Faith & Purpose

Cailin: Welcome everyone to
Faith and Purpose podcast.

Each episode of this podcast contains the
personal testimony of an ordinary person

transformed by an extraordinary God.

My name is Kaylin and I'm
here to introduce this podcast

for my friend Jesse Duke.

Jesse is a husband, father, author,
life recovery guide, lay counselor,

and small group leader, but his
most important role is disciple.

As a disciple of Jesus.

Jesse created this podcast to help other
believers tell their faith stories.

We'll be hearing the personal
testimonies of all sorts of people

who have one thing in common,
Jesus has transformed their lives.

Jesus used parables because he created
us to learn best through story.

And as we listen to how God has worked
in others lives, we find encouragement

and inspiration for our own faith walk.

Whether you are already a believer or
just a curious seeker, we believe that

as you listen to these stories, you will
be encouraged on your own faith journey.

We are sure that God can speak to you
through one of these episodes and that you

will see that our Heavenly Father truly
works all things together for our good.

When we simply love and trust him.

If you are currently going through a
trial, we believe that you will come

to see that your troubles, heartbreaks,
and failures are not gravestones, but

stepping stones into new life in Christ.

Here's Jesse with today's guest.

Jesse: Welcome everybody to
Faith and Purpose podcast.

I'm very excited to have my new friend
Kina to tell her faith story today.

How are you doing today, Kina?

Kina: I'm doing amazing.

How are you today?

Jesse: I'm great and I'm really
excited to hear your story.

So tell us what it was like.

where were you born and just
start from the beginning.

Tell us your whole Jesus story.

Kina: Okay.

Well, I was born in Jacksonville, Florida.

I've been here all my life.

I went to all of the local schools
here, elementary, woolen acres.

Middle school, I went to Susie Taubert.

We had, we didn't have a combined
6th through 8th grade like they

do now, but I went Susie Taubert
6th grade, James 12th and 7th,

Lakeshore 8th grade, and William M.

Raines High School.

I graduated from William M.

Raines High School.

1990, four.

I am 48 years old.

I'm married.

I've been married for 18 years
to my, wonderful husband, Michael

Green . And I have one son.

He actually just turned 30 on the 14th
of July, and one granddaughter, she's.

10.

She's getting ready to
turn 11 on Thursday.

So July is like a big month for me.

And first, I want to, say, I want to
thank you for this opportunity to be

able to share my testimony and my story.

And I pray that it encourages
and helps someone else.

And so I thank you for allowing
me to be here this morning.

growing up.

here in Jacksonville, my family, I have
a close family and growing up as a child.

my, my family, as I can
remember, nobody went to church.

And so we never went to church as kids.

nobody in my family ever
talked about church.

far as my close family, as
my mom, grandparents, uncles,

all of them, nobody cousins.

I just don't remember anyone going
to church or even talking about it.

And so I didn't grow up, going to
church until elementary me and my mom

and my two sisters and my brother.

I have two sisters.

let me go back.

I have two sisters, amazing mom,
who is my superhero and a brother.

And so I have three siblings.

We all lived on the west side, and I
can remember as a child in elementary

school, the first time I went to church,
we lived, in Lackawanna, and we lived

on this house on the corner, and it
was this other house on the opposite

side of us on the corner, this little
old lady knocked on the door, and she

asked my mom, could she take us there?

to church with her.

Her name was Miss Mary.

And I still remember Miss Mary
to this day because I tell so

many people this testimony.

And so Miss Mary knocked on the door.

She asked my mom, could
she take us to church?

And my mom said, yes.

And so my mom allowed me and
my two sisters to go to church.

So all three of us went to church
with Miss Mary every Sunday.

And so Ms.

Mary, she had us in the choir.

She had us singing solos
and none of us sing.

And, she took us to the altar
to get saved as little kids.

And so I can remember that.

And I was trying to remember if I
could remember getting baptized.

I believe I did, but I'm not totally sure.

But, but she took us to church every
Sunday and her old station wagon.

I remember the station wagon and I
remember her station wagon broke down.

And so I remember her
taking us on the church bus.

And so she never stopped
taking us to church.

And so we got tired of going to
church because we was like kids.

And so she would knock on the door
and be like, Oh gosh, is that Ms.

Mary?

Cause we didn't want to
go to church every Sunday.

And and my mom didn't go to
church, but she knew that.

No, y'all went down to the altar.

And so y'all are going to church.

And so she made us go to church.

Jesse: And how old were you at this time?

Kina: I was in elementary.

I don't remember how, what age I was.

I just remember I was
in elementary school.

Yeah.

Jesse: Okay.

Kina: And after that miscarriage,
she passed away and I don't

remember going back to church
for a while until I got grown.

I wasn't a faithful church goer at first.

I just remember that if people would
invite me to church, I would go to church.

And so that's how that went.

I went to church if somebody invited me.

But then I don't know what changed
in my life to where I started

going to church like every Sunday.

And so every Sunday morning I would get me
and my son up and church started at 7 40.

We would get up, we would go to church,
and we would go in listening to a certain

type of music that Bad music, I would say.

And when we left out of church, we would
leave out listening to that same music.

And so nothing had changed in my life.

We both got baptized at this church
and whatever services the church had,

we would go to the services, whatever
programs, we would go to the programs,

but nothing changed in my life.

And now when I look back over my
life, I realized it wasn't the church.

It was me.

I wasn't changing.

And it was this one Sunday.

Afternoon, I can remember me and
my son had went to church and we

were coming out of Family Dollar.

And so this older gentleman, he came up to
us and he asked me, he was like, he tries

to give me this brochure about Jesus.

And I said, Oh, I already know Jesus.

I go to church every Sunday.

I don't need the brochure.

That's what I told him.

And he was like, he had to have the whole
spirit to know that I didn't know Jesus.

And so he asked me, he
said, where is Jesus?

And I was stumped because I
had no idea what he meant.

And so he gave me a minute to think about
it and I didn't, I had no answer for him.

And he told me, he said
that he's in your heart.

And I was like, Oh, I didn't know
So me not taking the brochure

saying I know Jesus had no idea.

I didn't know Jesus.

And so of course I took the
brochure and then I started to,

I can remember reading my Bible.

I can't remember really, and still
nothing changing in my life, but

I still continue to go to church.

And, leading up to what, caused me to
be faithful in church is my testimony.

And so what happened was I
was still going to church.

And it came this time in my life where I
got like really sick and I didn't know why

I was just like real, real tired all of
the time and trying to get out my car just

to go to work inside the work building.

It was like I was out of breath
by the time I got to the job.

I had to sit down.

I was just feeling bad.

And so when I went to my doctor,
we thought it was something

going on with my stomach.

And so she gave me these
pills, which made me sicker.

And she set up this appointment for me.

She said that she was, I can't remember
what kind of doctor it was, but they put

the, camera down your throat and they
look inside you to see what's going on.

So she had set me up for this appointment
and I was supposed to go to this

appointment one morning, like 9 a.

m.

Some of the dates I might can't remember
in the timing, but this was in 2009.

And so she set me up for the appointment
and I was supposed to go to the

appointment nine o'clock that morning.

And I can remember waking
up like maybe 3, 4 a.

m.

that morning and trying
to go to the restroom.

And I just couldn't,
I remember I couldn't.

My body was telling me to go to the
right, but I was going to the left.

And so I was like, forget it.

And I just laid back down.

And so the next thing I know, when I
woke up, I was in the emergency room.

And so my husband said, what happened
was he tried to, I was on the sofa sleep.

He tried to wake me up that
morning to go to the appointment

because he had to take me.

They said I had to be heavenly sedated.

So he had to take me to the appointment.

And when he tried to wake me up, I
was unresponsive and unconscious.

And so he called the ambulance
and they came and picked me up.

And when I got to the emergency room,
they told my husband and my family

that If I hadn't gotten better within
a couple of a hour, I think they

said then I was gonna die that day.

And so my mom, who now was strong
in the faith, , she knew what to do.

She knew to call her pastor,
which was, lemme take it.

And so her pastor, when I was, younger, I
did go to church, some with my mom when I

lived with my mom when I was a teenager.

And, The church that she was going
to when I got older, I was like,

Oh, they stay in church too long.

I'm never going to that
church when I get old.

And so she called that pastor,
which is my pastor now.

And he was on his way out of town
and he turned around to come back.

To the hospital.

And when he came to the hospital,
he said, let me go and pray and

see what the Lord is saying.

And so he told her that the Lord said
that this sickness is not unto death.

And so at that moment, my mom
being this believing woman of

God, she started believing it.

And then, so by that time, my sisters,
my sister was strong in the faith.

Both of my sisters, I was playing
church, they knew the Lord at that

time and so they knew what to do.

So now the word, the Lord has
spoken, the Lord has said this

sickness is not unto death.

And so what they did was they
started praying, they started

reading the Bible with me.

They were on shifts.

Nobody left me.

They didn't let negative people come in.

They didn't let, anybody come
in that has anything negative

to say, they didn't allow it.

They were speaking faith over me.

And so until this day.

I can, I believe that whenever you are
in trouble that you need some people

in your life that are not playing
church, that are genuine and authentic

and that they really know the Lord
and they can get a prayer through.

Jesse: yeah.

Kina: and so I believe that and I tell
people that we have to have some people

in our lives that has a connection
with the Lord that has a relationship

that when you're in trouble that.

They can ring up heaven on
your behalf and they can get a

word or get a prayer through.

And so that's very important to me.

And while in the hospital,
I was in there for 10 days.

And so they ran all kinds of tests trying
to figure out what was going on with me.

And they found nothing.

They found nothing.

And so my blood was low.

But the funny thing is the, the emergency
room doctor told me that my blood was

so low that had I got up that morning
and went for that procedure, it would

have killed me instantly because
They was going to heavily sedate me.

And so she said it would
have killed me instantly.

And so the Lord did not allow
me to make that appointment.

had another appointment

Jesse: Wow.

Kina: in the ER.

And so when they said that, I wasn't
going to make it, my family was

praying, Oh no, she is going to make it.

And so they prayed and helped pull me
through and I never got sick again.

And so they never found anything wrong.

And so that's my testimony on
how the Lord brought me in.

And so when I was in the hospital, I told
the Lord, and I didn't know what I was

saying because I wasn't deep in the faith.

I didn't know anything about faith,
but I told him, I said, if you bring

me out of this, I'll serve you.

I can remember telling him that
crying and telling him, if you

bring me out, I'll serve you.

And so from then on.

I've been serving the Lord.

And so I will say that
was in 2000 in June, 2009.

And I can say that my life didn't
change right away because once we

come to and give the Lord our life
completely before I was playing church.

And so once we come and we truly give
the Lord our life, it's a process.

Things take place in our lives.

Our lives change is a process.

And so I can remember the first time that.

A deliverance took him took place in my
life past the healing because the Lord

healed me and I'm so thankful for that.

And so I can remember I started
going to church every Sunday.

I was getting up going to church
every Sunday after he helped me.

And but nothing changed.

I was still, I can remember
just I had a real foul mouth.

I cursed a lot.

And so every other word
was like a cuss word.

And so I can remember getting up one
Sunday morning, get ready to go to church.

And my husband made me mad and
I can remember just flicking all

kind of F bombs be transparent to
him, about three, I can remember.

And I can remember going out to the
house, getting ready to go to church.

And oh my gosh, I felt so bad.

I never felt bad before.

I felt so bad.

And then when I got to church, My
pastor was teaching on the tongue

Jesse: Wow.

Kina: how deadly and how
deadly the tongue is.

And I can't remember the message.

I just remember he was talking
to me the whole message and I can

remember he did the altar call.

And he said, anyone who wants
the Lord to deliver them from

their tongue, come to the altar.

And at that point I
had a decision to make.

My, my body was like burning like fire.

I felt like fire because I knew
he was talking to me and I knew I

was supposed to go to the altar.

sometimes shame will kick in and
you won't go because you don't

want people looking at you.

But at that moment I wanted to,
I didn't want to curse anymore.

so I went to the altar and when I went
to the altar, he prayed for me and I, and

this was in 2009 and I never cursed again.

So that day I was delivered from my mouth.

And so when I think about that and
I think about when, when we say, I

want to change before I come to the
Lord, we can't change ourselves.

He do the changing.

And and it's a process, and so he
delivered me that day, and that was

the first of deliverances that he
did for me, besides the healing.

Jesse: as you were saying that, I was
thinking that verse from Proverbs, death

and life are in the power of the tongue.

I was thinking about how ignorant
we are before he enlightens

us that we are to actually.

killing ourselves, killing relationships,
and just, speaking death with our

tongues, and we just can't speak
life until he brings us to life.

Kina: amen.

That is so true.

And so it's amazing when I think
about how he delivered me from

that because I was bad years.

So just years from the time that
I can remember growing up, I've

always, use my tongue in that way.

And so to get deliverance right
then he is the only one that can

do something like that for us.

And so he delivered me
that day from my tongue.

And so I just, after that, I could
just remember just going to church.

I remember trying to, go back to
work, but, I was like, no, I don't

think I should go back cause I
got sick at, when I was there.

And so that my pastor, now he was like,
no, I think you should go back to work.

And I was like, no, I'm
not going to go back.

And so I quit my job.

For two years, I didn't
work when I wanted to.

So it was a point where I wanted to
go back to work, but I didn't work.

And so in those two years, I just was,
reading my word and, serving him wherever

I could, whatever I could put my hands to.

I just remember just serving him.

And, but I also think it was a
humbling experience that sometimes

we got to be obedient and Not doing
things that we want to do, but be

led by the spirit to do some things.

And so it humbled me to know some
things you don't, you just don't

do because you don't want to do.

And after that two years not working,
then I started to work at the

post office, which I'm there now.

I've been to the post office
since 2011 and I was praying and

I was talking to the Lord and I
was asking him, what can I share?

That is, significant and he wanted me
to share my testimony about my son.

And so what happened was in, 2010, he,
he was a juvenile, he was 16 years old.

And so this is the hardest thing that
has ever happened to me in my life.

And the hardest thing
that I had to go through.

in my life.

And so he was 16 years old
and he got arrested and he

was facing 11 felony charges.

And so I was so sad because I did
not want, I didn't know what to do.

And I was, I'm still knowing the faith
and just, not knowing what to do.

And praying and, I can remember my pastor
praying, not talking to him about it.

And he, he said, I'll pray with you.

And he prayed with me and he said, the
Lord said that he's going to be okay.

And so I was like, okay.

And then his attorney started calling me
and telling me, once you get a word in.

It just seemed like that
word is not coming to pass.

The other things are happening
that tried to discourage you

from the word that you got.

And so his attorney would call me every
time, Oh, they found something else.

They found something else.

And one day I could just find
myself just boohoo crying.

Lord, I thought he was going to be okay.

And.

I can remember my pastor, I called
him, I told him, they said this

crying, pouring out my heart.

And he said, Keena, if your son
goes to jail to do some time,

it's going to be because of you.

And my unbelief, I was like, huh?

And so I snapped out of crying.

And at that moment, I started to.

Believe I started to walk by faith
because they still was coming and

telling me all of these things,
but I wouldn't let it affect me.

And so he was facing 11 years
in prison, 11 counts, 11 years.

And so everyone was telling me,
Oh, you need to get an attorney.

You need to get a pay for attorney.

And I was like, no, the Lord's
going to take care of it.

The Lord's going to take care of it.

And I know everybody's
situation is different.

And, The Lord will have
everybody do different things.

And so I didn't believe I was
supposed to get an attorney.

So we went with the public defender
and so go on with the public defender.

It's no, you should get an attorney.

You're going to make him do time.

He's going to do time.

And so what ended up
happening was he ended up not.

During the 11 years, I prayed.

I was asking the Lord, I said, Lord,
how long is he going to go away for?

And he told me two years and
I stood on that two years.

And so at the end, what ended up happening
when he got sentenced, he only was charged

with two charges, not the 11 and he.

Was charged with four years, but he
only ended up doing two and there

was not a, it was not a complete two.

It was, I would say two still,
because he was, in the juvenile jail.

And then, They sent him to
a jail in Gainesville, which

only house, kids 19 to 24.

So he didn't go to a hardcore jail.

And so he went there for a year, a
little over a year, but the last six

months he ended up in work release.

So he wasn't even, it was two years,
but he wasn't even Lord worked it

out where I was able to go 45 minutes
every Saturday to go and see him.

He allowed, when I
thought he was doing, he.

It was for me, but he needed it as well.

So when I was praying, Lord, let him out.

He needed it because it was some things
going on that he needed to get rid of.

so while the Lord had him
there, I couldn't see it.

At first when I was
praying, Lord, let him go.

But the Lord knew, and so
the Lord was working on him.

And so he got out in 2000 and, 14.

It's never been back since.

So this year is 10 years.

And so that was another thing that
the Lord, helped me and brought me

through and strengthened me because
some things that we go through, we

don't automatically get out of it, but
he strengthens us through the process.

And so

Jesse: I ask you, did you have any
particular verses that you were

hanging on to during this time?

Kina: during that time,
I can't remember that.

I do, but I will share a verse
that, I've been hanging on to for

years that, I forgot to share.

So when I did, when I first got
saved and I did lose when I depart,

when I did lose my job for, when I
quit my job for the two years, I can

remember that I didn't have any money.

I can remember about
unemployment, running out.

I have any money.

And I can remember going
to, the grocery store.

I had 5 besides the
groceries I had to get.

I had 5 and this homeless man, he was
outside the store and he was asking

me for money to get something to eat.

And I was thinking, I ain't got
the 5 and I was like, no, I don't

think I'm going to give him my 5.

And so I just knew I
had to give him the 5.

And so I gave him the 5 and When he was
talking to me, it was like I couldn't

understand what he was saying at first.

I could understand the 5 for
food, but I understood what he

said to me clearly after that.

He said, Galatians 6 and 9.

And I couldn't wait to get
home, to get into Galatians 6

and 9, and see what did it say.

And it says, and let us not be weary.

And well doing, but in due season,
we shall reap if we faint not.

And so that has been sticking with me
for years, because when I think about

that scripture, I think about how, when
it says, and let us not be weary, is

that along the journey, some things
happen in our lives that we do get weary.

And he said, don't allow
ourselves to get weary.

Don't get discouraged.

in due season.

We will reap if we fake not.

As long as we don't give up, there
is a season that we will reap.

And when I was thinking about the
reaping, it used to be where, when I

can hear, the Lord's about to bless
you, the Lord's about to bless you, you

always think like monetary things, right?

And so the spiritual things are better.

And so the in due season that you reap,
I think about my life and I think about

all of the struggles and the battles
and the trials and the tribulations.

I think about what he was
doing on the inside of me.

And I think about how, how he has
brought me through so many things

and he strengthened me in the
midst of it, he still allowed me

to have joy in the midst of them.

Still allow me to have hope
and walk in faith, in the midst

of it, when it seems like.

Everything was gonna, fall apart.

I'm still walking in hope and joy and
peace and love and all of these things.

And so when I think about reaping, I
think about reaping these spiritual

things, these spirit, cause that's
what it's all about is the spiritual,

not so much as the natural.

Has he blessed me?

Yes.

he ended up blessing me with a good
job, a nice home, all of these things,

but those are not the best things.

The best things that
he has blessed me with.

It's just precious.

Spirit, his precious strength,

all of these things are things that
he is so richly blessed me with.

And so when I think about that, I
just think about how good that God is.

So that scripture is one that
has stuck with me for years.

Jesse: Wow, yeah, that's funny because
I was just studying that yesterday,

Kina: Really?

Jesse: when you're going through,
A trial that lasts a long time.

You really need to remember every
single day, think not, keep believing.

That's why they call us believers, right?

Kina: Yeah, it is.

It is so true.

It is.

We have to, to keep believing.

And so I was, I was praying and
I was asked, I was like, what's

the most challenging thing
that I have ever been through?

Now, the hardest thing I believe was my
son, I asked the Holy Spirit because he

knows us better than we know ourselves.

And so I was like, what is the
most challenging thing that I have

went through, over these years?

And he said, resting.

So resting.

Has been one of the
most challenging things.

I can remember a time years ago, maybe
about seven years ago, he told me to

be still in a situation and be still.

It's not like it's not don't do nothing
right when we think about be still.

It just means let him
do what we cannot do.

when I think about this deal, I think
about let him do what we cannot do.

And I think about, allowing him to work
instead of us trying to work ourselves,

but allowing him to work and to not move
in the situation until he tells us to.

And I was just thinking about that
resting, when he said resting was one

of the hardest things, and I think when
we're not resting, we're not trusting.

And a lot of things that we go
through is we're not resting

because we're not totally trusting.

And So that's one of the most challenging
things that he said that I wrestled

with over the years is not resting.

Jesse: I'm glad you said that because
I've never really thought of it that way.

You could substitute rest for trust,
Rest in the Lord with all your heart.

Kina: it's true.

Jesse: Yeah, that's good.

Kina: Yeah.

Jesse: Thank you.

Kina: and Three things.

I'm the kind of like the,
whenever, I want to know

something, I always ask the spirit.

Jesse: Yeah.

Kina: sometimes he may not
answer, sometimes he do.

some of the things that, that I'm
sharing, he's answered over time, over,

So I asked him, because I've heard
people say, ask the Lord, some

things like, to be transparent.

One of the things that's hard
for me is, speaking, right?

It's very hard for me to get
in front of people and speak.

And I, it's this fear that comes.

And so I heard someone say, ask
the Lord, how do he see you?

And I asked him, I said,
Lord, how do you see me?

And he said, strong.

And I said, Oh, cause I
don't see myself that way.

I didn't at the time.

And but I realized that to be strong
means you're gonna have to go through

some things that's gonna make you strong.

And so we don't automatically have
that strength, not that supernatural

strength like that, unless we go
through some things that make us strong.

And so I asked, that was the
first, I asked him three things.

That was the first thing.

The second thing I asked him was, what do
he see in me that I don't see in myself?

And he said, triumph.

I said, huh.

Okay.

And so my prayer to him was,
Lord, open my eyes to see what

Let me see myself as you see me.

And then the third and the last thing
I asked him was, Lord, what have you

placed in me to give to the world?

And he said, love.

I said, Oh.

And so I realized all of these
things that he has placed in me and

you and us It produces love in us.

So all of these things that we go
through, it produces fruit in us.

And we don't realize it at the time
when we go through a lot of trials and

tribulations we don't go, we go through.

If we don't give up, if we stay focused,
if we keep, serving, if we keep, our daily

walk, if we don't give up, it's producing
something in us if we allow it to.

And so

when I think about love and the
Lord is the only one who can take

a trial and place love in you.

So I can tell you honestly that in my life
now I have nothing in my heart against

anyone and Nothing but love and I know
that only comes from the Lord because

that's, that has not always been there.

And so all of the things that I have
went through in my life, I realized

that it has strengthened me, but
also it had placed these things

in me that was never there before.

And when they showed up, I don't know.

I just know that they're
there like forgiveness.

had some people that have
really done me wrong, spoke

bad about me, treated me wrong.

And my response to that
is to pray for them.

have never done that before.

so in our trials and in our tribulation,
it produces fruit in our lives and the

Lord is the only one that can do that.

And so we can forgive and love
and pray for people that we've

never been able to do it before.

So we don't realize that some things that
we go through is producing a greaterness

in us than we could ever realize.

Jesse: Yes.

you talk about love and
forgiveness and the same breath.

And that's awesome because I really think
that's, the gift that he gives us just to.

To see that we really don't have any
right to not forgive other people based

on what he's already forgiven us for.

Kina: Amen.

And I had a situation where I had to
forgive someone and it wasn't a struggle.

it's amazing because
it was not a struggle.

And the thing about it is that what
I told someone because they couldn't

believe, this type of forgiveness.

And so what I told him was that the
Lord has been so merciful to me.

He's been so good to me and he has
forgiven me for all of the things,

my sins that I've done before.

And even if I do anything now,
if I confess my faults, he is

faithful and just to forgive us.

And so how can I not as
good as he's been to me?

And when I look back over my life and see.

see who I used to be and who I am
now, how can I not forgive someone

because God has forgiven me.

So how can I be merciless to someone
and he has not been merciless to me.

And so that forgiveness is powerful.

And when I was thinking about Jesus
before he, he left the earth and, two

things that when he watched the disciples
speak that I saw that he instituted.

was, serving and love.

And so those two go together,

When I think about when I was in the
hospital and I said, Lord, I'll serve you.

I didn't know what that meant.

And so I do, whatever I find my hands
to do, I do it, cause we're serving him.

We're serving.

His people.

And so we're serving people.

We're serving the Lord because he
doesn't really need us to serve him.

He doesn't need any service from us,
but who needs the services is people.

And so whether we clean the church,
we're cleaning it, we're serving

him because we're the people that's
coming to sit down, they come sit

in some nice, comfortable, clean
place, or rather we're ministry.

It doesn't matter.

if we're, when we're serving
him, we're serving people.

And so when he before he left the earth,
he instituted, humble serving and love.

And so those two to me go together.

And I think when we're serving him
and we're serving people, it produces

this love in us that We don't know
where it comes from, or we know where

it comes from, but it just comes and
it's like, where, when did it come.

And so I think those things.

So I think that, over the years, when
I can look back over my life, I can

say that God has truly been good.

And I can say he has brought
me from a long way and he has

changed me in so many ways.

And when, I share my faith with other
people and they share what they believe,

if we're not believing the same thing, my
thing, I would never, say anything about

anybody else's religion, but what I will
say to them is I believe what I believe.

And.

What I would tell them
is just give Jesus a try.

So anybody, my response would be
is to just give him a try and see.

taste and see.

David said, taste and see.

We taste and see for
ourselves just how good he is.

Jesse: speaking of serving, do you
have any ministries that you've been

involved in that you want to talk about?

And what learned through them?

Kina: so over the right now I'm,
serving, I serve at, hospice and

the law have me serving there.

And so I go in, weekly and I sit
with a few people, just depends on,

I've had five people at one time,
sometimes one, sometimes three.

And so I, I just, I go and I sit
with them and some I read, some

I, we listen to music and some you
just, I just sit there and though,

and some, a lot of them can't talk.

And so because the Lord sent me
there, I know that there is a reason.

And so if they can't
talk, then, what I do at.

and serving there is certain things
that you can't do, you can't really,

unless they say something about
the Bible, you just can't, just

start speaking your faith to them.

But what I will do is I pray for
them, rather than, If they allow

me to outwardly, if they give me
the opportunity, because if they

start talking about Jesus, that
kind of opens the door for me.

But if they don't, then inwardly,
I'm praying inwardly, for them that

the Lord bless them or whatever they
need and that whenever they leave.

It's let them not leave this
earth would not have known you are

accepting you into their hearts.

And so I believe that everything
that we, everywhere he sends us to

serve him, it's a purpose for it.

And so that's the main
thing that I'm serving.

right now I serve in my church.

I, whatever I find my hands to do.

So I assure clean the church.

I read for my pastor.

I,

Jesse: let me get, before you get
too far away from this hospice

thing, this is interesting.

So the Lord led you to visit in hospice.

So you really, you're carrying Jesus
with you into this, you're carrying the

presence into this space where, you don't
necessarily have to use you know, biblical

words, but you're carrying the with you.

And, have you had any kind of
experiences, with the way God

shows up in certain instances?

with

Kina: Actually, so what ended up me
volunteering at hospice is we, we were

looking for, our church was looking for
somewhere to volunteer for, one Christmas.

It was, not last Christmas,
the Christmas before.

And so I just started,
just hospice just came up.

And so I was like, Oh, okay, I'll call
and see, what can we do at hospice?

And they said the only thing
they had was Christmas caroling.

And I was like, Oh, I don't really know
how good we are at that, but we'll do it.

so we went and we started
to, do the Christmas carols.

And, of course the ones we did,
they was pertaining to Jesus.

And one guy came out into the hallway
and when we got done, he was like,

can y'all come in and pray for my mom?

They said, she's not going to
make it, within a couple of days

or whatever it was, he said.

And so we went in and we sung amazing
grace over her and, We prayed for her.

And so when we went in,
she was like really stiff.

And so I didn't see it, but, I laid
my hands on her and I prayed for her.

And so everyone else who was in
the room, they said, they saw

her make a couple of movements.

Like she, she got it, she,
whatever it was that she got it.

And so we felt his presence in there.

And so that was the first time
that I've experienced, his presence

show up without, a person actually
up and, able to say something.

That first time that we recognized that,
oh, wow, his presence was really in here.

Cause even her son had said that she
hadn't moved and he don't know when.

Jesse: Wow.

Kina: Yeah.

And so after that, I, I was praying about
volunteering and it wasn't to hospice.

I was thinking about everybody else.

I was like, okay, maybe, no.

So actually afterwards, I was like,
Lord, maybe we can get the group together

and, go to hospice and volunteer.

And he said, why don't just you?

How's that?

Oh, okay.

And that's what made me start
volunteering at, at hospice.

Jesse: Wow.

Sounds like the lord's leading.

Kina: Yeah.

So that's what made me.

And so from the personal experiences
now that, I haven't really said I've

experienced anything like I did that first
time, but not to say nothing is happening

because never know when the presence
of the Lord shows up what he's doing.

And the thing about the, like you said,
the presence of the Lord is there.

that when he comes into the room, whatever
that person need, he can supply it.

And so that's my prayer
whenever, before I go.

And when I go in, whatever they need, the
prayer that the spirit supplies, whatever

it is that, whether it be salvation,
whether it still be healing, because

even though somebody else say you can,
go within a Day is whenever the Lord

says, so whether it be healing brother,
whatever it is for, you know what they

need and you know how to provide it.

So I just go in like that.

Jesse: that's really a gift because
I don't think most people, even

most christians would have the

I don't know what the word is, courage
to, the mindset, just the mindset to

be, just be present in, for people who
are going through that dying process.

that's really gotta be a gift of the
Holy Spirit that you're able to do that.

Wow.

Kina: I was like, okay, Lori, when
he said you go, I was like, okay.

yeah.

Jesse: Well,

if there's any One bit of advice that
you would give to anybody who's out there

listening, you never know who's listening
to these things and, but God knows what

one piece of advice would you, pass along?

Kina: Never give up.

I will say never give up.

I will say that in our trials.

and our tribulations, rather
challenging, hard, whatever it may be.

I wouldn't, I would say never
give up and to, just trust God.

And once we've given him our lives and Our
lives are in his hands, and so whatever

we do go through is that he allows us
to go through it, and it's a reason,

and it's a purpose for it, and it's a
greater reason, a greater purpose than

we can ever imagine that he is doing.

And so I will say, never give up.

I actually have a, when I was
thinking about a couple of things,

if it's okay, I was thinking
about a few, three, three things.

The first one was when I was a child
and Miss Mary took us to church.

And when the Bible says, train up a
child in a way that they should go.

And when they are old, they
will never depart from it.

Now we went to church as kids.

And I don't know how many years since
Mary took us to church, but over the years

when I got out into the world, I steered
away, but I ended back up back in church.

And so even my two sisters, so all of
us that, Miss Mary took us to church.

We're all in church.

We're all serving the Lord.

We all did our own thing for years,
but we all ended up back in church.

And so that is a scripture that
has come full fruition in my life.

Is that bring them up in church.

They know when trouble comes, they
know when they need help, they know

where to go, because it's when you
don't know where to go, what do you do?

And but when we're trained up
in church, then we know that

we end back up in that place.

And so the next thing is that for
people that are new in the faith

is that we can't change ourselves.

Only the Lord can do it.

All He asks us to do is just come.

And when we come, He'll
do everything else.

And so he works in us and in
miraculous ways, we'll never

be able to understand it.

And we'll, we know that, I know
that when we do come to him is

that, we won't change automatically.

So when I first got.

Actually, I, when I first gave my life
totally to him, when I gave my life

to him, I won't say totally to him.

Cause that's, that was a process
when I gave my life to him.

When I said, I accept him as my
Lord and savior, nothing changed

in my life, but I continue to.

Go to church.

I continue to seek him.

I continue.

And then over time it changed.

Things start breaking off
on me like so nothing.

If I go to the altar on Sunday, everything
that I did Saturday and years before.

It had not changed, right?

What changes us is Him.

His Word changes us, His Word
cleanses us, His Word purges us,

and it heals us, and it delivers us.

And so we just keep going, keep
doing, and He'll do everything else.

And so we can't change ourselves,
allow Him to change us.

And then for us, The ones that do, I w the
faith is to not give the faith and trust

and b he says that all things w are good.

So all things s like their good, but the
Bible said it's working for our good.

And so as long as we're in his
hands, then everything that we go

through is working for our good.

And we probably won't see it now,
but we will see it later because some

things that, I went through, I didn't
see it at the time, but what he has

produced in me now, I can see it.

I can see it.

And I'm so thankful
and so grateful for it.

Jesse: that's, I'm glad you said all that.

I was thinking about how, Miss Mary.

planted some seeds and, it took a long
time for those seeds to, to come up.

They had to be watered
and cultivated, right?

Kina: Yes.

Jesse: But God's word never returns
void and, it may, some crops take

longer to, produce than others.

And, and I think about, in our lives.

Our lives really are like gardens,
we plant seeds, whether good or bad,

whether weeds or flowers and, whatever

seeds we're planting, we're going
to reap, Miss Mary sowed into your

life and, eventually those two.

Those seeds produce fruit and it's
the Holy Spirit, like Jesus told

Nicodemus, you can't see the Holy
Spirit, but it's, he's acting, right?

just having faith in that
is, is just knowing that is,

is faith producing, I think.

Kina: Amen.

I, and when I think about that, it's
so true because we can, like you

said, the scripture says one plant,
one water, God give the increase.

And so we can plant something
in somebody and we don't see

anything happening, right?

Because it's not for us.

As long as we do our job, it's
just planting or watering.

Somebody, we might plant, somebody
come along and water, but it's

God that gives the increase.

And so I, I can remember telling this
young lady, she was saying that, she

believed that, the, her ministry is
ministering to young people, 25 to

30 years old, but she don't really
like people and talking to people,

but yet she has a 25 year
old and a 30 year old.

And so I told her, I said, just
think about how you're saved.

you want your 25 year old and
your 30 year old to be saved too.

They may not listen to you, but
they may listen to somebody else.

And so you're praying that the
Lord sends some people across their

pathway that will minister to them.

And so those people who's coming to you.

Their parents could be praying
the same thing that the Lord sent

some people across my path, her
pathway, that will minister to.

So the Lord want to use
you in that capacity.

You got to be ready to be used
because it's not all about us.

And so if we can encourage and
motivate and help other people, then

that's what we're supposed to do.

It is what we're supposed to do.

And

Jesse: Absolutely.

Yeah, I've had, I'm grateful for
the people who have prayed for

me and my family over the years.

kids,

They could hear things a thousand
times from the parents, but then a

stranger says it and they take it in.

Kina: it in.

They take it in.

We never know who the Lord used
to, we, we just don't know.

Wishes.

Always be ready to give an answer
of the hope that's within us.

So we got to always be ready to
help other people because that

is what the world is in need of.

in need of help.

And, when we talking about the
planting and the watering and God

giving the increase and trials and
tribulations and the things that he

put inside of us is not just for us.

He puts it in, we have the Holy
Spirit on the inside of us.

For us to help us to live this life.

But we have his presence
upon us to help other people.

And so we got to always be ready to
help other people because that's what

this life is all about to show others,
his love and his grace and his mercy.

Cause how else would they see it?

You can't, they can't just, they
can't physically see him, but.

They can see us who say that we
are disciples and we are followers.

And so we have to be able
to go through some things.

So some things can be in us in
order for us to be fruit for other

people, ourselves and other people.

Jesse: absolutely.

And when we're reaching out to
others with the same comfort that

God has given us, that's when
we can really feel his presence,

Kina: Amen.

That's true.

Jesse: It's like water
flowing through the hose.

Kina: That's so true.

It's so true.

And I just think about how, it
is an honor though, to be able

to serve him and to help others.

I think about how he has given
us the gift of his precious Holy

Spirit to be able to help others.

And so if he has gifted us
with it, then we cannot not.

encourage and help other people.

We don't have that privilege.

Jesse: Right.

I keep thinking about your experience with
hospice and how the Lord led you there.

And, I'll share a little story,
I'll, I may cut it out, but just for

you because I know you'll get it.

so my dad died in 85.

My mother remarried a really great,
strong Christian guy a few years later.

And.

And then, they were married for 19 years,
and then when he was dying at home, and

my brother and I would take turns sitting
with him, and he was in a hospital bed

in their master bedroom at home, and
we would administer pain meds and just

be with him, and he couldn't talk.

But he just knew, he was present,
it wasn't comatose or anything.

the day that he died, I remember
I was sitting there with him

and I was holding his hand.

his daughter had come from North
Carolina because we knew it was close.

So my mom and his daughter were
out in the kitchen and I was

in the bedroom with Claude.

and I just sensed that it was time and his
breathing started getting further apart.

further and further apart, and
I was holding his hands, and, I

just felt a presence in the room.

And all of a sudden, the verse, think
it's John 14, 6, something like that,

that where Jesus told his disciples,
if, I'm going to prepare a place for

you, and when I do, I'll come back and
bring you so you can be where I am.

And all of a sudden, that verse came
to mind, And I called my mom and

his daughter into the room and they
held his hand and he breathed his

last and that was such a blessing.

But I'll never forget that because I
felt like Jesus was coming for him.

taking him back to his mansion.

Kina: Wow.

Jesse: Yeah, that was such
an awesome experience.

And it's given me a lot of hope that, you
know, he really shows up when we need him.

Kina: Amen.

And you know when you were talking about
that to share another experience that

happened at hospice, I wasn't volunteering
at hospice it wasn't a patient that

I want to see but it was a neighbor
that, of ours that was in hospice.

And so me and my sister, my oldest
sister, and my mom and my youngest sister.

Whenever someone's in the hospital,
it's Oh gosh, we got to go.

We got to pray.

we led by the spirit to go and pray,
cause like I said, in my testimony, if I

had not had faithful people who believed
in the Lord and was really, walking

with him, they can get a prayer through.

I don't know if the situation
would have turned out.

The way that it turned out.

And and what I forgot to, I can
remember is, two years before I got

sick, I had a dream and in the dream,
a doctor came to me and the doctor

said, you got two years to live,
that I had, some kind of brain issue.

And I had two years to
live that dream shook me.

And so two years after.

It's when I went through the whole thing
where I was about to die and all of that.

But so the importance of people, showing
up in a time of need is, when me and my

sister, we went to, our, to hospice and
it was a neighbor and He was unconscious.

they said he, he couldn't
talk or anything.

And but we still prayed.

And so we held his hands and we prayed
for him and we prayed that if he didn't

receive salvation, we was just praying,
Lord receive him and all of this.

And he winked at us after
the prayer, he winked.

He did as if to say he received it,
you know, and and I learned this from,

our friend, myself, it's because it's,
over the years we grow, we grow in

knowledge and I was asking him, I was
like, because somebody asked me one time

before, if someone's in a coma, do you
think that they can receive salvation?

And I was like, no, I don't think so.

Because, yeah.

They can't speak.

They can't confess it with their mouth.

And so our friend, Mike Selfie,
shared with me that we're

speaking to their spirit.

And so the spirit in them, here's
what you're saying to them.

And so we're talking to their spirit.

And so when he winked at us,
it's Oh my gosh, he heard.

So we pray he made it in, I don't know,
so it's just a presence and like he was.

The presence and the power of God is that
we don't know, with his presence, when

we're, praying for someone, we don't know
what it's doing on the inside of somebody.

We have no idea.

And so we're just charged to do our part
and then let him do everything else.

And so that is another thing
that, the Lord has, has me

doing is that, hospital visits.

When I find out somebody's in the
hospital, I'll be ready to go pray.

Jesse: Oh, man.

Kina: Of course, being led by the
spirit, but, I definitely, cause I,

when I think about the Lord changing
my life, it's like now that I really

want people to make it into heaven.

I really don't want people to
leave this earth with not having

received the Lord into their hearts.

And when somebody is in a situation
to where they need prayer or they

don't know that they need prayer,
try to, do my part and, go, and pray.

asking the Holy Spirit to
heal them, deliver them, and

whatever it is that they need.

Some people need a spiritual healing.

Some people need, like in the
Bible, a lot of times it wasn't so

much as the physical healing, like
the man at the Pool of Bethesda.

He needed a spiritual healing.

He got both.

He got physical healing, but he
needed a spiritual healing first.

Because when the Lord asked him,
did he want to be made whole?

At the end of it, he told
him don't sin no more.

And so it was sin that
had him in that situation.

So He needed a spiritual
healing and then he got both.

He got a spiritual and a physical.

So I realized some people they could
be spiritually need a physical healing.

Some people spiritual, physical, they
may need a spiritual healing, but

they made a need a complete healing.

You never know.

So I'm always mindful and praying
and asking the Lord to give

them what He knows they need.

I don't know.

I can look at a person and say,
Oh man, they sick and in hospital.

They need a physical healing, but that
could not be what it is that they need.

They need that spiritual healing,
which can cause them to get

a physical healing as well.

And so always acknowledging the Lord
before I do anything or go anywhere

that he knows what a person needs.

He knows us better than we know ourselves.

Jesse: Yeah.

Absolutely.

I've been, I was thinking about how,
when God created, when it says in

Genesis that we are created in his image.

And, then he sent Jesus so that
we could be reunited with that.

So we are spirit.

If we have a soul and we
live in a body, right?

So it's a package.

But I think what connects us as
human beings is we all, we are

connected in God through that spirit.

Some more than others, or
some aware of it than others.

And so we can pray.

We can't transmit spirit to between
ourselves and other people, like

people that, like you say, are
in a coma or something like that.

they, they might not be able
to physically respond, but.

But through God's Holy Spirit, we
do, we are able to communicate.

And I think that's a blessing that God
doesn't make us aware of that because

we might get a big head about it.

We might start thinking, we're God,

Kina: Yes.

Jesse: we're just an instrument, right?

Kina: Yeah, just the instrument being
used by the Lord, which is a blessing.

Jesse: I can tell that you, God is
really using you, because He's given

you this, desire and willingness to
put yourself out there in, in the,

to these really tough situations.

People with, people are dying or
sick in the hospital or whatever.

So that, that really is a gift.

Kina: yeah.

Amen.

And When I think about it too,
I know that, it's because of his

love that he has placed in us and,
his love being produced in us.

And because without his type, with
that, with his type of love, that

agape, unconditional love, or love
that, wants to be able to help other

people or love that wants to be able
to look beyond people's thoughts,

and still identify the need, right?

And so it is only his love.

And I think that's why it's love
is the greatest commandment because

his love, when I think about, other
religions, And I think about, being

a Christian, the basis and the
foundation of our faith is love, right?

It's based on love.

And so he instituted that and,
it's the greatest commandment.

And so where we're able
to, show others love.

Really from a genuine love, not just
from lip service, but from the heart

and people know the difference.

so when we're able to, from the
heart, serve out of love, help out

of love, it all comes from him.

And it's that it's the only type of love
that he can provide, that he can give

and that, that, that he has placed on
the inside of us to share with the world.

so that's why.

our, Christian faith is.

The best faith, the only faith.

Jesse: when Jesus told the disciples,
he says, and this is my commandment

that you love one another, that when
Jesus, when God commands something,

he's, his command comes with an
enablement, the, with the power to do it.

he wouldn't command us to do
something that we, he doesn't

also give us the power to do.

Kina: amen.

Jesse: Where else is
it going to come from?

Kina: It is true.

Jesse: Yeah.

Kina: It is true.

He said that, I was
going to say something.

I lost it.

So maybe I supposed to say it.

Jesse: That's right.

Kina: it is his love and it is the
greatest commandment and, and it is a

Jesse: you just embody that.

I can feel it.

And, this has been such a blessing
being able to talk to you today

and I, our time is about out.

But, if there's anything else you
want to add, please feel free.

Otherwise, would you
pray for our listeners?

Kina: I will, father, we thank you.

We thank you so much.

We thank you for being so good.

So faithful, so consistent.

Amen.

So loving, so merciful and so kind.

We thank you for your tender mercies.

That's better than life.

And we thank you father for being with us.

And we thank you for loving us.

And we thank you for, sending
Jesus, your only begotten son,

that all we have to do is believe
in him and that is our salvation.

And so we thank you for our salvation.

We thank you for allowing us to
be a part of your salvation plan.

And we thank you for
using us for your glory.

So father, I pray for the listeners.

All of the ones who don't know you
yet that will come to know you.

I pray, Father, that, the day that
they hear your heart, the day that

they hear your voice, that their heart,
that they hearten, not their hearts.

And for those of us, Father, that are
walking with you and going through

trials and going through tribulations,
Father, give us the strength and, the

courage and the help to move forward.

To not give up, to trust you in all
things and know that all things are

working together for our goods and
help us to, not lose hope because

hope make us not ashamed because your
love is shed abroad in our hearts

and is by your precious Holy spirit.

So help us to move forward and help
us to know that whatever we may face

in this life, that there is a greater
purpose and that, the things that

we go through father, it helps us.

It strengthens us and,
helps us to help others.

And we thank you.

We thank you for all that you do
in our lives, and we thank you

for who you are in our lives.

And I pray, Father, that the testimony
and this call and the things that

were said will edify someone.

And, glorify you.

And I pray father that,
I thank you so much.

I thank you for allowing me to
be able to have a conversation

on your podcast with Mr.

Duke's on this day.

Thank you for blessing him with such a
blessed podcast that edify your people

and glorify you and want to help your
people, encourage your people, motivate

your people, and to, Listen to the
testimonies and how good and merciful and

graceful, gracious that you have been to
all of us and how you continue to work

through us to help us and to keep us.

So Father, I pray that millions
want to give their testimony, not

just a few people, but millions.

And they'd be multiplied father,
those numbers that only you can

do, and we know that you can.

And so we say thank you and all of
the ones that you want to give your

testimony, father, help give us,
help to give them courage and to,

to come and give their testimony.

And we thank you.

Thank you for all that you are
doing, and thank you for all

that you are in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Jesse: Amen.

Speaker: We hope you've been
blessed by today's story.

In case you haven't noticed, there
are no advertisements on this podcast,

and we hope to keep it that way.

So if you've heard something that you
think could help someone you know, please

share it using the link in the show notes.

Also, if you will give Faith and Purpose a
positive review on your podcast platform,

you could help more people find it.

You will probably never know how
that small effort can make a big

difference in someone's life,
but our Heavenly Father knows.

Speaking of sharing, if you know a Jesus
follower with a story to tell, please send

them a link to Faith and Purpose Podcast.

It may encourage them to tell their story.

That person may even be you.

Our only criteria is
that Jesus be glorified.

Most Christians don't share their
faith because they mistakenly think

their story is not interesting enough,
or that it's self centered to talk

about themselves, or that they are not
competent to explain the gospel correctly.

But none of that is relevant.

If Jesus has changed your
life, you have a story to tell.

All of our stories are completely unique.

No one has a story like yours, and you
may be the only one who can reach someone

else through telling your experience.

So don't be intimidated.

A story is just that, a true account
of your own experience, and no one

can disagree with your experience.

When we tell what Jesus has done in
our lives, we are being obedient to his

command to go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature.

It's not about theology, and it's not
about how interesting or special you are.

It's all about Jesus.

So when you're ready to tell how Jesus
has impacted your life, you can let Jesse

know at his ministry website, jesseduke.

net.

There you can download guidelines
that will make it easy to

prepare to tell your story.

Thank you for listening today and Shalom.