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♪ ♪ [V.O. BY MARC TRIMM]
COMING UP ON BY THE BOOK,
JOIN HOST DOROTHY SPAULDING
AND TODAY'S LEADING AUTHORS
WITH IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, STORIES AND DISCUSSIONS
OFFERING UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO THE AUTHORS,
THEIR INFLUENCES AND THEIR LATEST WORKS.
TUNE IN TODAY AS DOROTHY WELCOMES
VICTORIA SHIREY.
BE SURE TO WATCH BY THE BOOK.
(DOROTHY) WELCOME TO BY THE BOOK.
I'M YOUR HOST, DOROTHY SPAULDING
AND TODAY I HAVE A FRIEND WHO'S A MUSICIAN.
I NEVER KNEW SHE WAS AN AUTHOR!
AND SHE'S WRITTEN A BOOK CALLED,
"FAITH IN THE MIDST OF THE STORMS,
AND IT'S VICTORIA SHIREY.
AND YOU SING WITH YOUR FAMILY ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY, DON'T YOU?
(VICTORIA) I DO, I DO.
(DOROTHY) THE SHIREYS. (VICTORIA) YES.
(DOROTHY) AND YOU DECIDED TO WRITE A BOOK?
(VICTORIA) I DID.
GOD IMPRESSED ON ME TO WRITE DOWN EVERY MIRACLE
AND TESTIMONY THAT HE'S EVER GIVEN ME AND THAT
HE'S EVER DONE FOR ME; AND IT WINDED UP BEING A BOOK,
RATHER THAN JUST A TESTIMONIAL!
(DOROTHY) ISN'T THAT GOOD?
(VICTORIA) OH, YEAH!
(DOROTHY) WELL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE
MIRACLES BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO
REALLY NEED ONE NOW AND THEY SAY,
"WELL, IF IT CAN HAPPEN FOR HER..."
HOWEVER, SHE IS AWFULLY BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T SHE?
(VICTORIA) WELL, THANK YOU!
(DOROTHY) NO, THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
GOD DID THAT FOR YOU, DIDN'T HE?
(VICTORIA) YES.
(DOROTHY) TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THE MIRACLES.
(VICTORIA) WELL, ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT I TELL
ABOUT EVERY WEEKEND WHEN WE GO AND TRAVEL;
I WENT THROUGH A DEPRESSION TWO YEARS AGO
FOR THREE MONTHS, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST
THINGS THAT I'VE EVER HAD TO FACE.
(DOROTHY) WHY? WHAT CAUSED IT?
(VICTORIA) WELL, IT EXPLAINS IN THE BOOK THAT
I WENT THROUGH A RELATIONSHIP.
AND IN THIS RELATIONSHIP, I FELT I HAD PRAYED ABOUT
THIS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND I FELT LIKE THAT
I GOT WHAT GOD WANTED FOR ME.
AND WE WERE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP FOR
ALMOST A YEAR; AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR,
GOD STARTED DEALING WITH ME AND I STARTED FEELING
UNEASY ABOUT IT, 'CAUSE WE HAD STARTED TALKING ABOUT
GETTING MARRIED AND EVERYTHING.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS LIKE THIS MIGHT NOT
BE THE RIGHT THING, AND I WAS DEVASTATED!
SO WHEN I CALLED AND TALKED TO HIM THAT LAST
WEEKEND WE WERE TOGETHER,
GOD IMPRESSED ON ME WHILE WE WERE SPEAKING ON THE PHONE,
"HE'S NOT IT. HE'S NOT WHO I HAVE FOR YOU."
AND IT WAS JUST COMPLETE DEVASTATION!
AND I WAS LIKE, "OKAY...WELL, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"
AND GOD WAS LIKE, "YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
GIVE HIM UP 'CAUSE I'VE GOT SOMETHING BETTER."
AND AT THE TIME, YOU DON'T BELIEVE STUFF LIKE THAT
BECAUSE YOU'RE THINKING, "I THINK I HAVE THE BEST!"
(DOROTHY) YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT! YEAH.
YOU KNOW, "I THINK I HAVE WHAT I WANT!"
BUT IT'S NOT WHAT GOD WANTED; IT'S WHAT I WANTED.
SO I GAVE IT UP AND I LET HIM GO;
AND WE MUTUALLY AGREED TO CUT THINGS OFF.
AND WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS,
I JUST FELL INTO A VERY DEEP DEPRESSION BECAUSE
THE DEVIL TRIED TO TELL ME THAT I'D DONE THE WRONG
THING AND THAT I'D MADE THE WRONG DECISION.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
AFTER THREE MONTHS... THE COOL PART OF THE STORY
IS AT THE END OF THREE MONTHS,
AFTER CRYING MYSELF TO SLEEP NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
AND JUST DOING WHAT I CALL A
"FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT" ON STAGE EVERY WEEK,
I'M SMILING TO GET THROUGH THE SERVICE,
(DOROTHY) SO EVEN AT THIS TIME,
YOU KEPT SINGING WITH YOUR FAMILY?
(VICTORIA) YES, I NEVER QUIT.
I JUST KEPT GOING AND PRAYING FOR GOD TO HELP ME
THROUGH IT AND TO JUST GIVE ME MY JOY BACK.
AND AS I PRAYED THAT PRAYER,
AFTER THREE MONTHS I GOT DOWN ON MY KNEES
AND I WAS LIKE, "ALRIGHT.
GOD, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW TO DO,
AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE ON MY OWN BECAUSE
IT IS KILLING ME.
I AM LITERALLY SO DOWN, THAT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO
GET UP OUT OF BED ANYMORE. I DON'T WANT TO EAT..."
(DOROTHY) WOW! AND YOU HAD TO SING?
(VICTORIA) AND I HAD TO SING THROUGH IT
AND TRY TO MINISTER TO PEOPLE,
AND I WAS LIKE, "GOD, I CAN'T DO THIS.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM, IT'S NOT FAIR TO YOU,
AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO ME TO HAVE TO FAKE THIS.
IF I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M SINGING ABOUT,
I DON'T WANT TO SING ABOUT IT ANYMORE
AND I DON'T WANT TO TRAVEL."
SO I SAID, "IT'S IN YOUR HANDS,
AND I'M DONE WITH IT. I'M TIRED.
I'M DONE WITH IT. TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T TELL ME YOURSELF WHAT I NEED
TO DO ABOUT IT, I'M QUITTING. I'M ENDING IT."
(DOROTHY) WHAT HAPPENED?
(VICTORIA) SO THREE DAYS LATER,
(DOROTHY) THREE DAYS LATER,
(VICTORIA) WE WENT... AND THAT'S KINDA NEAT
BECAUSE THE THREE DAYS,
(DOROTHY) HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!
(VICTORIA) YES, YES! SO THREE DAYS LATER,
WE WENT TO SING IN TEXAS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
NO ONE KNEW US THERE.
AND AT THE END OF OUR FIRST SERVICE,
I HAD LITERALLY CRIED THE WHOLE WAY THERE.
AND WHEN WE GOT THROUGH WITH THE SERVICE
THE PASTOR CALLED US ALL DOWN TO THE FRONT,
AND I WAS JUST SAYING, "THANK YOU LORD,
FOR GETTING ME THROUGH ANOTHER ONE."
AND HE SAID, "I WANT TO PRAY FOR YOU GUYS."
SO WE WENT DOWN TO THE FRONT.
AND A LITTLE GUY STOOD UP FROM THE BACK
LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THE CHURCH AND HE COULD
SPEAK VERY LITTLE ENGLISH.
AND HE SAID,
"THE LORD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU SOMETHING."
AND THE PASTOR CALLED HIM FORWARD,
AND HE SAID, "THE LORD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU, VICTORIA,
THAT THE MAN YOU'VE BEEN PRAYING ABOUT IS NOT
THE MAN THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR HUSBAND,
AND THAT HE'S GOT BETTER AND DON'T SETTLE FOR
LESS THAN WHAT HE HAS."
AND I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH!"
(DOROTHY) 'CAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW!
(VICTORIA) NO, HE HAD NO IDEA. NOBODY KNEW.
AND IMMEDIATELY, THAT DEPRESSION WAS BROKEN.
IMMEDIATELY!
WHEN THE WORD OF GOD WAS SPOKEN, IT WAS GONE.
(DOROTHY) ISN'T THAT... ONE WORD FROM THE LORD
CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING, CAN'T IT?
(VICTORIA) IT'S AMAZING, YES!
(DOROTHY) SO HAS "MR. RIGHT" COME YET?
(VICTORIA) HE HAS! (DOROTHY) SEE? LOOK AT THAT!
(VICTORIA) HE HAS! ACTUALLY, IT TOOK A YEAR AND A HALF,
BUT I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I PRAYED AND I SAID,
"YOU KNOW WHAT, GOD?
I'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I'M OKAY WITH ME
AND YOU, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE FOR ME."
I HAD TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS OKAY WITH JUST
ME AND GOD, AND I WAS CONTENT JUST LIKE THAT.
AND WHEN I DID, WITHIN A FEW MONTHS I MET AARON.
(DOROTHY) HOW DID YOU MEET HIM?
(VICTORIA) I WENT TO A CONVENTION WITH
MY BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW.
THEY TRAVEL AND DO CONTEMPORARY PRAISE
AND WORSHIP STUFF, AND DO YOUTH EVENTS.
(VICTORIA) SO THEY WERE DOING A WEEKEND TRIP
TO VIRGINIA AND WE JUST HAPPENED TO
BE OFF THAT WEEKEND.
AND MY BROTHER CALLED AND SAID,
"NOW I KNOW YOU'RE OFF THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE
I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO MOM. SO I WANT YOU TO GO WITH ME.
THE GUY THAT WAS GOING TO RUN SOUND FOR US CAN'T GO
AND I WANT YOU TO GO,
AND I NEED YOU TO RUN SOUND FOR ME. AND RACHEL..."
WHICH IS MY SISTER...
HE SAID, "RACHEL'S GOING TO GO AND SHE'S
GOING TO SING WITH US."
AND I SAID, "THAT'S REALLY NOT...
THAT'S TOTALLY OUT OF MY ELEMENT.
I'M SOUTHERN GOSPEL; TOTALLY DIFFERENT STYLES.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT."
AND HE SAID, "JUST DO IT FOR ME, PLEASE?"
AND I SAID, "ALL RIGHT, FINE."
SO I WENT AND WHEN I PULLED UP IN THE PARKING LOT,
THERE STOOD AARON AT THE BACK OF HIS CAR.
AND IT WAS LIKE ONE OF THOSE REALLY CHEESY CHICK FLICKS,
[DOROTHY LAUGHS]
(VICTORIA) BECAUSE I DROVE BEHIND HIS CAR TO
PARK BESIDE HIM, AND HE TURNED AROUND ABOUT
THE TIME I GOT RIGHT BEHIND HIS CAR AND
WE LOCKED EYES-- AND THAT WAS IT! THAT WAS IT!
(DOROTHY) THAT WAS IT?
(VICTORIA) THAT WAS IT. WE KNEW. THAT WAS IT.
(DOROTHY) REALLY?
(VICTORIA) YEAH. AND THE FUNNY THING...
(DOROTHY) AND YOU SAY YOU KNEW,
BUT YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW THE OTHER GUY...
SO HOW DO YOU "KNOW THAT YOU KNOW?"
(VICTORIA) I THOUGHT I DID, I THOUGHT I DID.
AND I...IN MY HEART, IT WAS A DIFFERENT FEELING
THAT I'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE.
AND I WAS LIKE, "OKAY." BUT I WAS LIKE,
"OKAY, I'M NOT GONNA GET MY HOPES UP, BECAUSE...
(DOROTHY) WELL, YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO HE WAS.
HE COULD'VE BEEN MARRIED!
(VICTORIA) I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIS NAME!
I HAD NO IDEA WHO HE WAS.
AND I WAS LIKE, "UM, OKAY. WELL, HE'S GORGEOUS!
BUT WE'RE JUST GONNA LET THAT GO FOR NOW!"
[DOROTHY LAUGHS]
(VICTORIA) SO I GOT IN THE VEHICLE,
AND WE ALL GOT IN MY BROTHER AND
SISTER-IN-LAW'S SUBURBAN AND DROVE TO VIRGINIA,
WHICH WAS ABOUT THREE HOURS.
AND I LOOKED OVER AT MY SISTER-IN-LAW AND SAID,
"WHO IS THAT?" SHE SAID, "THAT'S AARON."
AND I SAID, "HOW OLD IS HE?" [CHUCKLES]
AND SHE TOLD ME HIS AGE,
AND HE WAS ONE YEAR OLDER THAN ME.
AND I WAS LIKE, "OKAY, IS HE MARRIED?"
(DOROTHY CHUCKLES) "MARRIED?" FIRST QUESTION, "MARRIED?"
(VICTORIA) AND SHE'S LIKE, "NO, HE'S NOT MARRIED."
SO IT TOOK TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT TO ACTUALLY...
FOR US TO EVEN TALK.
WE CHATTED A LITTLE ON THE TRIP,
BUT YOU KNOW, NEVER SAID WE FELT ANYTHING
FOR EACH OTHER AT ALL.
AND THEN AFTER TWO MONTHS...
WE HAD EXCHANGED NUMBERS BEFORE WE LEFT.
AND I JUST...I FELT IMPRESSED TO TEXT HIM,
AND I WAS LIKE, "LORD, I AM NOT GONNA TEXT THIS GUY.
THE GUY'S SUPPOSED TO TEXT THE GIRL.
I'M NOT GONNA PUSH MYSELF ON THIS DUDE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM!"
AND GOD JUST KEPT IMPRESSING ON ME, "TEXT HIM."
AND SO I TEXTED HIM AND SAID, "HEY! WHAT'S UP?"
AND BEFORE I COULD GET MY PHONE BACK IN THE HOLSTER,
HE HAD ALREADY TEXTED ME BACK! [LAUGHS]
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF
JUNE OF LAST YEAR, IN 2011.
AND WE STARTED TALKING THEN.
A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT, HE STARTED COMING DOWN
TO SEE ME EVERY OTHER WEEK.
BUT HE TOLD ME, HE SAID, "THE CATCH IS,"
HE SAID, "I WOULD LOVE TO ASK YOU OUT, IF I DATED."
AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'IF YOU DATED?'"
HE SAID, "WELL, I MADE A PROMISE TO GOD LAST YEAR
THAT I WASN'T GOING TO DATE, UNLESS I KNEW THAT
THAT WAS THE WOMAN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY WIFE."
AND I WAS LIKE, "OH! WELL, THAT'S FUNNY BECAUSE
I MADE THE EXACT SAME PROMISE TO GOD
A FEW MONTHS AGO!"
SO I JUST KNEW IT WAS A GOD THING.
WE BOTH KNEW THAT IT WAS A GOD THING,
AND WE SAID, "WELL, WE CAN TALK AND SEE EACH OTHER,
BUT WE WON'T DATE UNLESS WE KNOW.
WE'LL BE PRAYING FOR CONFIRMATION."
SO WE STARTED PRAYING FOR CONFIRMATION.
AND MY COUSIN, HE WAS 33,
AND LAST AUGUST HE PASSED AWAY
UNEXPECTEDLY IN HIS SLEEP.
AND WHEN HE PASSED AWAY,
I HAD A VERY HARD TIME WITH THAT, VERY...
A LOT OF ANXIETY AND A LOT OF PROBLEMS...
(DOROTHY) WERE YOU CLOSE?
(VICTORIA) WE WERE VERY CLOSE.
AND HE AND I HAD CALLED EACH OTHER "TWIN COUSINS"
BECAUSE WE WERE JUST SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER THAT
WE LOOKED SO MUCH ALIKE, THAT WITHOUT MAKEUP
AND A HAT ON, I LOOKED IDENTICAL TO HIM!
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) TO DAVIE... THAT WAS HIS NAME.
SO ANYWAY, WE...I PRAYED FOR GOD TO HELP ME TO HAVE
A PEACE ABOUT DAVIE'S PASSING,
AND TO KNOW THAT HE MADE IT TO HEAVEN
AND THAT HE WAS OKAY.
AND AS I PRAYED THAT PRAYER,
THREE WEEKS AFTER HE PASSED AWAY,
RIGHT BEFORE WE WERE TO DO A BENEFIT CONCERT TO HELP
RAISE MONEY TO COVER FUNERAL EXPENSES,
THE LORD LET DAVIE COME TO ME IN A DREAM.
AND IT WAS SO REAL, AND HE TOLD ME HOW AWESOME
HEAVEN WAS, AND HOW HE JUST WAS HAVING SO MUCH FUN
AND HE LOVED IT; AND HE WAS SO HAPPY,
HAPPIER THAN HE'D EVER BEEN. HE LOOKED BEAUTIFUL!
HE HAD THIS LONG WHITE ROBE ON, AND IT WAS JUST...
IT WAS AMAZING!
AND I WAS JUST ALMOST...
I WAS IN AWE, AND I COULDN'T EVEN CRY,
BECAUSE I WAS SO SHOCKED AND AMAZED TO SEE HIM!
I WAS JUST SO HAPPY!
AND IN THAT DREAM, I ASKED HIM TO GIVE ME A HUG.
AND HE REACHED OUT TO HUG ME AND I SAID,
"CAN YOU DO THAT?"
AND HE SAID, "OF COURSE I CAN DO THAT!"
AND I FELT THAT HUG AS REAL AS IF I WERE TO
HUG YOU RIGHT NOW!
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) AND HE TOLD ME, HE SAID,
"VIC, I SAW THE BOOKS!" AND I SAID, "WHAT BOOKS?"
HE SAID, "THOSE BOOKS."
AND I SAID, "WHAT DID YOU SEE?"
AND HE SAID, "I SAW A BABY!"
AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
HE SAID, "I SAW YOUR BABY!"
AND I SAID, "WHOA! I'M NOT EVEN DATING OR MARRIED,
OR ANYTHING! WHAT BABY?"
HE SAID, "YOU'RE GOING TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE A BABY!
I'VE ALREADY SEEN IT. I'VE SEEN IT IN THE BOOKS."
AND HE TOLD ME, HE SAID, "WHO IS HE?"
AND I SAID, "WHO IS WHO?"
HE SAID, "THE GUY YOU'RE GONNA MARRY?"
AND I SAID, "I HAVE NO IDEA!"
AND HE SAID, "HE'S TALL, DARK-HEADED,
HE LOVES SPORTS AND OUTDOORSY STUFF,
HE'S A YOUTH PASTOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA,
AND IT'S "BOWLIN" SOMETHING."
AND I SAID...BOWLIN IS AARON'S LAST NAME.
I SAID, "AARON BOWLIN?" AND HE SAID, "THAT'S HIM!"
AND I SAID, "ARE YOU SURE? DON'T PLAY WITH ME!"
HE SAID, "THAT'S HIM! THAT'S HIM!"
AND I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH!"
AND I WOKE UP AND I PRAYED AND I SAID,
"LORD, LET ME KNOW THAT THAT WAS REAL AND
THAT WAS REAL CONFIRMATION."
AND I LITERALLY FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN IN THE PRESENCE
OF GOD ALL DAY THAT DAY, THAT NEXT DAY.
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) AND SO I KNEW THAT THAT WAS IT.
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) THAT WAS THE CONFIRMATION.
(DOROTHY) HOW MUCH FUN!
WELL, WE'VE ONLY BEGUN TO TELL THE STORY,
SO YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO GET THE BOOK BECAUSE
THERE'S A LOT OF MIRACLES IN HERE!
BUT THIS WAS A HUGE MIRACLE FOR YOU,
(VICTORIA) YES.
(DOROTHY) AND TO HAVE HIM COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU.
I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HEAVEN.
HE SAW THE BOOKS.
LET'S HEAR MORE ABOUT IT WHEN WE COME BACK.
IT'S CALLED, "FAITH IN THE MIDST OF A STORM,"
AND VICTORIA SHIREY-- SHE SINGS WITH THE SHIREYS.
AND SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA WANT TO GO AWAY,
THERE'S MUCH MORE TO COME! WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
♪ ♪
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(DOROTHY) WELCOME BACK TO BY THE BOOK.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH MY FRIEND.
YOU KNOW, THE SHIREYS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN OUR
STATION AND WE'VE HEARD THEM SING FOR YEARS.
BUT VICTORIA WENT THROUGH SOMETHING A FEW YEARS AGO
AND WE HEARD HER IN THE EARLIER TIME TALK ABOUT
A DEEP DEPRESSION.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OF YOU OUT THERE HAVE
GONE THROUGH SUCH A THING, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THERE'S AN OVERCOMING WAY, AND IT'S THROUGH JESUS.
HE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, AS HE HAS IN HER LIFE.
NOW YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR COUSIN WHO
VISITED YOU IN A DREAM,
(VICTORIA) YES.
(DOROTHY) AND IT WAS SO REAL, YOU FELT THE HUG?
(VICTORIA) YES.
(DOROTHY) AND HE SAID HE SAW THE BOOKS,
HE SAW YOUR BABY'S NAME IN THERE.
DID HE SAY HE SAW ANYTHING ELSE?
(VICTORIA) HE DID TELL ME THAT HE SAW THE NAMES OF...
HE NAMED FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE THAT HE SAID,
"THEY'LL BE HERE BEFORE LONG.
I'VE SEEN THE ACTUAL BOOKS OF THE NAMES..."
(DOROTHY) THAT ARE COMING?
(VICTORIA) "...OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOD HAS COMING HERE."
I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ANY OF THE NAMES--
WHICH I WAS KINDA GLAD OF, BECAUSE...
(DOROTHY) YES!
(VICTORIA) BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO BE SCARED TO DEATH!
(DOROTHY) MOM, DAD...SOMEBODY?
(VICTORIA) YEAH! SO I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ANY OF THE NAMES.
BUT IT WAS JUST AMAZING!
AND AS I TALKED ABOUT IN THE LAST SESSION,
WHEN HE TOLD ME ABOUT AARON BEING THE ONE,
I ACTUALLY SAW ABOVE HIS HEAD HIM LOOKING
IN THE BOOKS;
AND THE BOOK THAT SHOWS GOD YOUR FUTURE
BASED ON YOUR DECISIONS IS HOLOGRAPHIC,
SO IT'S NOT ACTUALLY WRITTEN.
WHEN YOU OPEN THE BOOK IT, LIKE,
POPS UP ABOVE YOUR HEAD AND YOU ACTUALLY
SEE IT PLAY OUT, AND I SAW MY FUTURE PLAY OUT...
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) ABOVE DAVIE'S HEAD. IT WAS AMAZING!
IT WAS THE COOLEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) HE TOLD ME...
DAVIE HAD A REALLY FUNNY PERSONALITY, AND HE ASKED...
I HAD SHOWED HIM A PICTURE OF SOMETHING I HAD
OF EITHER A HOUSE THAT I WAS HAVING BUILT,
OR ONE THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT BUYING,
AND I SAID, "CHECK THIS OUT!"
AND HE LOOKED AND HE SAID, "OOH! YOU GOT A JACUZZI?"
AND I SAID, "YEAH!"
I SAID, "DO YOU HAVE A JACUZZI IN YOUR MANSION?"
AND HE SAID, "NO, WE HAVE THESE SPRING THINGS,
SO WE DON'T NEED THINGS LIKE THAT."
AND A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT,
I READ IN REVELATION AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT
I READ THE VERSE ABOUT THE SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER,
(DOROTHY) OF LIVING WATER.
(VICTORIA) AND I JUST BURST INTO TEARS,
BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, "WOW! HOW AWESOME!"
(DOROTHY) THAT GOD ALLOWED HIM TO COME BACK
AND TALK INTO YOUR LIFE.
(VICTORIA) IT WAS AMAZING! IT WAS AMAZING!
(DOROTHY) TELL ME WHAT ELSE...
IS THERE ANOTHER MIRACLE IN HERE?
(VICTORIA) YES, THERE...
THE FIRST CHAPTER IN THE BOOK IS ONE OF THE MOST
INTENSE CHAPTERS IN THE ENTIRE BOOK
BECAUSE IT'S VERY PERSONAL, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S
NEVER BEEN PUBLICLY ADDRESSED.
MY FAMILY WENT THROUGH A VERY HARD TIME WHEN I WAS
AROUND 10 OR 11 YEARS OLD.
I GREW UP IN SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC,
GREW UP TRAVELING WITH MY FAMILY.
HAD ALWAYS SUNG AND KNEW THE LORD IN A VERY
PERSONAL WAY, AND THEN RAISED TO KNOW THE LORD
AND TO TRUST HIM.
AND I JUST...WHEN WE TRAVELED,
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I WAS REAL YOUNG MOM AND DAD
WOULD GO AND I'D GET LEFT WITH GRANDMOTHER,
WHICH IS MY MOM'S MOM.
BUT I LOVED IT. I LOVED STAYING WITH GRANDMOTHER.
(DOROTHY) YES.
(VICTORIA) BUT GRANDMOTHER ACTUALLY IS AN EVANGELIST,
SO SHE ALWAYS BROUGHT ME UP AND TAUGHT ME
THE RIGHT WAY TO GO, AND HAD A VERY BIG IMPACT
ON MY LIFE SPIRITUALLY.
(DOROTHY) UH-HUH.
(VICTORIA) SO AS I GOT OLDER, ABOUT 10 OR 11,
SOME PROBLEMS STARTED DEVELOPING IN OUR FAMILY--
AND THERE'S A PART IN THE BOOK THAT ACTUALLY
TELLS YOU THAT MY PARENTS HAD STARTED
NOT GETTING ALONG AS WELL AS THEY HAD BEEN;
AND ACTUALLY, IT TELLS YOU IN THE BOOK THAT
IT GOT SO BAD TO THE POINT THAT
MOM ACTUALLY HAD TO LEAVE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD BEEN VERY "IFFY" ABOUT THAT.
(DOROTHY) I WOULD IGNORE THEM, THEN. RIGHT?
(VICTORIA) YEAH, YOU WOULD HAVE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LIKE,
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU PUT THAT IN YOUR BOOK!
IT MAKES YOUR MOM LOOK LIKE THE BAD GUY."
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S NOT ABOUT...
IT TAKES TWO TO MAKE A BIG MISTAKE.
(DOROTHY) THAT'S RIGHT.
(VICTORIA) YOU CAN'T DO IT BY YOURSELF.
SO BOTH WERE AT FAULT.
AND I DON'T BLAME EITHER ONE OF THEM.
YOU KNOW, THE GREATEST THING ABOUT GOD IS
HE GIVES FORGIVENESS.
(DOROTHY) YES, HE DOES.
(VICTORIA) AND THE MOST AWESOME THING ABOUT THIS
STORY AND THE ONLY REASON I HAD TO PUT THAT IN THERE
WAS BECAUSE THE TESTIMONY AT THE END, WHEN WE HAD...
IT HAD BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS.
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) AND I THOUGHT...
WE ALL THOUGHT THAT IT WAS OVER,
BUT THEY HAD NOT DIVORCED.
AND I WAS LIKE...YOU KNOW, WE KEPT PRAYING,
"GOD, PLEASE PUT MOM AND DAD BACK TOGETHER."
AND MY BROTHER, ACTUALLY, HE WAS IN COLLEGE AT THE TIME
AND HE CAME...'CAUSE HE'S 12 YEARS OLDER THAN ME.
SO HE WAS IN COLLEGE AND HE CAME HOME ONE WEEKEND,
AND ME AND RACHEL, AND...WHICH IS MY SISTER...
AND MY BROTHER CHRIS, AND DAD ALL GOT IN
THE LIVING ROOM AND WE JOINED HANDS AND STARTED PRAYING.
AND MOM HAD BEEN PRAYING BY HERSELF, AS WELL,
ASKING FOR DIRECTION AND WHAT TO DO.
AND AS WE JOINED HANDS AND PRAYED IN THE LIVING ROOM,
THE SPIRIT JUST ENGULFED US THERE IN THE LIVING ROOM.
AND WE GOT THROUGH PRAYING AND DAD SAID,
"I THINK WE SHOULD ANOINT THE DOORWAY."
AND SO HE WENT IN THE KITCHEN AND GRABBED SOME
OLIVE OIL, AND WE PRAYED OVER IT AND WE LITERALLY
ANOINTED THE DOORWAY THAT WALKS INTO THE FRONT DOOR
OF THE HOUSE.
AND WE PRAYED OVER IT AS WE ANOINTED THE DOORWAY
AND AS WE STEPPED AWAY FROM THE DOOR, THE PHONE RANG.
AND WHEN THE PHONE RANG, IT WAS MOM AND SHE SAID,
"I'M COMING HOME."
IT WAS [SNAPS FINGER] JUST LIKE THAT!
(DOROTHY) WOW!
(VICTORIA) GOD PUT OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER!
AND TO SEE OUR FAMILY NOW, YOU WOULD...
(TOGETHER) NEVER...
(VICTORIA) EVER KNOW THAT ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED,
BECAUSE GOD HAS PUT A LOVE BACK IN MY MOM
AND DAD'S HEART FOR EACH OTHER THAT'S SO MUCH
STRONGER NOW THAN IT EVER WAS.
AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE THAT GOD
CAN MAKE IF YOU PRAY AND TRUST AND BELIEVE IN HIM.
(DOROTHY) AND HE DOES ALL THE TIME, DOESN'T HE?
(VICTORIA) HE DOES, YES.
(DOROTHY) YOU KNOW, I KNEW YOUR PARENTS.
BUT I NEVER KNEW THAT STORY,
(VICTORIA) YEAH.
(DOROTHY) BECAUSE IT WAS SO WELL-HIDDEN WITH THEM.
(VICTORIA) RIGHT.
(DOROTHY) BUT THEY COULD SURE SING,
I'LL TELL YOU THAT!
(VICTORIA) WELL, THANK YOU!
(DOROTHY) GIVE ME ANOTHER STORY.
(VICTORIA) OKAY, THERE IS ONE IN THERE.
I ACTUALLY HAD A DREAM WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.
I AM A DREAMER, AND...
(DOROTHY) I CAN TELL!
(VICTORIA) ONE THING THAT MY BOYFRIEND TELLS ME
ALL THE TIME, HE SAID, "BABY, YOU DREAM MORE THAN
ANYBODY I'VE EVER MET!" [LAUGHS]
'CAUSE I LITERALLY DREAM EVERY NIGHT.
(DOROTHY) AND ARE THEY PROPHETIC DREAMS, OR...?
(VICTORIA) SOME OF THEM ARE.
SOME OF THEM MAKE ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE!
(DOROTHY) OKAY!
(VICTORIA) BUT SOME OF THEM ARE PROPHETIC DREAMS,
LIKE THE DAVIE DREAM, MY COUSIN.
NOW THIS PARTICULAR DREAM, I HAD TWO BEST FRIENDS--
AND IT WAS A GUY AND A GIRL,
AND THE THREE OF US USED TO HANG OUT ALL THE TIME.
AND AS WE HUNG OUT, I KINDA FELT LIKE A
"THIRD WHEEL" BECAUSE THEY STARTED DEVELOPING
FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER.
AND I WAS LIKE, "OKAY, WELL...
THIS IS NOT GONNA END WELL, I DON'T THINK,
IF I CAN'T FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO HANDLE THIS."
SO THEY EVENTUALLY STARTED DATING AND I EVENTUALLY
STARTED SLACKING OFF OF GOING JUST THE THREE OF US,
BUT THEY'D STILL INVITE ME EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
WHICH WAS COOL.
AND ONE THING HAPPENED...
YOU KNOW, ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND THEY FELT LIKE...