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>> WELCOME BACK, AND PLEASE
WELCOME MY GUEST,
DEBBIE JAMES.
>> HEY, MICHAEL!
>> HI DEBBIE.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> PLEASE, PLEASE.
>> OKAY.
>> TELL ME, WHAT'S --WHAT'S
BEEN GOING ON?
TELL ME ABOUT DEBBIE JAMES.
>> WELL, THERE'S A LITTLE --
A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING
ON, BUT LET ME JUST KIND OF
START CHRONOLOGICALLY AT THE
BACK, UM, MY TESTIMONY AND
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OUR
REDEEMING SAVIOR HAS BROUGHT
ME THROUGH.
UM, I WAS BORN WITH SPINAL
MENINGITIS AND RHEUMATIC
FEVER.
>> MM.
>> I WAS ADOPTED AT THE AGE
OF THREE MONTHS.
I WAS ADOPTED AND PUT INTO A
FAMILY THAT I WAS WITH FOR
ABOUT 16 YEARS AND THEN TAKEN
AWAY FROM MY FAMILY FOR CHILD
ABUSE.
MY FATHER WAS AN ALCOHOLIC.
MY MOTHER WENT THROUGH FOUR
KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS, AND, OUT
OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE,
I TOOK HER OFF OF LIFE
SUPPORT IN 1992.
AND FROM THAT, THE LORD
BROUGHT ME THROUGH.
I WAS EMANCIPATED AT THE AGE
OF 16 YEARS OLD, LIVING OUT
ON MY OWN.
AND HE JUST BROUGHT ME
THROUGH SO MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS.
AND NOW, BEING REUNITED BACK
WITH MY BIRTH PARENTS AFTER A
12-YEAR SEARCH.
>> REALLY?
WHOA!
>> AND, UM, THROUGHOUT THAT
WHOLE JOURNEY, YOU KNOW, THE
LORD HAS ALWAYS -- YOU NEVER
QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S
DOING --
>> MM-HMM.
>> -- BUT HE'S TAKING US AND
MANEUVERING US BECAUSE, OF
COURSE, HE'S BUILDING OUR
CHARACTER.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND HE'S TAKING US THROUGH
CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE HE'S
GROWING US AND GROWING US IN
HIS LIKELINESS, AND WHATNOT,
BUT, WHEN YOU'RE GOING
THROUGH THOSE THINGS, YOU'RE
JUST LIKE, "MAN, CAN GIVE ME
MUCH MORE?
MY SHOULDERS ARE GETTING A
LITTLE HEAVY."
>> YEAH.
>> AND YOU DON'T QUITE
UNDERSTAND UNTIL IT'S --
UNTIL YOU'RE THROUGH IT.
BUT, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS
THAT'S COME OUT OF ALL THIS,
AND, UH, I WAS A COMPETITIVE
ATHLETE OUT OF COLORADO.
BORN AND RAISED IN COLORADO.
AND I WAS A COMPETITIVE SKIER
ON THE JUNIOR OLYMPICS SKI
TEAM AND ALSO A COMPETITIVE
ROLLER SKATER, AND SPENT
MANY, MANY HOURS IN THE GYMS
WITH MANY TRAINERS.
I WAS UP AT 3 O'CLOCK
EVERYDAY TRAINING AT THE
ROLLER SKATING RINK FROM FOUR
TO SEVEN, AND WENT TO SCHOOL,
AND -- 'TILL 2 O'CLOCK.
GOT OFF AT 2 O'CLOCK AND THEN
TRAINED FROM THREE TO SEVEN
AT NIGHT.
>> HMM!
>> AND I WAS EXHAUSTED LIKE
ALL THESE TRAINERS AND ALL
THESE DIFFERENT METHODS.
THE BEST WORKOUT I EVER GOT
WAS WHEN I WOULD GET ON THE
TREADMILL AND I'D PUT ON
PRAISE AND WORSHIP MUSIC.
AND I WAS JUST LIKE
ENERGIZED!
AND I FOUND THAT THERE WAS
LIKE THIS INCREDIBLE TOTAL
CONNECTIVE EXPERIENCE.
>> HMM.
>> SO, THUS CAME A PRODUCT
THAT KIND OF, AS BIRTH -- IT
WAS BIRTHED THROUGH A DIVINE
INTERVENTION, AND WHAT IT IS,
IT'S CALLED "CONNECTION."
AND I'M SO PROUD OF IT.
WHAT IT IS --
>> AND THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE?
>> THIS IS IT.
IT'S A CHRISTIAN --
>> IT'S A VIDEO.
>> IT'S A VIDEO.
IT'S A CHRISTIAN WORKOUT
VIDEO.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT PEOPLE
JUST PUTTING ON THEIR SWEATS
AND GETTING UP THEIR
HEARTBEAT TO BEATS PER
MINUTE, AND THEN HAVING A
WARM-UP AND A WARM-DOWN, IT'S
A TOTAL CONNECTIVE
EXPERIENCE.
AND WHAT YOU DO IS WE START
WITH PRAYER, WE END WITH
PRAYER.
THE MOVEMENTS HAVE ACTUALLY
BEEN DESIGNED BY A SPORTS
KINESIOLOGIST.
AND, WHAT WE DO IS WE
ACTUALLY LIKE, IN THE SONG
CALLED "SHINE," WHICH I'LL BE
SINGING FOR YOU, UM, IT'S
REALLY COOL BECAUSE WE DO
THINGS LIKE PRAISE LUNGES IN
A SONG CALLED "THE ARMOR OF
GOD."
WE DO THINGS CALLED, "SWORDS
AND SHIELDS," AND A SONG
CALLED "LIVING SACRIFICE."
WE'RE LITERALLY BOWING AND
OFFERING OURSELVES TO THE
LORD.
SO, THE EXPERIENCE IS MORE
THAN JUST WORKING OUT.
IT'S ABOUT HAVING A TOTAL
CONNECTIVE EXPERIENCE WITH
THE LORD AND TAKING TIME -- I
MEAN, WE'RE LIKE SUPERWOMEN
THESE DAYS, YOU KNOW?
>> MM-HMM.
>> WE'RE TRYING TO -- WE'RE
TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING ALL
AT ONCE.
SO, I DESIGNED A PRODUCT FOR
THE WOMEN OUT THERE THAT ARE
KIND OF CHALLENGED.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THE
KIDS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING
TO HOLD DOWN A JOB, YOU'RE
TRYING TO WORKOUT, YOU'RE
TRYING TO KEEP AND OBSERVE
AND OBEDIENCE OF YOUR TEMPLE,
AND YET, IN THE SAME LIGHT,
WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR YOU TO
HAVE YOUR MORNING PRAYER,
WORKOUT WITH THE LORD, GET
PHYSICALLY IN SHAPE, AND YOU
FEEL GREAT!
>> AND, UM, WHILE YOU'RE
WORKING OUT, THIS IS GOING
ON?
>> THIS IS GOING ON.
>> WHAT KIND OF -- I MEAN, IS
THIS, UH --
>> AND WHAT IT IS, IT'S --
>> IT'S MUSIC?
>> -- IT'S MUSIC.
AND WHAT IT IS, WE LITERALLY
TOOK SCRIPTURE.
SO, "IN THE ARMOR OF GOD," IN
EPHESIANS OR PHILIPPIANS
4:13, "I CAN DO ALL THINGS
THROUGH CHRIST."
WE TOOK THAT AND THEN WE
DESIGNED THE MOVEMENTS IN
REPETITIVE PHRASES.
SO, IN THE SONG I SING
"SHINE," I KIND OF HEAR IT IN
LIKE REPETITIVE PHRASES,
'CAUSE THE MOVEMENTS HAVE
BEEN DEVELOPED TO EMBODY
THAT, THE ACTUAL PHRASES.
SO, YOU'RE LITERALLY KIND OF
LEARNING KIND OF LIKE A MINI-
ROUTINE IN A SENSE, AND THEN
YOU'RE REPEATING IT OVER AND
OVER.
AND IT'S SO NON-INTIMIDATING.
IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS
LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE
PRODUCTS OUT THERE THEY'RE SO
HARD AND YOU'RE GONNA LIKE
OVER-EXTEND YOURSELF OR
STRAIN YOURSELF.
IT'S CALLED A LOW-IMPACT
WORKOUT.
IT'S A SLOW-BUILDING
LOW-IMPACT, OVER 45 MINUTES.
AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE OUT
THERE: IF YOU'RE JUST
STARTING OUT, FIRST OF ALL,
CONSULT A DOCTOR --
>> RIGHT.
>> -- 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT
TO JUST START WORKING OUT,
YOU KNOW, AND HURT YOURSELF
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND SOME PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
IT'S DESIGNED FOR WOMEN OVER
35.
SO, A LOT OF TIMES, IT'S BEEN
YEARS SINCE THEY'VE LIKE BEEN
ABLE TO WALK OR KEEP UP THEIR
BODY.
AND START WITH, YOU KNOW,
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR.
AND WE HAVE A 10-MINUTE BONUS
WORKOUT AT THE END OF THE
TAPE.
>> OH, GREAT.
>> SO YOU CAN START WITH THE
10 MINUTES AND KIND OF LIKE
WORK YOUR WAY UP TO IT.
>> RIGHT.
YEAH.
>> AND DO THAT.
>> THAT IS -- THAT IS SO COOL
'CAUSE, UM, I HAVE HAD THIS
IDEA -- IT'S PROBABLY BEEN
AROUND FOR YEARS, I DON'T
KNOW, BUT JUST THINGS COME TO
ME SOMETIMES WHEN I GET
TOGETHER AT HOME AND PRAY.
AND THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON
OUT IN THE WORLD.
YOU KNOW, CARS ARE PASSING,
DOGS ARE BARKING, HORNS ARE
HONKING, AND THINGS LIKE
THAT, WHILE YOU'RE PRAYING
THAT DISTRACTS YOU.
AND I'M GETTING READY TO DO,
NOT A PRAISE AND WORSHIP, BUT
A PRAYER AND WORSHIP CD,
DESIGNED JUST FOR THAT TIME,
THAT PRAYER CLOSET TIME.
>> YEAH!
>> YOU KNOW?
THAT CAN GET YOU IN THE ZONE
OF THAT KIND OF THING, WHICH
IS --
>> KIND OF THE SAME KIND --
>> -- KIND OF THE SAME --
>> -- IT'S ABOUT MIND, BODY
AND SOUL, AND YOUR MIND AND
SOUL IN A SENSE, BUT YOU'RE
ALSO RELINQUISHING YOUR BODY
TOO.
>> MM-HMM.
>> AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
HE ASKS US TO GO INTO THE
PRAYER CLOSET AND SURRENDER
AND RELINQUISH OURSELVES.
I WISH YOU LUCK WITH THAT.
>> RIGHT.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY COOL
CONCEPT.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT'S GREAT.
YOU KNOW IT AMAZES ME JUST
LOOKING AT YOU, AND I HAVE
FRIENDS, AND LOOKING AT
PEOPLE, YOU DON'T REALIZE
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE GONE
THROUGH.
>> EVERYBODY'S GOT A STORY,
DON'T THEY?
>> WHEW!
MAN!
>> AND IT'S AMAZING.
>> I MEAN, WHEN I SAW YOU
WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, YOU
KNOW, I MEAN, A BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL LADY, BUT -- AND --
BUT YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT
-- WHAT ALL HAS HAPPENED IN
THE PAST OR, UM, OF COURSE,
MY LIFE IS SO PUBLIC, YOU
KNOW?
[ CHUCKLES ]
EVERYBODY PRETTY MUCH KNOWS.
BUT I HAVE A FRIEND OF MINE
WHO'S BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH,
AND IT'S JUST -- HE JUST
RECEIVED CHRIST.
BUT, IT'S AMAZING WHAT GOD
CAN DO TO -- WE DON'T FORGET
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED AND
WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, UM,
BECAUSE WE NEED THAT.
>> FORGIVE.
WE CAN FORGIVE OF THE THINGS
-- OF THE PEOPLE WHO VIOLATE
US OR OFFEND US.
>> AND USE IT.
>> AND USE IT.
'CAUSE THE LORD SAYS, "70
TIMES 70."
AND, LET ME TELL YOU, ISN'T
THAT HARD SOME TIMES?
>> OH!
>> 70 TIMES 70 TO FORGIVE
SOMEBODY THAT YOU JUST, YOU
KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO
FORGIVE?
>> YEAH.
>> AND IT'S LIKE, "WOW,
THAT'S HARD!"
BUT, HE ASKS US TO FORGIVE.
>> YES.
>> IT'S AMAZING HOW HE JUST
DEALS WITH US ON CERTAIN
THINGS LIKE THAT, AND REMINDS
US THAT, IF I CAN SEND MY SON
TO DO THAT FOR YOU, THEN WHY
CAN'T WE DO IT FOR EACH
OTHER?
>> RIGHT.
>> BUT THE LORD HAS REALLY,
REALLY BROUGHT ME THROUGH A
LOT.
AND SOMETIMES I VENTURE TO
SAY, "GOSH, WHAT'S AROUND THE
CORNER, IF I'VE ALREADY BEEN
THROUGH THAT MUCH?"
YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE CAN I
POSSIBLY TAKE ON?
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE JUST HAVE TO KNOW AND GET
UP EVERYDAY, I GUESS, WITH
THE EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE --
WE HAVE TO TRUST.
WE HAVE TO TRUST THAT GOD IS
JUST HANDLING IT ALL.
>> TRUST IS SO HARD.
>> OH, MAN, ISN'T IT?!
THAT FAITH THING?!
[ LAUGHS ]
>> YEAH.
>> SOME DAYS YOU JUST WAKE UP
WITH LIKE OODLES OF IT OVER,
YOU KNOW, JUST BEAMING, AND
THEN OTHER DAYS, YOU'RE JUST
LIKE, "CAN SOMEBODY JUST GIVE
ME A FAITH PUMP?"
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> RIGHT.
>> "AND JUST GIVE ME LIKE A
FAITH SHOT AND FEED THEM TO
ME INTRAVENOUSLY, LIKE RIGHT
NOW?!"
[ LAUGHTER ]
YOU COULD HAVE LIKE THE
LITTLE THING IN THE HOSPITAL
THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST KIND
OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, FAITH ON
DEMAND!
[ LAUGHS ]
>> I NEED MORE TODAY.
>> I NEED MORE TODAY RIGHT
NOW.
>> YEAH.
BUT I WAS IN A SITUATION ONE
TIME WHERE PEOPLE WERE TRYING
TO GET ME TO TRUST BECAUSE
I'VE HAD A HARD TIME TRUSTING
PEOPLE, THE THINGS THAT I'D
BEEN THROUGH.
AND THERE WAS THESE -- THERE
WAS LIKE 10 GUYS THAT WERE --
I WAS UP ON THIS BIG TALL
THING.
IT WAS ABOUT -- ABOUT THE
HEIGHT OF EVERYONE.
AND THERE WAS 10 GUYS DOWN
THERE WITH THEIR ARMS
STAGGERED LIKE A ZIPPER ON
EACH SIDE.
>> ...PHYSICALLY HAVE TO
TRUST PEOPLE.
>> AND THEY -- I WAS STANDING
BACKWARDS, AND I HAD TO FALL
INTO THEIR ARMS.
>> OOH.
YEAH.
>> NOW, TALKING ABOUT TRUST--
>> WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE USED TO DO THAT
IN ACTING CLASS WHERE YOU HAD
TO GET -- YOU GET IN THE
CENTER OF A CIRCLE --
>> YEAH.
>> -- AND YOU WOULD CLOSE
YOUR EYES.
AND THEY'D SPIN YOU AROUND,
AND YOU LITERALLY HAD TO JUST
WALK.
AND PEOPLE WOULD LITERALLY,
LIKE YOU WOULD FALL FREEFALL,
AND THAT WAS -- IF WE COULD
JUST IMAGINE OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER'S HANDS IN THE SAME
WAY, THAT WHEN WE FALL HOW HE
CATCHES US, YOU KNOW?
AND ALL HE REALLY WANTS US TO
DO IS JUST LIKE CRAWL UP IN
HIS LAP AND SAY, YOU KNOW,
"FATHER GOD, JUST, JUST CARRY
ME TODAY.
GIVE ME SOME WINGS TO FALL
ON.
>> HOLD ME UNTIL I'M STRONG
ENOUGH.
>> HOLD ME.
HOLD ME UNTIL I'M STRONG
ENOUGH --
>> YEAH.
>> -- AND CAN REBUILD MYSELF.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU KNOW?
>> IT'S HARD TO DO.
>> BUT THAT'S SUCH A -- IT'S
SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE --
>> YEAH.
>> -- OF LEARNING HOW TO HAVE
FAITH AND DOING A PHYSICAL
WAY OF FAITH AND JUST --
>> YEAH, BECAUSE WE CAN SEE
THOSE PEOPLE.
>> YEAH.
>> IT'S HARD ENOUGH WHEN WE
SEE THOSE GUYS DOWN THERE AND
TO FALL INTO THEIR ARMS, BUT
TO SAY, "OKAY, GOD.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE THERE.
WE CAN'T SEE YOU, BUT I'M
GONNA FALL -- I'M GONNA FALL
IN YOUR ARMS TODAY."
THAT IS SO HARD FOR ME TO DO,
AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO
EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T
UNDERSTAND.
>> RIGHT.
>> I'M HAVING TO DEAL WITH A
LOT OF THINGS TODAY WITH
TALKING TO GUYS WHO HAVE
NEVER GROWN UP AROUND
CHRISTIANITY AND DON'T KNOW
ABOUT IT, WHICH I THINK THOSE
GUYS WHO FIND JESUS LATER ON
IN LIFE -- 30, OR WHATEVER,
SOMETIMES MAKE THE BETTER --
>> THOSE OLD PEOPLE, HUH?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> -- SOMETIMES, YEAH.
SOMETIMES MAKE THE BETTER
CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THEY
HAVEN'T BEEN DISTORTED WITH
ALL THE STUFF.
>> ISN'T IT TRUE, THE
BAGGAGE?
>> YES.
>> YOU KNOW, THAT WHEN YOU
GROW UP WITH ALL THAT -- ALL
OF THE SCARE TACTICS OF A
PARTICULAR RELIGION OR
RITUALS OR WHATNOT, AND YOU
HAVE TO BREAK YOURSELF OF
THAT BONDAGE OF ALL THOSE
RITUALS?
>> RIGHT.
>> IT'S TRUE.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST WISH YOU
WERE KIND OF A LIKE A
RELIGIOUS ***, YOU KNOW?
IF YOU COULD CALL IT THAT.
>> EXACTLY.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S TRUE.
>> WELL, IT'S TOUGH BUT, YOU
KNOW, WE -- AND THAT'S SOME
OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT THAT
I HAD THE KNOWLEDGE, UNTIL I
GET AROUND SOMEONE WHO
DOESN'T HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE ASKING
ME QUESTIONS AND SAYING, "WHY
AM I NOT FEELING ANYTHING?
WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
I NEED TO ASK YOU THAT."
AND THEN I CATCH MYSELF IN A
PLACE OF GOING, "WELL..."
[ DEBBIE LAUGHS ]
"I JUST -- I DON'T KNOW, BUT
I JUST KNOW."
>> LET ME CALL MY PASTOR ON
THAT ONE, YEAH.
>> YEAH.
[ LAUGHS ]
>> YEAH.
>> ISN'T IT CHALLENGING?
I HAD A FRIEND LAST NIGHT.
WE HAD A PRAYER GROUP LAST
NIGHT, AND IT WAS LITERALLY
ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT
YOU GET ASKED IT'S LIKE, "WHY
DO BABIES DIE?"
YOU KNOW, "WHY DO GOOD PEOPLE
-- BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD
PEOPLE?"
>> MM-HMM.
>> AND YOU SEARCH YOUR HEART
SO DEEPLY TO FIND THE RIGHT
ANSWERS WHEN THOSE TIMES
HAPPEN TO PEOPLE.
I JUST LOST MY GRANDFATHER
OVER THE WEEKEND, AND A
FRIEND OF MINE, HER
GRANDFATHER WAS JUST
DIAGNOSED WITH ESOPHAGUS
CANCER.
AND WE WERE JUST KIND OF
SHARING OUR THINGS, AND WE'RE
JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO
YOU, IN AN EARTHLY WAY, IN A
HUMANLY WAY, TANGIBLE WAY,