Latest / Topeka Bible Church Audio Archive / September 13, 2022 | Expresso - Leoti Masterson

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September 13, 2022 | Expresso - Leoti Masterson · Topeka Bible Church Audio Archive

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, maybe Connie.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Actually, when Connie asked me to share tonight, I said, I already did that.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: But yes, she reminded me it was 10 years ago.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Ten.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: A lot has happened since then.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: And it's really God's story.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's not my story.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: I have much for which to give thanks.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Ever since our 19-year-old son Mike, who was a freshman at K-State, died of an undiagnosed Addison's disease, our family strongly encouraged us to be on the lookout for God's fingerprints as evidences of his care.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: I shared about that ten years ago, but God has not stopped.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Connie recognized that there might be parts to our story that I might not want to share, or that I might consider our only other son's comfort level.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: So that night I called him and told him about Connie's call.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: And his response before I even went too far was, why would I care?
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: That amazed me.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: And he added, Mom, I know the story and it's fine.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: So here we go.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: In April of 2015, my husband Doug was on TBC security duty when a dear nurse friend of ours asked about a lump that she saw on his neck.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: Neither Doug nor I had even seen it, but that started us on a journey involving a whole new, strange, scary vocabulary, starting with a needle biopsy on the very day that 13 years earlier our son Mike had crossed Heaven's threshold.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: The results were inconclusive.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: So next was a tissue biopsy, and the doctor offered to try to schedule it over his lunch hour.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: As Doug and I waited in that exam room, the door opened and a nurse stood there with a big smile on her face.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: It took just seconds for Doug to recognize her, and he stood and said, I can't believe it's you.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: I have to have a hug.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: She responded, Me too.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: How could I forget you, my all-time favorite teacher?
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: And then she launched into memories of us taking his fifth grade class, roller skating in Wummigo, all crammed in the back of our van because it was long before mandatory seatbelts.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Memories of when Mr.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Masterson got that speeding ticket in Wummigo, and the kids felt so bad that they pulled their leftover change and left it in an envelope in our van.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think it took us two weeks to find it, but and then she said, actually, you're the reason I'm here.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: After all, it was you who inspired me to get all A's so I could go on those skating rewards trips four times a year.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: Professionally, she was amazed that she got to be on Doug's case that day, all because another nurse was unavoidably delayed with another patient.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: The tissue biopsy detected a rare form of sarcoma cancer.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: PET scans followed, surgery at KUMED, 34 radiation treatments, which our son Jeff faithfully drove his dad to, and those concluded on 9-11, 2015.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: The next challenge involved our son Jeff, a young man so talented and brilliant that we had amazing hopes and dreams for his future.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: As a five-year-old, he had asked Jesus into his life.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: But our hearts broke as we witnessed him leaving us and his faith and everything we stood for as a family behind.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: By his own admission, all of his addictions began to spiral out of control the night following his brother's death.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff was an adult.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: He was on his own, and we tried everything to figure out how to reach him.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: And we prayed.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: Doug's very concerned voice said, What did he do?
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: He listened, then said, Well, it sounds serious enough that we need to turn around and return to Topeka.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: And we did.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: As Doug relayed what the officer on the phone had said, we both couldn't stop our tears.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: We sobbed, we prayed, we called Pastor Hank, and we repeated that cycle of three multiple times as we retraced our route.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: The officer told Doug that they had found all the evidence they needed on Jeff's computer when they accessed our apartment.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: His charges involved possessing online pornography involving children.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: The next morning began our heartbreaking journey into law enforcement and tearful conversations with close friends and two family members who were professional Christian counselors.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: Our staff has been absolutely incredible through this whole journey, as has been our small group Bible study.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: It didn't take long before our names were splashed on the news.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: May 19, 2017 was Jeff's first hearing.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Strong winds and intermittent rain colored our world that day and seemed to mirror our feelings about everything ahead.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: But God.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Upstairs, as we walked toward our destination, the door to another courtroom crashed open, and a prisoner shouting obscenities was escorted by two deputies.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: The enemy tried to use that scene powerfully in my mind.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Just before we, with seven friends, entered the courtroom, Hank let us in prayer for what was ahead.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: For Jeff, for the attorneys, for the judge.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff's legal team consisted of two female public defenders.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: This was our first opportunity to meet them.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: Doug had talked to one of them on the phone the day before and found her very compassionate.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: She expressed frustration with the laws in Kansas since it was a blow for all of us to learn that Jeff could face three life sentences.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: The attorneys told us that had Jeff touched a child, which he didn't, his sentence would be shorter.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: If he had killed someone, his sentence would be shorter.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: No, it didn't make sense to us either.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: We sat with two friends on the defendant's side.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: The rest of our group sat behind us.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: Hank asked if we had asked the attorneys if we could hug Jeff.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: We hadn't even thought to ask that.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: He said, ask him.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: When he saw my reluctance, he said, Want me to ask him?
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I responded, go for it.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: So being the person he is, fearless to go where angels fear to tread, he excused himself and did.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: The response was an adamant no.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: He would be under the care of a deputy and he was being brought upstairs.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: Our eyes filled with tears when the door on the far side of the courtroom opened and Jeff appeared in prison jumpsuit, handcuffed, ankles shackled.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: We could tell how hard it was for him to walk.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: As our eyes locked with his, we mouthed the words, love you.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: And then he was escorted to his seat between his two attorneys with his back to us.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: The hearing itself lasted just a few minutes.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: Future dates were discussed.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: His attorneys said that he would be evaluated by a psychological evaluation in two to three weeks.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: The judge declared court adjourned.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff stood, turned to us and said, Thanks for coming.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: And then turned to the rest and said a simple but sincere thanks, guys.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: And he was led away.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: We couldn't help but be very proud of him.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: He handled his entrance and exit with humility, dignity, and sincere thankfulness.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: Later, when we told him this by phone, he said he thanked us, but said it took everything he had to hold himself together.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: He so appreciated everyone coming out to support us.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: We reiterated to him that we all had prayed for him for a long time.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: We felt like our son was reappearing, a son who had been in prison of his own making for years.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: God gave us an incredible love for him.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: We didn't condone what he had done, but so wanted the opportunity for rehab and a new trajectory for him.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: Later, Jeff told us that while he was waiting in the holding cell downstairs, another prisoner asked if he was Mike Masterson.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff answered, no, I'm Jeff.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: The guy said, Do you know a Mike Masterson?
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: And Jeff said, Well, that's the name of my little brother.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: The guy said, Well, next time you see him, tell him hi from me.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: We were in the same class at Washburn Rural.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff answered, Well, he passed away in 2002.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: The guy had no idea.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: One of my co-workers stopped by to talk about the hearing.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: He too expressed frustration over the life sentence.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: He then prayed for the three of us, painting a word picture recounting how the Israelites felt on the banks of the Red Sea, with the clouds of dust swirling in the distance, announcing the impending threat of the Egyptians.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: And then God came with mercy, and the Red Sea parted.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: In June of 2017, Doug's cancer returned, necessitating a very delicate surgery.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff's initial hearing was held in August of 2017 when 11 people came with us.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, Doug was able to come to support us.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: Doug fought through three months of chemo starting the end of September.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff's sentencing came in December 2017.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: 17 people came with us.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: As we entered the courtroom, one of Jeff's public defender attorneys hugged me and whispered that we should be very proud of our son.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: She had read what he had prepared to verbally present to the court that day, and she said it was excellent.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff's attorney stated that looking back, Mr.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Masterson would say that the changes in him and his relationships with his family as a result of his incarceration have been very positive.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: She said that he had been drinking a lot for years.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: And now that with that behind him, he's clear-headed, intelligent, and articulate, and now has reestablished a great relationship with his parents.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: She then turned it over to Jeff for his comments.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff stood, looked directly at the judge, and the judge met his gaze throughout.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff spoke concisely, with dignity, displaying both sincerity and humility.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: All around we heard sniffles.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: We weren't the only ones unable to hold back our tears.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff stated that he hoped one day to be able to use this experience to help others struggling with addictions so they could avoid his path.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: The judge told Jeff that he had a remarkable support system.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: He went on to say that this type of case never garners the support that he witnessed Jeff had.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: He said usually the attorneys are the only ones who attend the hearings with the accused.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: Family and friends have vanished.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: The judge said he noticed how hearing after hearing the number of people attending to support Jeff was astounding.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Our first chance to visit Jeff came in May 2018.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: As we crested the hill outside the sprawling prison grounds an hour and a half from our home, our first glimpse of guard towers laced all around with razor and barbed wire attempted to pummel us with arrows of fear and brought tears to both of us.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: Inside, certainly no guest services counter, no real instructions, so we tried to watch and mimic what the crowd ahead was doing, but it took us longer and the crowd ahead vanished.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: We were instructed to hold out our left arms to receive an invisible stamp directed through a series of heavy automated doors.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: A guard displayed irritation that we skipped the wrist scan.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: We were buzzed through more heavy doors into a deserted courtyard.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: Barbed razor wire to the left and right, a large dark building ahead of us about a hundred yards across what appeared to be no man's land.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: We walked there, could actually open the door, and to our left was a sign visitation room.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: Glimpsing our son enter that room with a group of perhaps seven other inmates was the best.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_00: I stood back to savor the sight of the hug between father and son, to which Jeff said, Wow, Dad, you really have lost weight.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: And then it was my turn for a hug.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: As we, oh, we had insisted on hugs over the years prior to his arrest, but those hugs seemed to be half-hearted on Jeff's part.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: This time was different, and both Doug and I felt it.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: The next two and a half hours were filled with stories and laughter and a fabulous special time together.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: What a gift.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: Doug commented on how special it is that Jeff now listens not only with his ears, but with his eyes as well.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: He was totally engaged in the conversation and comes across as so very kind.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: The best part?
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: Toward the end, Doug said with tears in his eyes, Jeff, this time with you today has made my whole day, my whole month, my whole year.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_00: I glanced at Jeff and realized there were tears in his eyes as he responded, Thanks, Dad, mine too.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: We left the prison grounds that day, feeling like God answered so many prayers by providing our family with a load of relational cement.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: Looking back, I'm so thankful that Doug and I were able together to visit Jeff weekly until Doug's health declined and he was no longer able to make the trip.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_00: But he insisted that I go alone.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: We thought that was only temporary until Doug got better.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I realized now that God was gently preparing me for what was ahead.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: In August of 2018, Doug was in ICU.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: After viewing the X-rays with the doctor, I had to tell him about the second silent tumor.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: The doctor wanted me to ask Doug if he wanted to be resuscitated at all costs.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: Doug's unmistakable nonverbal response came before I finished my sentence.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: He raised his left hand and pointed to the ceiling.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: With tears in my voice, I asked, Are you saying you want to go to heaven?
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: And his emphatic nod followed.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: I was able to break the news to Jeff by phone.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: His response was so supportive.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_00: He said, Mom, it isn't like I haven't prepared myself for this call.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff had been so kind, so loving, and then that Friday he called my cell phone twice.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: Since Doug's oxygen mask prevented him from communicating, I asked Jeff if he wanted to talk to his dad.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff's response was, I'd love that.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: The first thing Jeff said was, Dad, I know you and I have butted heads a lot over the years, but I just want you to know that I've always loved you.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: Doug gave him a thumbs up response and then pointed to himself and raised two fingers.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: I then said, I think Dad's saying that he loves you too.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: Doug nodded emphatically.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff apologized for being a disappointment to us.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: Doug again gave him a thumbs up and added, and I added, I think your dad would say that there's always room for a second chance.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: Doug nodded emphatically.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: Later Jeff called again.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: He said that he wanted to make more amends with his dad.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: He said he was so very sorry for his alcoholism and for the pain it caused, and was deeply sorry for the stupid stuff he did to land him in prison.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: I said that there was one thing that I knew that was heavy on his dad's heart, something he had addressed more than once with Jeff.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_00: He really wanted to be certain that Jeff would be with him in heaven when he looked forward to sitting down together to talk.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff's response was, Dad, don't you worry about that.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to be there.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_00: I told him that he had just made his dad's holiday.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff later told a friend on the phone about his dad's condition and their conversation.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: That friend said, Jeff, just think back.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: All of this would never have happened had you not been arrested and sent to prison.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff said, That's right.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: There's something to be grateful for about that.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: Doug crossed Heaven's Threshold August 15th, 2018.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: Days later by phone, Jeff joined me and our extended family planning Doug's memorial service, but per prison procedure, Jeff was unable to attend.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: More praises, Pastor Hank arranged for Jeff to listen.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: To the service by phone.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_00: And both of Jeff's public defender attorneys took time from their busy schedules to attend.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: In August 2019, Jeff was moved to a minimum security prison facility an hour south from further south from our home.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I again drove five hours round trip weekly to visit him, and it was worth it.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_00: Shortly after he was moved to this facility, we held hands and prayed before the end of our session.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: I echoed a prayer that Doug had started praying the day Jeff was arrested, asking God for a second chance for Jeff when God knew he was ready.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: When I finished my prayer, Jeff looked at me and said, Mom, you don't have to pray for a second chance for me.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_00: I said, Why not?
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: And he said, look around.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: This is my second chance.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff was assigned a job of helping tutor guys preparing to take their GED test.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff noticed the potential of one student in particular, and Jeff was delighted to be a part of the process.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: Later, Jeff expressed discouragement about the same guy who barely passed his exam.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: The guy's heart just wasn't in it.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff congratulated him but told him that as smart as he was, he had the potential to do so much better.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff reminded him that he wasn't really finished.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: He still needed to complete the evaluation form of the instructor.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: The guy refused.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff countered by telling him that that part was just as important and was his opportunity to do something for once for someone else.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: And that it would be considered by the powers that be for this female instructor's raises or evaluation.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_00: The guy was adamant.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_00: He didn't care, and he wasn't going to do it.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff was discouraged when he told me, you know, I see so much of myself in him, the way I used to be, and it just bothers me so much.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: I want to make a difference with guys like that, but I'm not getting through to him.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: My heart warmed as I listened and realized that what I was hearing was another evidence of answered prayer.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: Prison life is never easy for the prisoner or for the family.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Our eyes were opened to that reality a number of times.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: On the inside, inmates have not only lost their rights, but can be framed by anyone in power desiring to make a name for themselves.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_00: This happened to Jeff twice, and he received a disciplinary restriction affecting his good time for groundless accusations by an officer.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: Sleep was also a challenge.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_00: One night Jeff decided to log the number of times the guards on duty shouted into the intercom to wake a certain inmate, just one inmate at a time, to go to work.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff logged 15 times between midnight and 5 a.m.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: I applauded the fact that Jeff sought to go through the appropriate channels to process a request for reconsideration of that policy.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: One kind guard saw Jeff at another prison, greeted him warmly, and wanted to know how he was doing.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff was moved around a lot.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff had him sign a Form 9 that he had written, and the guard complimented him on the way he composed his Form 9s and even his grievances.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_00: Apparently, Jeff had a reputation back at one of the prisons for the way he crafted even the complaints.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff thanked the guard and said he was only trying to prepare the way for guys coming after him to make things better for others and to do what he could to better the system.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: Another evidence of God's work in his heart.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_00: My time is up.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: God's ways aren't our ways, but he's been with us, opening doors to share his story.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_00: At one point, Jeff's path crossed with a prison attorney.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_00: As they discussed Jeff's case, this man offered to craft an appeal.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff submitted that draft to his own attorney who agreed, rewarded a couple spots, and submitted it.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_00: It made its way through the system and was finally approved, resulting in Jeff's release in July of last year.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: I have much for which to be thankful.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: God is on the throne and in control of our crazy world.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_00: He has provided me with peace.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: When I remember what life was like after Jeff's arrest, when both Doug and I dreaded our caller ID, announcing a call from him, when he was then demanding and belligerent.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_00: And how more than once after our call concluded, I was so shaken and tearful and was heard to tell Doug more than once, don't you ever think of leaving me.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: I could never handle that boy.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_00: Little did I know, but little did I know the work that God was doing in his heart.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_00: Our son is a changed man.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_00: Only God can do that.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_00: Jeff is now faithfully working on finishing his degree in business with excellent grades, I might add.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_00: He's in five community bands playing his trumpet, and he's a part of a men's group here at TBC.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so thankful for the several TBC men who've come alongside him to encourage and disciple him.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_00: If this story resonates on some level with someone you love or no, I encourage you, don't stop praying.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: Our God is amazing.