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.

MacBook Air Microphone: Hello, and
welcome to faith and purpose podcast.

My name is John Crow, and
this morning, I'm going to

interview my friend, Jesse Duke.

Hey, Jesse, how are
you doing this morning?

I'm being followed.

What are you being followed by Jessie?

Goodness and mercy.

All the days of your life.

I've been using that.

Lately, when people ask me how I'm doing.

I see I'm being followed.

And it's funny, you give some looks,
some people who know we're comes from.

smile and say me too.

And then other people
that don't have no clue.

About the Bible or look
at me, what kind of funny?

Anyway.

All right, Jesse.

So what is faith and purpose podcast?

faith and purpose is just a platform
for ordinary Believers to tell the

story about how they came to Christ and.

And how he works in their lives.

Basically.

That's the simple version

What gave you the idea for
faith and purpose podcast?

actually, I guess about.

30 years ago.

I was going to church.

And my pastor noticed just how intense.

How focused I was on my spiritual
journey and he suggested that I go up to

Columbia theological seminary for this.

spiritual formation week.

So I did, I went up there
And I was involved in just

learning about the Bible and.

Got an hour relates to us
and all that kind of thing.

But at the end of that week, we
were given a homework assignment.

They told us to come home and write
a 10 page spiritual autobiography.

And I've never done that before.

I wrote my autobiography
and I turned it in.

But what happened is, during that process.

I, I learned.

Some things about myself and what
was true about my spiritual path.

we got always have a lot of different.

Ideas about what's going on and
what God is doing in our lives.

Just thinking about it day
to day, but when you sit down

and you actually have to.

Write it out.

It makes a.

A huge difference.

It it's speaks to you that way.

So.

I got the idea that, Hey, this is
a really powerful spiritual tool.

And I think, I'm going to
go ahead and expand on this.

So I did, I ended up writing a whole
book about my recovery and in my

Christian experience and all that.

And it was really great
for my spiritual growth.

Anyway.

I learned a lot by that and I thought,
This would be great if I could get

other people to write their test.

Testimonies, and I could publish
their books or I can put a whole

bunch of stories into one book.

This would be wonderful.

And I've seen books like that, there's a.

A great book.

cold.

They found a secret and
it's a collection of.

Christian.

Leaders, missionaries pastors.

Stuff like that.

Who tell about their.

adventures.

With Jesus.

And, it's a really powerful book.

So that gave me the idea
that I born to do that too.

So I started a publishing company.

And that wasn't easy back
in the, late nineties and.

Everything was a struggle.

It has to learn how to make that happen.

And I, actually did.

But guess what?

I could find no one who
wanted to write their story.

I mean, I looked and looked
and tried and tried, but.

anyway, I did get my wife, Becky too.

She was interested in marriage story.

So she published two books Called
celebrating marriage she's got, I forget

how many, but maybe about 16 and 20
stories in each book that she just.

Got people to write their
housing med and what their.

court ship was liked and
then a little bit about their

marriage and some marriage tips.

So that turned out to be a good thing.

But,

I could not get anybody to write.

Our story.

So.

Not everybody enjoys riding like I did.

So.

What happened is when podcasting
came along, I started listening to

podcasts cause I really like audio.

I've always listened
to the radio and yeah.

Listen to Christian radio and.

All you books and all
kinds of things like that.

So when a park has came along,
I started listening to them.

And then a few about three years ago.

I was listening to a
podcast and all of a sudden.

I thought maybe I can start a podcast.

Oh, that's stupid.

And then I heard a podcast
about making a podcast and.

I thought, wow.

So I started investigating
it and it took me.

About that long, about three years
to get around, to, to where I could.

Actually.

Set aside the time and start
researching and figuring out how to.

To make it happen.

And, Yeah.

I'm glad I was born when I
was so that I could be here.

When the technology came around so that
I could learn how to do stuff like this.

yeah.

the internet and.

Other people have made it possible.

So anyway, I thank God for that.

What a blessing to be able to use
this technology for something good.

Yeah.

Yeah.

MacBook Air Microphone-22: And
speaking of using it for good.

What happened and toward the end of that
three years of procrastinating, I was

listening to a sermon by my friend, Dr.

Lindsay Powell.

Who is my guest on the
episode, just after this one.

Holy spirit spoke to me during his sermon.

Of course, I can't
remember Lindsay's words.

Right now, but I, and I don't
want to put words in his mouth.

But what I got out of that sermon
was a coming together of some truths.

That I had known for years, but I
didn't really know what to do about it.

And that is that our
country is in big trouble.

Because we're going in the
exact opposite direction.

That God intended for us to go.

We've gotten so far away
from our founding principles.

And from the God who led our founders,
that we're actually destroying ourselves.

MacBook Air Microphone-25:
In the book of Hosea.

God says my people are
destroyed for lack of knowledge.

We've got thousands of so-called
professors and universities

all over this country.

Who.

Call themselves educators
and professors and all that.

And they have no clue.

They have no knowledge of God's word.

MacBook Air Microphone-22: Over
in Paul's letter to the Galatians.

He says it's for freedom.

That Christ has set us free
stand firm then, and do not let

yourselves be burdened again by.

A yoke of slavery.

Now he wasn't talking to Americans about
America, but the same principle applies.

America was founded on biblical
principles and that's where we got

our desire for and our ability to
live up to that freedom that we're

known for throughout the whole world.

That's how we became a great country.

But we've abandoned God and his
word in the name of freedom.

And we are enslaving ourselves with
this crazy idea that we know best.

We don't need God.

And the name of freedom.

We abandoned the author of freedom.

So when we took God out of our schools,
our businesses and our government,

there was a backroom and we turned the
government to supply all our needs.

We'd build a monster.

To replace God.

And now we're, overgoverned,
over-regulated over controlled and so deep

in debt that we'll never get out of it.

The only way back is a
return to God and his word.

It's for freedom that
Christ has set us free.

He is the author of our faith and
the true founder of our country.

This isn't political it's reality.

It's history.

It doesn't matter what
power party's in power.

Jesus is the only one who
can make America great again.

And his greatness is his goodness,
his greatness, his, his love in us.

Over net, uh, same letter to Galatians.

Paul said you've been
called to live in freedom.

My brothers and sisters.

But don't use your freedom to
satisfy your sinful nature.

Instead, use your freedom.

To serve one another in love.

Back in the 1830s, French author.

Uh, Alexis de Tocqueville
visited America and broke this.

Not until I went into the churches
of America and heard her pulpits

of flame with the righteousness.

Did I understand the secret
of her genius and power?

America is great because America is good.

And if America ever ceases to be
good, America will cease to be great.

And that's what's happened to us,
John, we ceased to be done because

we ceased to rely on the source
of goodness, the source of joy.

Hope and peace.

The source of our freedom.

You know, I wrote a book back in 2009,
warning of how this debt is enslaving us.

The national debt was a
shocking $9 trillion in 2009.

And now.

As of August of 2024,
it's over $35 trillion.

We're digging our own grave as a nation
because we are depending on the wrong God.

You know, president John Adams said
that our constitution was made only

for a moral and religious people.

It is wholly inadequate for
the government of any other.

Too many of us stopped sharing our faith
and allowed the culture of the world to

just take up the space that we abandoned.

And Tim many churches
stop preaching truth.

It's all about feel good is.

It's all about.

What.

People want to hear.

And that's what dark warned about.

So anyway.

holy spirit had been telling
me for years that I had to do.

Um, my part to help fix this problem.

A book, didn't do it very few
people ever even read my book

about how we're enslaving
ourselves with this national debt.

So that day, as I was listening to Dr.

Powell, that was back
in, um, The summer of 20.

23.

As I was listening to him.

Holy spirit told me it was time to get
off my rear end and start this podcast.

I know it's not much in light
of the problems we're facing,

but it's all about Jesus.

And when Jesus says, then
anything is possible.

You know, God's word says, do
not despise small beginnings,

so I'm just going for it.

and I'm expecting him.

To send the people he wants
to share their stories.

And also the ones that
he wants to hear them.

So.

Anyway, that's.

My version of how this podcast came to be.

MacBook Air Microphone-24:
And that's how I came up with

the name, faith and purpose.

My purpose is to turn more
people on to faith in Christ.

And along with that,
I have other purposes.

MacBook Air Microphone: I really
want people to be encouraged by

hearing each other's stories.

I want nonbelievers to stumble
across it and, then hear a story

and be able to relate to it.

And maybe find.

Yeah, how God is working in their lives.

Maybe how God is drawing them.

And, stories are powerful.

That way.

Jesus told parables because
that's the way God created us.

To learn through story.

I think stories are
probably the most powerful.

Communication that we have, I
think advertisers have started.

Figuring that out, because when
they'd want to advertise something,

they'll tell you a story.

The story about how this product
came about and the story about how

great it is and all this stuff.

And the best sermons that
you hear, when the preacher.

Tells a story and relates it to
the Bible, So I won't people.

Just to be able to have fun,
listening to stories, and yet.

Every Jesus' story is.

the most important thing in the world.

the most important story.

In the universe is how Jesus
relates to us human beings.

Yeah.

When I'm listening to somebody's story,
I get more out of it than anybody else.

And I'm lucky because I get
to hear him about five times.

Because I hear the story in person.

And then I go, when I go to edit, I
listened to it at least three times

while I'm doing the editing process.

And then, right before I publish,
I get the person who's telling

the story to listen to it.

And.

And then I maybe do some more editing
and then I listened to it One more time

before I publish in it, after I published.

So I hear every story at least
five times and every single time I

hear it, I get something out of it.

See, that's the way God
works through story.

Is that.

Our spirits pick up.

On things there.

We need to hear or when
we need to hear them.

So we can hear one story.

One time and pick up on an idea or
something that, strikes or spirit.

In a way that we need it.

And then.

Listen to it another time and get an whole
completely different thing out of it.

And it's kinda like, you know, reading.

the Bible, you can read a verse a
thousand times and get something

different out of it every time

So, I think it's really a holy spirit
thing because that's how he works.

he works through everything, but.

He worldly works powerfully through story.

another thing is that it's
not just for the listeners.

of course.

To the listeners give.

Hello, lot out of it.

but the people who are
telling their stories.

Everybody has told me that the preparation
process, just getting ready to tell

their story just is really powerful
because you really have to focus on.

What.

It's really important and what
God has done in your life.

And.

and a lot of times people will
discover what God's done in their life.

And they hadn't even known it
before, but then by thinking about

their story, they realize that.

The gods have been at work.

and so it's good for the.

The people who tell their stories and The
thing about it is that when we actually

get authentic and vulnerable and we just.

Tell the truth about what happened.

that opens the door for God to
come in and do another work.

Yeah, on a level that we
may not even be aware of.

So people could tell their stories and
then maybe not even realized that God's

doing something in their lives until, A
month later something happens and they

realized that they had grown than this.

Particular area.

that's one thing that's happened, not
just with me, but with other people.

God is at work and stories.

And it's so obvious because
The whole Bible was stories.

It's a story, but it's full of stories
and, that's how he relates to us.

So I hope I answered that question.

And we have been charged
to tell our stories.

Yes.

Yes.

Which I think is important,
and as you were talking, I

thought, forget not as benefits.

It's an opportunity for me to look
at my story and say, Hey, these are

the ways God has worked in my life.

It was really powerful for me in that way.

Thank you for bringing that up.

MacBook Air Microphone-1: Because.

Three.

It sounds like a commandment to me.

I think I got some of it memorized.

Bless the Lord O my soul
and all of his within me.

Bless his holy name.

And bless the Lord O my soul
and forget not all his benefits.

Who forgives all your iniquities, who
heals all your diseases, who redeems your

life from destruction, who crowns you
with loving kindness and tender mercies.

Who satisfies your mouth with
good things so that your youth

is renewed, like the Eagles.

Now, I don't know what that means
about your youth being renewed,

like the Eagles, but I'll take it.

These are all.

Promises.

It's not all God's promises,
but it's someone, a three is.

It's telling us to.

Remember, forget, not all his
benefits and I need to remember them

in order to realize them in my life.

You know, it's easy to forget.

You know, Throughout scripture.

You know, God tells his people to build.

Monuments, you know, they'd power
stones on top of another one another.

And.

Kind of build what they
called a Nebuchadnezzar.

NIESR so that they could.

Remind themselves.

And when their children ask what's this
monument for, they can tell them the

story about what God had done for him.

They're like, Partying there.

The water so he could.

They could walk through and defeating
their enemies and all kinds of.

Things.

So it, they needed reminders.

They needed physical reminders and, um,

So he knows how it, you know, God
knows how easy it is for us to forget

even the most miraculous things.

And, you know, we just get into, we
get busy and we just get ungrateful

and self centered again, again.

And it happens throughout scripture.

You know, his people.

This kept from getting.

Kept forgetting.

And then they came back and
they kept forgetting, and it's

just amazing how us humans.

So.

Anyway, that's what makes it
telling our story so important

because we need to remind ourselves.

By telling others and telling
ourselves about the goodness of God.

You know, Romans.

Chapter two.

Paul says, it's the goodness of
God that leads to repentance.

So, you know, people aren't
drawn to a punishing God they're

don't to the goodness of God.

And then if they don't
hear about as goodness.

Through the Bible.

They need to hear it through.

You know, Uh, the real life.

Stories of the people that.

They already know are
listening to this podcast.

So anyway, when Jesus gave the
great commission to go into all

the world and preach the gospel.

You know, the gospel is good news.

The good news is that God has
for you not out to get you.

God has all these benefits, you
know, he forgives, he heals,

he redeemed from destruction.

You know, he did.

Thank God.

He res.

Redeemed me from self-destruction.

So.

Anyway, that's that's part of the gospel.

The good news that he, he just
loads us with benefits and we're, we

need to remind ourselves about him.

So, anyway, thank you for bringing.

That, uh, John.

Jesse: The most powerful way to
tell about him is to just use

our own personal experience.

What he's done in our lives,
because nobody can argue with that.

that's the truth.

That's what happened to me.

And that's.

Then I'll take it or leave it.

MacBook Air Microphone: I
actually was going to say that.

That's one of the most powerful things
about it is we can sit down and debate

theology and doctrine and all that stuff.

Nobody can debate your
story, And that's powerful.

It's an opportunity to not to listen
without that mental back and forth.

Just to get an opportunity to listen.

So that's really cool.

And of course I've known about Jesus's
command to go into all the world.

for years.

And.

I always felt guilty because I
didn't know how I couldn't fit.

it was not good.

I'm not a good talker.

And.

I know what I believe, but to
translate it from my head to my.

Hard.

And then out into a world
is extremely difficult.

When you're just coming from a
doctrinal perspective, we've all heard.

people.

Trying to.

Share their faith in a way.

That's just so off-putting.

but.

Stories.

Everybody can relate to a story, even
if they don't like the Jesus behind it.

Relate to.

A story and they'll remember it.

Yeah, but another thing about obedience.

when we are obedient to share our
faith, that really opens a door

and to the spiritual realm that we
can't get any other way, obedience

doing what God wants us to do.

From our heart and from their sincere.

Desire to please him.

Just opens the door to, so much.

piece.

And, a revelation of his presence.

And his life Yeah.

So yes.

do you help people prepare their stories?

MacBook Air Microphone-2: I do
have some written guidelines

on my website, Jesse duke.net.

That, discover structure.

For preparing to tell your story.

they're just suggestions to help
you think about it and organize it.

In a way that you want to tell it.

It's not a formula.

It's just a kind of a guide.

Based on my experience.

And it makes it really simple, but
basically I just want people to focus on.

Glorifying Jesus by tilling what their
lives were like before coming to him.

What.

Happened.

Bring them to Jesus and what
he's doing in their lives now.

Kind of.

Three-part process.

What it was like, what happened
and what it's like now.

And you don't even have
to use my guidelines.

It's a real.

Good idea to look at them and.

Get some direction, but
you can just listen to.

Some of the other episodes on
the podcast and get inspired and.

Get a sense of how other people.

Tell their story.

But.

Uh, you know, as well as I do, John did.

No matter how much we plan.

It never works out the way
we think it will because.

Holy spirit takes over and he
does what he wants because he

knows the future and he know.

It would need to hear whatever
you're saying and whatever

he's saying through you.

When you tell your story.

So, yeah, we just make a plan.

Get an outline and.

And then pray and let him take over.

We just had an example of
that a few minutes ago.

Didn't really, I had a whole
outline and a lot of notes.

Because I wanted to get
a lot of information.

Onto this first episode in a kind of a.

Concise way.

So people could understand.

What it was all about.

And I had it all in my head
and I had it all planned out,

but I couldn't make it happen.

It would just would not come out.

Right.

And thank you for saying we need to pray.

And you, you prayed for us and, uh, holy
spirit came and we're just doing it right.

So I'm just trusting that all
the information that we need

to pass along about Faith and
purpose podcast will come out and.

And if we miss something,
It'll all work out.

So anyway, the main thing is when you're
preparing to tell your story, Just

pray and ask holy spirit to take over.

You know, make some notes because that's.

Good stewardship.

And when we get ready to record, will.

Pray together.

And we're both.

For his help.

And see what he does.

As the way it's been worked in, I
can't explain it, I guess, do it.

there's a proper that says a
man's heart plans his way, but

the Lord directs his steps.

I think that's Proverbs 16,
nine, or somewhere around there.

So.

Uh, all I'm saying is that there's a
difference between just winging it.

And, Letting the holy spirit
take over when we're winging it

and just talking from our head.

It's all about us, you know, trying
to impress ourselves or somebody else.

But when he takes over
it's about glorifying God.

And that's true, not just telling
our story better than everyday life.

You know, when I try to
do things in my own power.

I usually have a self-centered motive, to
somehow glorify myself rather than him.

MacBook Air Microphone: I may ask some
questions during the interview to just

get you to expand on something or clarify.

Something, or I may make a
comment to just keep it on track.

and then, towards the end of your telling
your story I'll ask you, if you have

Maybe one bit of advice that you could
pass along to the listeners out there.

then I'll ask the.

Person who's telling their story
to just pray for the listeners.

And then we wrap it up like that.

So.

one thing I've learned in doing
these 23 episodes is that I used to

want to introduce people and tell
who they were and what they've done

in their lives and all this stuff.

But I found this.

really Diminishes.

the story, because it's already
setting a picture in the listener's

mind of what this person is and what
he's gonna say, or she's gonna say.

And now I just give the person's name
and welcome them and let them start

just telling their story because who
they are comes out and the story.

Yeah.

so that's I've found is just.

It's just a better way to do it.

And I don't.

Even putting a show notes on to describe
the person or what the podcast is about.

I like it to be a surprise.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

one thing I've noticed is, in
listening to a lot of the stories

is you've got new believers.

You've got people that have
believed all their life.

You've got people that believed
and turned away and came back.

It's just.

everybody has a story.

And no story is better than another.

And, I think that's really important.

for me, I was like, oh man,
I'm a fairly new believer and

like, why do I have the towel?

And then we sat down and it was amazing.

I just thought that was
important to mention.

yeah.

I'm glad you said that because a
lot of people have never had the

experience of telling their life story.

And it's so important, I think
it was Socrates or Plato.

One of them said that the
unexamined life is not worth living.

And, it's not.

A biblical quote.

Thing, but it's true.

Yeah.

When we take the time to sit down
and look at our lives and we'll

look at what's God's done in our
lives and Get our mistakes and sins

and failures and successes all into
perspective into God's perspective.

It really makes a.

huge impact.

So yes, there's a lot of people that
have maybe been Christians for 50 years.

And they'll want to tell you what
they know, and I don't really want

people to just come and give sermons
or teachings or lectures or whatever.

I don't really want.

authentic.

personal stories of how God
is working in their lives.

The theology will come into it naturally,
but we don't want to call it data.

We just want to be, let it be real life.

So then the other people who have.

Like you say, I have not been.

Born again for a long time.

they're new at it.

And yet.

Holy spirit works through a new
believer, just as much as he works

through to the old timer, so to speak.

Amen.

and I've found that to be true.

And as a matter of fact, the.

people that are newly born again or Really
more open to being led by the steroid and

telling their stories and the holy spirit,
I think has a whole lot of fun with that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So, when are you going to tell your story?

At some point.

I am going to get somebody
to interview him in out.

And I'll tell my story.

I can't ask other people
to do what I haven't done.

However, there is one caveat that
I tell people in the instructions

that I give is that if you're going
through a trial, At this time.

you may want to think about
waiting till you get the victory

before you tell your story.

And, so I'm going through a trial.

I'm going through a long
dark valley right now.

And, I've just waiting to
come out of the valley.

before I tell my story,
because when you're in Devalle.

It can distort.

Your story in a way that it comes out

Jesse: maybe sounding kind of.

Whiny.

You know, just not, I don't know.

The ballet just kind of distorts.

What's real.

when you're going through
tough stuff, God has.

Teaching you something.

that you can't learn in any other way.

So I wanted to just be able to grab that.

Growth and learn whatever he's
teaching me and the trial.

before I tell my story
so I can pass along.

Whatever I've learned.

To other people when,
uh, when I tell my story,

So I'm waiting for that.

And yet also there's this.

I am aware that when you're going
through a trial, And you're in pain.

It can be very, healing to tell how God is
faithful and he's getting you through it.

Like Paul Stone in the flesh,
his grace is sufficient.

that's a powerful thing too.

So I've been going back
and forth with that.

Should I talk about a story?

after I get my victory or I shouldn't
talk about it during the valley.

so God's working with me on that, but.

yeah, so anyway, at some
point I will, tell my story.

win.

He tells me it's time.

And whether I'm in the deep dark valley.

Or on the mountain top.

And I'm just going to trust him.

So thank you for asking.

MacBook Air Microphone: Yea
though, I walked through the

valley of the shadow of death.

He is with me.

Yeah.

MacBook Air Microphone-4: Um, but
you know, I don't want to discourage

anybody from sharing in the midst
of the trial because you know,

it can be very encouraging to.

Yourself and as well as the
people who hear it, To see how

God is faithful and president.

You know, he's with you in the trial.

So anyway,

That's the real personal decision.

So.

Everybody's got it.

Decide that for themselves.

Jesse: But for right now, I can say
that, um, As far as my story goes,

the most important thing in my life.

Decides Jesus is my family.

And I just wanted to say that The Lord
really blessed me with my beautiful wife.

Becky.

We've been married 40 years now.

It's hard to believe, but she's been.

Really a big.

Influence on my life because she's
such a Deeply spiritual person

who, God is really worked there
with her, not in, just in my life.

People's lives too.

I agree.

Just seem to come so natural for her,

I know that's not true because
she got struggles too, but that,

She was just such a blessing.

She's absolutely.

Gorgeous.

And, I'm just.

I'm just all Ben that God would put her.

In my life and to stick with me
for so long, because I certainly

in my flesh do not deserve.

That's just, there's
an example right there.

About the goodness of God.

MacBook Air Microphone: She is awesome.

she makes it look easy.

MacBook Air Microphone-6: And another
benefit that I got my Barry and Becky was.

I got a huge extended family.

And here did a whole
bunch of relatives and.

Of course her parents who were awesome.

And then brothers and sisters, aunts,
uncles, cousins, and all their.

Children.

It's such a, it's a really.

Wonderful family.

Most of them in South Carolina.

And I just love being with all of them.

They're just wonderful people.

When it's a great blessing to me.

And I still have a brother and sister on.

Um, my son and family still alive and
their spouses, and I've got nieces and

nephews and great nieces and nephews.

And I'm just blessed in that way.

I have a church family.

And an AA family and.

Friends all over the country.

So I'm just a blessed person.

MacBook Air Microphone-14: But
my most wonderful blessing.

Has been my daughter.

I won't mention her name, but.

she's a young adult she's out on her own.

Very independent.

Very intelligent.

Very beautiful.

Everybody just loves her.

MacBook Air Microphone: God
sent her into our lives.

We adopted her.

in 1995.

She was six and a half months old.

And.

when we started praying
for a baby, we ask God for.

the perfect child for us, We completely
turned it over to him, say, or we don't

know, we don't know how to do this.

You bring us the child that you want us
to have, where we can be a blessing to.

Her or him and.

and you can work.

Through us to raise them So we're
just turning it all over to you.

So we, anyway, we ended up going to China.

And getting our daughter.

Oh, I wouldn't go back and say that.

We.

I have to tell this story.

Okay.

We had.

Been praying.

Four.

a child.

And we started praying for that
child before it was even born.

We didn't know where it
was even in the world.

We didn't know if it would be born yet.

I say it because we didn't
know if there's a hero.

She, at the time.

When we found out it was going
to be a little girl from China.

Becky ordered this, Asian doll.

That she had heard about it.

She'd seen it in a magazine.

So this will be great.

We'll have a Chinese baby.

She'll have an Asian looking dog.

something that looks like her.

So we got This doll in the mail and Becky.

Put it in the crib.

he had the room all set up in
anticipation of this child.

So

When it was time to go to China, we
went over there and we'd spent two

weeks and we brought her back home, man.

I was in love.

I was totally head over heels.

Totally obsessed.

We're being the best dad that I
could be in this sort of this child.

I was turbo dad.

I went out and bought the pink.

Cigars.

It's a girl.

And I would carry her everywhere.

I took her to the store with me.

I took her to work with me.

I took her, I just, this was my baby.

And I was just totally in love.

one day I was playing with her on the
floor and that little dog was there too.

And I looked at.

Our daughter, but she had a little
freckle on the side of her neck.

And.

Such beautiful skin clear, beautiful scan.

But that was the only freckle on her
body right there on the side of her neck.

And just.

Noticed, and then I looked over
at this doll and it's same.

Frankel.

Exact same spot.

I'll show it to you.

Yeah.

and Chills went up and down my body.

wow.

What is this?

and tears started coming to
my eyes because I realized.

God knew.

You had a plan.

it took me back to Psalm 1 39, He knew her
before he formed her in her mother's womb.

He knew every day for life before
it was written, I can't quote

it directly right now, but.

he just formed new this child
before she was even born.

That we were going to be
her parents that somehow.

She was going to be our daughter that
somehow he was going to orchestrate

this whole thing it was such a powerful.

It was such a powerful experience for me.

And so from that day on.

I was going to make sure this child.

Grew up there.

Just know the Lord.

And have everything, but, you know,
life, life goes on and, we, raised.

Our daughter and it was, I was just such.

So.

into being the best dad ever.

And I was doing this.

Not just for our daughter, but doing it.

For God and with God and through God.

And it was an acquired an experience.

Being a dad, but I tell you the one thing
that I learned most from being a dad.

Is that.

I had never really understood
what it meant that God loves you.

That God is a father.

Jesus is the one that brought.

The fatherhood of God into
the world, before that.

people were sacrificing their
children to all kinds of different.

Idols And.

concepts of God, but
Jesus brought the whole.

Reality of God being
a father to the world.

And, He said that if you've
seen me, you've seen the father.

And.

having the experience of being
a father and being so totally.

And love.

And wanting nothing more than to
provide for and protect his child.

And it's really taught me just
what God, how God sees us.

Yeah.

Where does children.

We're adopted into this family and.

He wants to provide everything

We need, even when we
don't know we needed.

And I was like this with my daughter.

I wanted to give her everything.

I may have gone overboard when that bug.

he wants to protect us from it.

He wants to be there for us.

And that was like that.

I was out there protecting my
daughter from all kinds of things

she doesn't even know about.

I went, I found out who the bullies were.

And I want to have parents I'm serious.

And, Ruined some relationships.

In the process, but I was going to
protect this child no matter what.

And, just everything.

I did everything I could do for her.

Out of this deep.

Sense of love and.

That God had given me.

And so I learned that's the way God is.

We just don't know.

How many things that
he's protected us from?

Yes.

He's healed us from he's shielded us from.

He takes us through it when we're
going through, when he can't shield us

from something or doesn't want to it's
because he has a purpose behind it.

And so like in my, and my daughter's
case that I there's, of course there's

things that I can't shield her from.

I couldn't children from, she had to hurt.

And that's the way God,
you know, but he's with us.

Yeah.

And I'm always available for
my daughter, no matter what.

And even when she does things
that I don't think are right.

Or it doesn't do things my way.

What I think is God's way,
I still it's still there.

I did nothing that she does
or says or things around.

Anything can.

Cause me to not.

Love her.

And of course I have, I've had to
discipline and various ways over

the years, but God does it too.

Yes.

he corrects the child that he loves.

We correct the child that we love.

Yeah, sure.

So that's all part of
being in relationship.

And God created this whole.

Universe.

For himself so that he could have these
children so that we could be adopted

into his family so that he could.

Express his love because he is low.

Jesse: And the hardest part about
being a human father is that.

We don't have the power.

To protect our child from everything.

We want so much to.

Protect them and keep them
from making mistakes So.

it's painful, but you know, God can't.

Well, he could, but he doesn't protect
us from everything and he doesn't

Keep us from making mistakes, but
The plan is of course, that we should

learn and grow from our mistakes.

So we got to trust that.

he doesn't have any grandchildren
and he's going to help.

Or children.

Grow through their mistakes.

So.

Anyway, he's.

Dell, very mercifully
with me during my life.

And I'm sure He'll do the same for.

Our children.

by the way, I just gave
everybody permission to cry.

When you come on the podcast.

So there you go.

MacBook Air Microphone: How can
people get in touch with you if

they wanted to be on the podcast or
if they just need to talk to you?

I do have a personal, what I call my
ministry website is Jesse duke.net.

And, anybody can email
me there and then I can.

give them my phone number and we can talk.

And that's the way I hear.

Here's the thing my website
is, life recovery guide.

Dot net.

And it's also Jesse duke.net.

what happened was that.

You mind if I take a few minutes?

I actually was going to
ask about your ministry.

That was the next question
I was going to ask.

So that's perfect.

All right.

so there's a long answer to this.

I got sober.

In AA in 1980.

And that started my, it wasn't a
start, but it was my jumpstart.

for my spiritual journey
and, Over the years.

Of course, God has grown me
in a lot of different ways.

And I've learned a lot.

So it's been 44 years.

That I've been continuously sober in
the program and sponsoring people and

being sponsored and, just doing the
deal, everything that goes with that.

I guess about 25 years ago, I really
wanted to get more focused on my

Christian faith and get away from, this
God, as you understand and concept of.

Of AA.

Not that there's anything wrong
with it, but it's just not enough.

only Jesus is enough.

And, I found this ministry.

called life recovery.

And there's another ministry out there.

It's called new life.

And life recovery.

It was started by these,
Minister's within new life.

So to make a long story, short
life recovery is a program like a.

But it's Christian based.

It's Bible based.

and there are groups all over the
country, not nearly as many as

AA, they're few and far between.

If you compare it to AA.

So I want to learn more about it.

I was in school to get my
biblical counseling degree.

And One of the courses that
I had to take was on life.

Where he covered.

So I ended up becoming certified as a.

Life recovery coach

I call myself a guide because
coach just doesn't sound right.

I got people.

who are in recovery or need recovery or
interested in recovery from all kinds of

things, not just drugs and alcohol, but.

You know, gambling, overeating
pornographies sex addictions.

people get addicted to
all kinds of things and.

So life recovery is not just
about, Drug and alcohol, Buddhist.

It's about all kinds of the, all the
idols that we can put up in our lives.

And helping people to
recover From those things.

so anyway, I decided to
become a life recovery guide

And then I got my master's
in biblical counseling.

And, the Lord has really
led me along those ways.

And I kept thinking now, what
am I going to do with this?

Because I was thinking I might become
like a lay counselor at a church.

And, All of this, Unpaid.

just volunteer ministry, so.

that's what the Lord led me to do.

Now I make my living doing other things
like physical work, like painting and

carpentry and fixing this and fixing
that I do all kinds of physical.

Labor cause I really enjoy that.

But my ministry is in helping other
people recover from various things.

it's mainly just listening to people
because that's what they need the most.

And I don't really give it bias.

I just.

I guess I do in a way, I would
just say, do you want to know

what gun it says about that?

And I'll try to help them find out what
God's word says about their situation.

And.

And, Go from there, but.

I just make myself available to anybody.

Wants to talk.

And My bottom line is that
God's word is our authority.

And when you know that.

God has the final word.

And what he says is
your answer that makes.

counseling.

Oh a lot easier because you,
when you really know that.

there's no, second guessing this
is what God says, and this is

how it applies in this situation.

And the ego thumps up really
hard against that kind of thing.

So.

what what was I talking
to Johnny about ministry?

Yeah.

Ministry.

Yeah.

Jesse: So I just make
myself available to listen.

You know it, and it's
super sacred to me that.

When I listened to anybody it's
in total confidence, complete

privacy, lack of fifth stiff.

You know, your business
is between you and God.

Now I might ask if you want to, if you
want feedback from me and if you do,

I might make a suggestion as to what.

You can do to make something right.

So you can have peace.

But whether you do it or
not is between you and God.

So.

Listening as a whole ministry in itself.

MacBook Air Microphone-20:
So anyway, I do.

Really need to explain The
podcast really doesn't have

anything to do with life recovery.

Yes.

There are some guests on it that
are in recovery from various issues.

And yes, all Christians are in
recovery from their flesh, but

the podcast is for believers.

You don't have to be in
recovery from something.

MacBook Air Microphone-21:
In order to tell your story.

MacBook Air Microphone-20: So if
you go to my website, don't get

the idea that the podcast is about.

Overcoming addictions..

MacBook Air Microphone: I linked it
to my ministry website because I'm

not ready to build a new website.

so I just kinda thought
I'd blend them together.

And if that, at some point in
the future, if I need a podcast

website I'll, I'll do that.

There you go.

How do people get in touch with me?

Jesse?

Do duck.

Net.

And I'll put that in the show
notes at the end of every.

Podcast episode gets to
remind people Anyway.

Yeah.

With being your favorite
part of doing this podcast?

Oh, definitely meeting.

People in here in their storage.

I just fall in love with everybody.

It tells me their story because
you just can't, you just can't hear

somebody's deepest experiences in life.

and not love them.

Yeah.

And and because God shows up
when God is love and he's that

thing in the, in between us,
when I'm hearing your story on.

I'm feeling God.

So that's what I like.

11.

Yeah.

And I love it.

Yeah.

I, when you were talking about,
the ministry, I thought what a

benefit it is to know that not only
that God's word is the authority.

But God wants what's best for us.

Like it's one thing to
know it's the authority.

But if, when I truly understood that
God wanted what was best for me.

His word look completely different.

Yeah, no, it wasn't a bunch, a.

No's and don'ts.

Parameters on my life to
keep me from having fun.

It was the things he was telling
me, they were for my highest good.

And that was, it was
really important for me.

yeah, people, don't really,
a lot of people who have just

brought up in our culture.

I think that God is rules and
regulations in church and in

the law and stuff like that.

I just don't really.

Understand grace.

Or freedom, freedom.

Yes.

The real freedom and freedom
comes from conforming.

God wants because he wants
to match that's right.

That's right.

All right.

Anything else you want to add
before we pray for the listeners?

Yeah.

Just one more time about anybody who's
listening to you, as you listened to

other people's stories on the podcast.

Be thinking about your story and
how you would tell your story about

what God has done for you and how
Jesus is working in your life.

think about your story.

What, no matter how long it
takes and get in touch with me.

And if you need some
direction, I can give you that.

But, otherwise just, Come on in.

Tell your story and, You can
always have a do over just do it.

Just do.

So come on and tell your
story and glorify the Lord.

Amen.

Thank you, John.

Yes, I will.

You got anything else?

No, I just, I thank you for this
opportunity as it's so good to

sit down and just get to know
you better hear your story.

I love doing the side.

I loved doing the podcast.

When I listened to it
after you had posted it.

It was just funny how, there was
so much in there that I didn't

even remember, And there were
parts of that were very healing.

I listened to it with my wife and
it was just an amazing experience.

it was truly an amazing experience for me.

But for her as well.

We sat down and listened to it together.

And, just, I highly encourage anyone.

To jump in, if you haven't
listened to mine, I am.

A new believer basically,
I'm 50 years old.

about two years into.

my faith, but it's been the most
amazing two years of my life.

And I'm so grateful.

They you're creating this
opportunity for people to share.

it's really, just such a, an uplifting
and edifying use of technology.

And, I think that.

I know for me.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't
sit down and write a 10 page.

testimony.

But to sit down and just talk.

it's, Just, I think it's the,
way that the holy spirit is

using this technology for good.

Yes.

And I'm grateful for that.

All right.

would you like to pray for the
listeners before we sign off?

Yeah.

Holy spirit, you are.

So good.

You're so present with us and.

Lord, I just ask that you would
touch each and every person who's.

Listen to this, not just this episode,
but any episode on the podcast that

you would just touch their hearts and
grow them in a way that, that, is best.

And Laura, we just know that you always
show up and your word never returns void.

You're always.

For us, you're always.

father.

You're always caring.

You're always loving and you
want each and every person.

Who's out there listening to.

To just come to you and to
know who you really are.

To just live in truth.

And so when we do just ask that you
would touch each and every person.

And, Bring them to yourself.

And we praise you for this
opportunity in Jesus name.

Amen.

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.