in the Philippines, and we met the great challenge of securing a license and franchise,” he began. “I had the privilege of visiting the office of president Joseph Estrada at the time, and asked him if he would grant us a license, and he told me there were no more available. But I told him that I was aware that there were 4,200 applicants for a single license, and I assured him, ‘Mr. President, if you would grant us this license, I will prove to you that this will be an asset to our institution, because this station will be broadcasting all kinds of community services, particularly on health issues.’
“I also told him we’d be lecturing on alcoholism and smoking, and since, at the time, he was a smoker, he looked at me with strange eyes, so I quickly said, ‘It will be for the benefit of the whole public. Finally, he drew his pen and signed the request, writing in the margin note: ‘Approved and signed by the president,’ and that was it! We were given that license.”
Ambassador Tejano says he called Danny immediately, and with joy, announced: “Brother Danny, we have a license, granted by the president! I cannot believe it!”
He adds, “At the time, there was a lady who kept asking, pushing, and inspiring me to continue searching for a license. That was sister May Chung, a very wonderful woman, whom I think will have a lot of stars in her crown. Because of her efforts, thousands and thousands of people have now been brought to the foot of the Cross because of this ministry.”
3ABN in Papua New Guinea
This man of God was also instrumental in the obtaining of a television license to broadcast in Papua New Guinea.
“I was appointed the Philippine ambassador to Papua New Guinea,” he says, “and it was a big challenge. Another church was trying to apply for a [television] license there, so the day I arrived, I applied for the license, and it was granted immediately. One week later, a letter from another denomination was sent to the prime minister, who also assured that license would be granted, only to find out that it had already been given to Three Angels Broadcasting Network!
“I feel that to be a part of this mission we have to work as quickly as we can, because we have enemies that are out there who try to stop us from reaching more souls for Christ. At the time, I called up brother Danny immediately, even though it was the middle of the night. I was thinking, He might be angry with me, but I was so overwhelmed and excited as I sat with the Governor General, His Excellency, Sir Silas Atopare.
“When Danny answered, I told him, ‘Brother Danny, I’m sorry it’s the middle of the night, but I would like to tell you that the license [for Papua New Guinea] was granted!’ Then I told him the head of state was beside me and wanted to talk to him, and they talked and talked. Finally, we put up a station in Papua New Guinea, and now it’s broadcasting 24/7. It’s so inspiring when I visit churches in Papua New Guinea and other parts of the country, because when I ask them if someone’s been blessed, or has been able to receive the message on Three Angels Broadcasting Network and been baptized through this ministry, I see thousands of hands go up!”
“We are now living in a very bad time, and our time is short. Let’s work together,” he concluded. Then he added, “I assure you that back in the Philippines, or as an ambassador to whatever country I’ll be in, I will continue to promote the ministry of Three Angels Broadcasting Network. And to the 3ABN people: I hope you don’t get tired of doing your part, because the blessing is flowing all over the world. You may not know it in the place where you are working, but every minute and second the message meets a soul who is then brought to the foot of the Cross.”
Ambassador Tejano has been a tremendous friend to us for many years. His encouragement is invaluable, when he says, “I just want to thank Danny Shelton, Moses Primo, and all the staff at Three Angels Broadcasting Network. We will continue to pray for the great men and women that God has chosen to lead out in this ministry.”
Communism controlled Poland after the Second World War, and life in Warsaw was arduous for the Jazwinski family, since they were Catholic and refused to join the Communist Party. But the spring of 1950 burst bright with hope as they welcomed the birth of their son Janek (pronounced, Yon´-ik). He grew up rooted in the Catholic tradition; he married in the church, and soon his wife gave him a daughter, followed four years later by a son. Janek worked hard and long, but they remained poor.
In 1984, the same year Danny Shelton heard God’s call to begin 3ABN, the 34-year old Janek traveled to the United States to build a more promising future for his family. He found work in California, and decided he wanted to become a U.S. citizen.
Heartache and Despair
During his time there, he says, in his Polish accent, “I work for large company, Goodwill Industries, as truck driver. I drive and pick up donation from all kinds of people. I keep working there for 25 years. I would write my wife about California and I tell her I want her to come to States and bring children, but she write back saying, ‘I don’t want to come, my family is in Poland and my life is here, I don’t want to come.’
“I was very disappointed,” says Janek, “but what could I do? I was having a very hard time to get legal, to get my citizenship, and my wife and children would not move here. I was very close to my daughter, and not having my family with me, I become very depressed.
“I got in my car one day and was driving to a cliff along the coast near my home in Salinas. I was going to jump and kill myself. But while I was driving, the Holy Spirit was riding with me in my car. I see nobody, but I hear a small voice say, What are you doing? I knew it was the Lord, and I say, ‘I am going to cliff and kill myself. I have trouble with immigration, I have no money to pay, I miss my family and they no want to come here, my wife no want me, so I go to kill myself.’
“The Lord asked me, Janek, Who gave you life? I looked at passenger seat and I told, ‘You did Lord.’ So I hear this voice and that is what made me turn away go back home. The Lord give me time to work things out and He put people in my way and they help me get citizenship. He made me the person I am now. He wants me to be a true follower.”
Major Changes
The Holy Spirit continued to work upon Janek’s life, not only bringing him hope, but also conviction. He tells of the time while he was working at Goodwill,
“There were ten stores in the system where I work, and I was looking in bookstore of one Goodwill. I find book called, The Great Controversy. It was with pictures and it had inspiring title, so I buy and read it and that is where I found out about Martin Luther. I love European history and the book fascinate me. I was becoming alive while I was still in Catholic system.
“It was 2004 I first heard 3ABN. I watched many Christian channels, but I didn’t like them. Then one day I change channels and see 3ABN so I listen. I watch program ’04 Revival with Doug Batchelor and John Lomacang was singing. They were talking about drinking and I was drinking beer and they inspire me, so I say, ‘Okay Lord, You want me not to drink?’ so I pour out all my beer.
“Then I saw in newspaper and on TV about evangelistic meetings with Doug Batchelor, so I say, ‘I’ve got to go to this one.’ I was going to church on Sunday, and I found out God wanted me to worship on Saturday. So I switched day and started going to church on Saturday. I attend Health Seminar because I was overweight. I was meat-eater and I learn what the Bible say about meat and pork, so I become inspired and I quit eating the meat and pork.
“I saw Mark Finley talk about prophecy while he was in California. I meet Lyle Albrecht and Steve Wohlberg, so I never have doubt about God since I learn about prophecy. I was baptized in May 2005 on my fifty-fifth birthday, in Salinas, California.
“After I finish work for Goodwill, I work as caregiver. In California then you no need license to work as caregiver, and one day my pastor bring some people with him and one was Carmelita Troy; I think it was 2006. She hear I am caregiver and she say, ‘Oh, my dad needs help.’ But I no want to quit my work, so I say ‘no.’ I lose track of her and later I try to find her at her school, and they say she move to Illinois to be close to her parents.”
Carmelita’s father Owen Troy was a 3ABN board member. And while Janek may have lost track of her, the Lord had not lost track of His plans for him!
A Living Testimony
In 2009 Janek received a call that would make a radical change in his life. “I receive call from Mollie Steenson and she tell me she and Jim Gilley want me to come to 3ABN,” he says.
Janek loves his work at 3ABN’s Call Center. Part of his responsibilities include collecting copies of 3ABN programs from our duplication center.
“Carmelita tell them about me and they think they want me to work for 3ABN. I say yes, and I buy one-way ticket to Illinois. I work for six months as volunteer, then Greg Morikone like my work and my smile all the time, so he talk to Pastor Gilley and Mollie and they decide to hire me.
“I like to be healthy and tell others how they can be healthy. While I was in California I do ballroom dancing to be healthy, and I was long-distance runner. At 3ABN, for six years I ride bike. During season from March to October, I ride 2,000, maybe 3,000 miles. Like on Friday, we off work, I ride my bike 100 miles.”
An avid cyclist, Janek always has small pieces of literature to hand out everywhere he goes.
Janek not only works for 3ABN’s ministry, but also has a ministry all his own. “I love the Lord and I like help other people know Him. I ride my bike and I have pamphlets I give to people. Like in the store I meet people, I give them pamphlet. I say I have something for you and people don’t say no. People sometimes see I like ride bike and they talk to me about that, and I give them pamphlet and sometimes I talk to them about the Lord. I represent the Lord and I know it not me that work myself, but the Holy Spirit work in me. He guide me step by step. I no doubt nothing about Lord, He is my Mediator, Friend, my Father, my Healer. He is my everything.”
A Father’s Prayers
Janek misses his family still. His daughter Anette was born on Janek’s twenty-fifth birthday, and his son Christofer, is 36. Both have their own families back in Poland. He says he last spoke to his daughter in 2000, but lost track of her after she moved.
“I pray for my family on my knees every day and on Sabbath I go to the front of church and that is what I pray. I know if I no see them here, I see them in Heaven, because I pray every day for their conversion, and the Lord has way to do that. I am happy who I am and the Lord trust me, and I no doubt Him any moment.”
Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church
When you’re in Thompsonville, Illinois, be sure to join Janek on Sabbath at the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church at 3577 Angel Lane. He will be glad to meet you!
Tracy Clayton’s story of how Jesus found and saved him touched our hearts. “For most of my youth and adulthood, my journey led me through a maze of dark, shadowy valleys and foggy mind-altering canyons in a lifestyle dominated by alcoholism and drugs,” he says. “But I am alive in Christ today, and I am a grateful and productive member of my church and community.”
A Troubled Beginning
Things weren’t easy for Tracy in the beginning. “I was born in southern California, and as part of a dysfunctional family, I moved so many times during my childhood that I was barely able to complete a year in any school until I was 14,” he says. “My dad dropped out of the picture when I was still a baby, so I lived with my mom and my older brother. Then Mom had three more children with another man, who also left.
“After all that, I moved back with my dad. He was a janitor for a school, and we’d help him clean classrooms every day. He also had us doing gardening work, mowing yards and all that. It seemed like we were constantly working when we were kids.”
But there were other problems, too. “In my early teens, we all got into marijuana. Soon I was drinking alcoholically and was also a heavy methamphetamine user. I remember feeling desperate, but I didn’t know where to look for help.
“Although we went to church occasionally, I couldn’t tell you what denomination it was. Dad would read the Bible to us on Sundays, and I remember praying to God and believing in Jesus. But none of us really knew who He was.”
In spite of this, Tracy says the Holy Spirit was trying to reach him. “One evening, as I walked along a lonely road in the desert where we lived, I asked God to forgive me for the sins I continued to commit. All of a sudden, I heard the Holy Spirit say, Stop sinning!
“Later in my life, I found myself asking God for a soul mate to share my life with, and the Holy Spirit answered, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. So I know God heard me, and was trying to reach me through any means possible.”
Failures
As he began the tenth grade, Tracy asked his dad for permission to take a GED test and go into the military. “He said it was fine, and to his surprise, I got my GED and went into the National Guard. I stayed in there for twelve years, and worked on tanks at Ft. Erwin National Training Center. But we only got an average of three days off a month, and I lived 50 miles away; so I was always going and could never relax. Meth quickly became my drug of choice, and when my superiors finally asked me if I had a problem, I admitted it to them.
“At first, they tried to help me, but I kept messing up, so they got me out of their system, and I started doing handyman work.”
A failed marriage, a failed relationship, and three children later, Tracy ended up in a remote area of Northern California.
“I felt a great need to get clean,” he says, “and since this was a new place, I didn’t know where to get drugs. Desperate for work, I began washing dishes in a local café in return for one free meal a day. And that’s where I met Mary. She was the cook who was responsible for giving me that meal. She understood me and loved me, and eventually became my wife.”
Finding Truth
But something was still missing, and there was an insistent yearning for God deep inside. “When I’d get home from work, I would channel surf, looking for truth,” he says. “I know God was urging me to do that, and one day, I came across 3ABN on Dish Network. I didn’t know what 3ABN was, but I knew that what they said matched Scripture. They backed every single message with Bible texts, and after a while, I realized that this was absolute truth.
“I only watched the sermons,” he says, “but for the first time in my life, I saw Jesus more clearly and developed an understanding of how my life should reflect His character. Then, one day, I got a card in the mail asking if I wanted to know what the Mark of the Beast was. I checked the yes box, mailed it back, and in a few days an Adventist woman came to my house and offered to give me Bible studies.
“We studied together, and she helped me understand the Scriptures a lot better. All my questions were answered, and God’s Word came together like a fine weave of spiritual threads—perfectly interlocking with one another. I could finally see God’s love so clearly!”
Cleaning Up the Temple
Tracy says, “As I was watched 3ABN one day, a text came up on the screen that said our body was the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that we should take care of it, and keep it clean. What an awakening! I had never heard a preacher tell me that.
“I started with the meth, then I quit smoking those two packs of cigarettes a day, and finally, I quit drinking alcohol. For me it was one thing at a time, as the Lord took away my desire for those things. My habits changed, and before I knew it, the Lord had taken away all the desire.”
Keeping the Sabbath Holy
When he completed his Bible studies, the lady who studied with him invited him to visit her church. “I’d been going to church on Sundays, but when I asked my pastor why we didn’t keep the Sabbath, he told me it didn’t matter, as long as we kept one day holy. I gave him all the Scriptures in support of keeping the Sabbath, but he would not budge. Suddenly, I had a decision to make, and I walked out of that church for the last time. It was really clear to me: either we follow what God says, or we follow what man says.
“I visited the Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, but sat in the back row, because I worked at the grocery store deli on Saturdays and was still in my uniform. (I also figured I could make a quick getaway, in case things got crazy!)
“It was a wonderful service, and when the pastor invited the congregation to come to the Garden of Prayer, I felt a great desire to join those who were kneeling at the front of the church. It was a beautiful experience I will never forget, and I felt so comfortable that I wanted to come back every Sabbath.”
Tracy asked his boss for Saturdays off, but was denied because it was the store’s busiest day. “Then the pastor helped me write a letter explaining my conviction to keep the Sabbath, and my boss finally agreed, but warned me that I would be cut back to part-time. That was okay, though, because I believed that if it was God’s will, then it would only be a blessing.”
And what a blessing it turned out to be! Tracy received new job training and landed a position in food service at the Sutter Amador Hospital—with wonderful pay and benefits, and all his Sabbaths off!
“As I look back, I believe God put me where He could shape my character and build my faith,” Tracy says. “It also gave me the opportunity to share what I learned on 3ABN with my friends and co-workers.”
Mary
When Tracy met his wife Mary at the café, she was already attending church. But when he began worshiping in the Seventh-day Adventist church, she wasn’t very interested. Tracy’s pastor urged him to get baptized, but he kept holding off, hoping Mary would be baptized with him.
“She eventually came to church with me,” he says, “and then she accepted and believed the truths she learned there. I’m happy to say that we were baptized together in 2005 and have been there ever since! We have a wonderful church family here that we’re happy to be a part of. We both have positions in our church, and we’re committed to see it grow.”
Pastor Daniel Yim is enthusiastic. “The Sutter Hill Adventist Church has been blessed by the dedication and love that Tracy and Mary bring to our church family,” he says. “They are both fully committed and dedicated to the message and work of our church, and they serve with their hearts and hands, letting those around them know how much Jesus is Savior and Lord. Not only are they a light to our church family, but also to the community they live and work in. They bring their neighbors to church and care for the well-being of those around them by taking them food baskets. Both Tracy and Mary are sincere Christians, reflecting the love of Christ in their daily lives, and it is an honor and privilege to serve with them here at Sutter Hill!”
Tracy concludes, “I know where I came from, who I was, and where God’s hand has led me. I hear His voice telling me, I will never forsake you, and I know He embraces me with His love and holds my hand as I walk in His guidance and grace. My wife and I feel His love like a river of blessings flowing over us, and our desire is to share this incredible love with others.
“Always turn to Jesus. If you don’t know Him, get to know Him! Your life will change, and you’ll be happy you did. We can’t see the end from the beginning, but once we get down the road, we see the changes—and they’re amazing!”
Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church
If you’re in or near Sutter Creek, California, you’re invited to worship with Tracy, Mary, and their church family. Sabbath School and Worship Services begin at 10:00 a.m. every Saturday at the Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 12900 Ridge Road. They’d love to see you!
José Garcia was raised in Fresnillo, Zacatecas—a central Mexican city famous for it’s silver mines and pilgrims who visit the famous Santo Niño de Atocha statue of the Virgin Mary with her baby that was brought over from Spain. However, young José never cared much for church. “We didn’t go very often,” he says. “In fact, my mother basically had to drag me to church. I went through the first three Sacraments expected of me—Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation, and my mother hoped I would become a priest someday. But since I knew they never married, I wanted no part of that.
“When I came to the States to finish my schooling, I began feeling a need for God. So I went to Mass every Sunday for several months, but each week, I hated it more and more. One day, I stared at myself in a mirror and thought, You are such a hypocrite! You can’t wait to get out of Mass. In fact, you think the best part of Mass is when the priest gives everyone the parting blessing! After that, I quit going to church altogether for several years.”
No Greater Love
When he was 20, José was invited by a friend to attend a Bible study at a Pentecostal church. “We got started, and one of the ladies said something that really shocked me,” he recalls. “She said that God had told her something, and that she had said this or that back to Him. Can she really talk to God like that? I wondered. Then she began speaking in ‘tongues,’ but when I tried, nothing would come out.
“I decided that was not for me, but before I left, that lady gave me a beautiful book called No Greater Love, with a red rose on the cover.” He pauses for a moment, struggling to hold back the tears. “It still chokes me up, because after several months, I picked up the book and began to read, only to discover that it was a New Testament! I read the gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John three times in as many months, and discovered that the story of Christmas was in the Bible. I never knew that!”
José says he experienced a level of peace, confidence, and love he’d never felt before as he read his Bible. He also sensed new power flowing into his life. “I didn’t realize that it came from reading the Bible,” he says, “but when I stopped reading, it went away. I went through a dry time for the next seven years, always searching for what I had lost.
Channel 40
José had been working for a pizza store, and on the first day he was promoted to general manager, he met Yolanda and fell in love. A year later, his district manager told him of an opening in Midland, Texas, and soon he moved to this new location.
“I’d barely gotten settled, and hadn’t had a chance to open a local bank account,” he says. “So when the cable man came to set up, I asked him if he took cash. ‘No, I’m sorry, but I have to have a check,’ he said. So I told him I’d call them back another time. I could still get four or five local channels, and since I hardly had time to watch TV, that was okay for awhile.
“Several years went by, and in 1999 my father passed away. At the time, I thought I was successful, but I was really a mess,” he recalls, “and with the loss of my father, I began wondering if I’d ever see him again. What is life all about, anyway? I wondered. Life is just a rat race—work, sleep, eat, work. When I die, is that it?
“I really began searching for meaning, so any time I saw someone talking about Jesus on television, I’d stop and listen. Some of them talked about prophecy, too, and that fascinated me.
As José turned on his TV, the first words he heard were from Pastor Lyle Albrecht as he talked about the Sabbath.
“One night, I decided to see if there were any other channels available, and suddenly I found K40FJ channel 40, a 3ABN downlink station in Midland. Lo and behold, the first words I heard got my attention—Lyle Albrecht was talking about the Sabbath! I remembered that when I was 20 years old, I’d read that Jesus’ custom was to teach in the synagogues on the Sabbath. At that time, I thought, I wonder why Jesus went there on the Sabbath? And if He did, why don’t we?
“Since I had no one to ask, I shrugged those questions off, but when I heard the Sabbath mentioned on TV, I was fascinated. I watched 3ABN more and more; in fact, I’d stay up until three or four in the morning, knowing that I had to go to work the next day. I simply couldn’t shut it off, because after Lyle, Doug Batchelor or Mark Finley would come on, and I just had to watch!
“What they said about prophecy was so different than what I’d heard before that I became confused. It got so bad that eventually I stopped watching altogether,” he admits, “but the Holy Spirit kept urging me to watch 3ABN, so I finally got back to it. This time, everything seemed to make sense, but I looked up every Bible text they mentioned to make sure it was absolutely true!”
Seventh-day Adventist
About a year later, José says he heard something he’d never heard before. “Someone mentioned the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and I thought, What? There’s a church that teaches all this? I looked it up in the Yellow Pages and found the Midland church right here in town, so I called them one Sabbath, only to find out that their service had already begun. I didn’t go that day, but I drove there the following week. The services started at 9:30 a.m., but when I got there at 9:15, there were no cars, so I figured they weren’t having services that day. The next week I came by and saw the cars. However, I just drove by slowly. I just couldn’t seem to go in.
“Finally I got up the courage to go in on the following Sabbath, and I’ll never forget how I felt.” Again, José is overcome with emotion, and pauses to compose himself. “I was greeted by the most wonderful people who made me feel so welcome,” he says. “Right away, I felt like I was home. Every fiber of my being longed for this fellowship, and I knew that God had led me there. In fact, I felt like I’d been a part of their group ever since I began watching 3ABN, because everything they talked about, I’d heard on 3ABN before. I’d already made changes in my diet and lifestyle, and when I heard them speak about tithes and offerings, I smiled. I’d been sending my tithe to 3ABN, since I had no church at the time.”
Although José had no trouble accepting a new day of worship, he says he struggled with the idea of not working on Sabbath. “I was working nearly every day, but I was being convicted about the Sabbath,” he admits. “So I decided I’d put whatever I earned on Saturdays into the offering plate. That went on for a while, but one day, as I was figuring up how much I’d put in for the Sabbath I’d worked, I heard God speaking to me, José, do you think I need your money more than your obedience?
“I was startled, and I knew that came from the Lord! So from then on, I made a decision to never work on the Sabbath again! That was an important moment in my life, because I realize now that I’d begun to justify my behavior!”
Purpose in Life
José and Yolanda were baptized on the same day and have been active members ever since.
A Pathfinder family! José and Yolanda with their daughters (left to right) Laura, Bianca, and Rebecca.
“Our lives today are centered around our church community,” he says, “with many church activities throughout the week that culminate on Sabbath. I can’t imagine living any other way. Today, I have purpose in my life. I come to Jesus, and then I go for Jesus. I want to bring as many people as I can to Him.
“In the past, I upset some people because I didn’t know how to witness for Him. But I’ve learned that in order to witness effectively, the Holy Spirit must be present. He’s the One who convicts, and if He’s not present, then the Lord has not prepared them, yet. We must be careful of what we say, and how we say things.
“The next principle is to teach people by telling them stories and by asking them questions. That’s what Jesus did, and I’ve been blessed to learn this and share it with my fellow church members.”
Actively Involved
Pastor Abner Razon beams as he speaks of the Garcia family. “José and his wife Yolanda are very involved in church life,” he says. José is a church elder and often gives Bible studies and seminars on how to witness for Christ effectively. He’s involved in prison ministry, teaches Sabbath School, and even preaches from time to time. His wife Yolanda is the director of our Pathfinders and Adventurers Clubs, and his three daughters are very active, too.
Pastor Abner Razon (left) says that José and his family are a blessing to their church and their community.
“In addition to all this, our church and the Texico Conference sponsor satellite dishes with 3ABN for each of our new members—and José volunteers to install them. The Garcia family is truly a blessing to our church and our community.”
The Truth He Longed For
As he concluded, José had one more thing to say. “You know, at the time, I believe that the only 3ABN station around was right here in Midland, Texas. And there is no doubt in my mind that this was the reason the Lord made sure I moved here. It wasn’t for a job. It was so I could finally find the truth I longed for!”
Midland Seventh-day Adventist Church
Why not visit the Midland Seventh-day Adventist Church, located on 3114 Travis Avenue the next time you’re in West Texas? José and his family would love to meet you for Sabbath Services!
When Kids Time began 15 years ago, the very first letter I read on the very first Sharing Time segment was from Nicole, a seven-year-old girl from Michigan. She was writing to ask for prayer for her dad so that he would stop smoking and drinking. I could feel the love this little girl had for her father as I read her heartfelt letter, and I looked into the camera and asked all the boys and girls to pray for Nicole’s father, too.
Brenda Walsh holds up Nicole’s picture so the camera can get a good close up shot on the very first Sharing Time segment in 3ABN’s Kids Time program in 2001.
Two years later, I was speaking at a church in Michigan and stayed after the meeting to greet a long line of people. I happened to notice an anxious little girl holding her father’s hand, in eager anticipation to meet me. Finally, when it was her turn, she gave me a big hug, looked up into my face, and said, “Miss Brenda, do you remember me? I’m the one who wrote you a letter!” Well, my heart began to beat a little faster. I could see how very important it was to her that I remember who she was, but she obviously had no idea about the enormous amount of letters I receive. I had never even met her before—how could I possibly know her name? Please Heavenly Father, tell me what her name is, I pleaded.
Immediately, I looked down at her hopeful face and said, “Why, your name is Nicole!” I almost cried as I saw her quickly look at her dad, jumping up and down exclaiming, “See, Daddy! I told you Miss Brenda would remember me!” Thank you, Jesus! I prayed.She quickly introduced me to her dad, saying, “Miss Brenda, Jesus answered our prayers! This is my daddy! He doesn’t drink anymore and he loves Jesus now.”
Nicole’s father had tears in his eyes as he told me about that day, two years before, when Kids Time was on the television in their home. “I about stopped dead in my tracks as I watched you hold up my little girl’s photo and then read her precious letter. I couldn’t believe my ears! She was asking you to pray for me!” He continued to share how his heart was touched that his daughter loved him so much she was willing to write to me, and how that moment changed his life forever!
Before they left, Nicole gave me another hug and said, “Oh, and Miss Brenda, I want you to know, I’m going to be baptized soon.”
Nicole grew up loving Jesus, but during her teen years, she became rebellious and lost her connection with God. She began cutting herself, pierced her ears, and experimented with alcohol. Pretty soon, she stopped going to church altogether.
Not long after that, she met and fell in love with Drew, and soon they were married. Today, they are the proud parents of two precious girls, Karlee and Madee.
Nicole’s mom, Teri, never gave up on her, and the Holy Spirit continued to work on Nicole’s heart in answer to her mom’s prayers. Although she wasn’t professing to be a Christian, there were still some beliefs that Nicole had learned as a child that she would not compromise on. She refused to eat unclean meat and there were certain things that she didn’t do on the Sabbath.
Drew was confused, since he had never heard of these beliefs before, and hadn’t grown up in a Christian home. One day, while visiting Nicole’s parents, he asked Teri why Nicole would not eat pork. “Well, it doesn’t matter what I say, let’s see what the Bible tells us,” she answered. Turning to Leviticus 11, she showed Drew what God said about abstaining from certain meats. From that day on, he never ate unclean meat again.
At one point, Drew became very upset with Nicole, saying, “You had all this knowledge—why would you go against it all?” That’s when it hit her that she should have been a witness to him all this time. Not long after, Drew and Nicole began to study with some church members who shared God’s Bible truth with them. Drew and Nicole made the decision to give their hearts to Jesus, and both requested baptism. Although she had been baptized when she was a little girl, because she had recommitted her life to Christ, she wanted to be rebaptized with her husband. She contacted the same pastor who had baptized her years ago and let him know how much it would mean to her if he would baptize her again.
Here is where the story takes on a special twist . . .
A few weeks ago, my father called me to pray for him. Although he is retired now, he often said, “There’s really no such thing as a retired pastor.” In fact, Dad still preaches to this day! But at 84 years of age, he has suffered with his health and was worried whether or not he would have the strength to baptize a girl who had specifically asked him to baptize her.
Pastor James and Bernice Micheff with Drew and Nicole.
“Brenda, please pray that God will give me the strength, as this means so much to her.” I had absolutely no knowledge at all about whom he was going to baptize, or even what this girl’s name was. But I prayed with him on the phone and told him that I would be lifting him up in prayer on the day of baptism, as well. Imagine my surprise to learn that the minister who baptized Nicole 14 years ago, the same little girl whose letter I had read on our first Kids Time program . . . was my very own father, Pastor James Micheff!
Pastor James Micheff (right) prays as he baptizes Nicole.
And just a few weeks ago, God gave him the strength to baptize her once again. I found out who she was when I saw Nicole’s mom posting photos of her rebaptism on Facebook! Wow! I was blown away!
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Nicole, and she told me, “Our eyes have been opened and we have given our lives fully to God. We will raise our daughters to love Jesus, and they will learn by seeing us live our lives for Him! My prayer is that someday all my family, and Drew’s too, will be in Heaven together.”
Nicole, Drew, and their daughters Karlee and Madee, after the baptism.
Maybe someday Nicole’s daughters, Karlee and Madee will write me a letter that I’ll read on Kids Time, too. . . you never know where that could lead—for God sure works in mysterious ways!
“I remember when we started Three Angels Broadcasting Network in the Philippines, and we met the great challenge of securing a license and franchise,” he began. “I had the privilege of visiting the office of president Joseph Estrada at the time, and asked him if he would grant us a license, and he told me there were no more available. But I told him that I was aware that there were 4,200 applicants for a single license, and I assured him, ‘Mr. President, if you would grant us this license, I will prove to you that this will be an asset to our institution, because this station will be broadcasting all kinds of community services, particularly on health issues.’
“There were ten stores in the system where I work, and I was looking in bookstore of one Goodwill. I find book called, The Great Controversy. It was with pictures and it had inspiring title, so I buy and read it and that is where I found out about Martin Luther. I love European history and the book fascinate me. I was becoming alive while I was still in Catholic system.
Two years later, I was speaking at a church in Michigan and stayed after the meeting to greet a long line of people. I happened to notice an anxious little girl holding her father’s hand, in eager anticipation to meet me. Finally, when it was her turn, she gave me a big hug, looked up into my face, and said, “Miss Brenda, do you remember me? I’m the one who wrote you a letter!” Well, my heart began to beat a little faster. I could see how very important it was to her that I remember who she was, but she obviously had no idea about the enormous amount of letters I receive. I had never even met her before—how could I possibly know her name? Please Heavenly Father, tell me what her name is, I pleaded.
