AuthorDino Katsiametis

Marcus Slaton (26)

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#85 The Mystery Behind Finding His Biological Parents – Paul Aubin Part 1

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      1. God has a purpose for your life regardless of whether you’re adopted or not.  Paul Aubin is a Chair person for a faith-based organization named Convene focused on CEO’s building Christian based businesses and comes on to tell the remarkable story and mystery behind his adoption.“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ – Mathew 25:21
          1. Married to a Women’s Pastor who works with couples named Margaret.  Together they have 7 children.
          2. Biggest Weakness – Because of his adoption he seeks validation and acceptance through sports  and work.  Now he gets affirmation from God, but he still struggles.
          3. Biggest Strength – God has made it clear that he is to lead other men to be men of God.  To lead men from pride to humility.
          4. Dark Time – in 2000 things went bad for about 5 years.  When Paul lost his job, he lost his identity.  He went through financial issues, divorce, health problems and a loss of friendships.  The missing piece was a connection with Godly men.
          5. Soon after Paul was saved he met his wife Margaret who is a women’s pastor.  He desperately didn’t want to be less than in his faith.
          6. In 1991 he discovered that his cholesterol was very high.  His liver was creating too much and he needed to find his birth parents so that he could be properly treated.
          7. While at a business function he was given a sign from God in the form of an adoption seminar.  As it turned out there was a cover up to protect his birth father.
          8. Paul tracked down his mother and talked to her for 45 minutes on the phone.  He flew 3000 miles to meet his mom and she said she couldn’t.  He had no idea how many people could be hurt.
          9. The investigator helping Paul named Nancy, decided that there has been a cover up.  She had a thought and found a man who was a family friend, that looked exactly like him.  The man named Ted  was a Catholic Priest.
          10. He met with his family friend Father Ted for the first time and noticed the low cholesterol lunch.  Paul, addressed it with Father Ted and slowly the information came out that he’s found his birth mother.  Paul felt God’s hand on the meeting.
          11. When he got back to the hotel there was a message from Father Ted who wanted to spend more time with him.  They got together the next day and just spent time getting to know each other.  Paul drove away still not confirming.
          12. After Paul told his aunt Kris his suspicions, she went to her brother Father Ted and got him to eventually reach out to Paul and remove the mystery.
          13. Father Ted met with Paul again and gave him the whole story.  Father Ted told the bishop and was sent to Vietnam and became a chaplain war hero on the front lines.
          14. Paul later went to Harvard Business School and finally reached back out to his mom and met her for the first time.  He had a picture of his mom in his mind and when he met her she was completely different.  She was very attractive in a business suit and they sat down in a coffee shop at the hotel for 3 hours.  This was closure for Paul.
          15. “Secrets of the Father” – by Paul Aubin is his book about his story.  It took him 20 years to write.
          16. Advice for those who were adopted – Before you go on a search understand why you are doing it.  There are other lives at stake so tread lightly.  Pray about it as well and ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit.
          17. Paul used to think he was a mistake, but now knows that God does not bring children into the world by mistake.
          18. Recommended Book – “The Purpose Driven Life” – Rick Warren “The Critical Journey” – by Janet O. Hagberg, Robert A. Guelich
          19. aubin76@gmail.com

 

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Marcus Slaton (24)

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#84 – Drugs, Sex, Theft, Molestation, Domestic Abuse, Infidelity and finding God –  Andy Jones Part 2

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    1. Andy Jones should be locked away in prison, but God saved him.  Through a life of molestation, drugs, sex, theft and domestic abuse God was with him, but he refused to listen.  Andy has served as a ministry leader at Celebrate Recovery Ministry at Seacoast Grace Church, a ministry that helps broken people find their way back to God through a 12 step Christ based program.  This is his amazing testimony.“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” – John 8:7
      1. Biggest Weakness – Profanity
      2. Biggest Strength – Compassion and empathy
      3. Dark Time – Born to an alcoholic mother and father Andy struggled as a child.  At 7 years old he was put into a mental institution.  He was a wild child that his parents couldn’t handle.   If you misbehaved, you were locked into the white room where he saw his mom leave on a visit.   Andy stayed there for 16 weeks and then bounced back and forth between his mom and her crazy boyfriend and her dad and his abusive girlfriend.   Because he wet the bed, she would beat him regularly.  In school he was in special ed classes and fought a lot.  Andy was an outcast, but he found adults that he could spend time with.
      4. In junior high, Andy ran around with a crew called the River Rats.  During this time is when he began stealing and handling guns.  In the 8th grade he ran from the cops and ending up in jail for 30 days.
      5. Early on he was molested by a babysitter and other older men and women, but it seemed normal.  He explored sex for many years in situations he shouldn’t have.
      6. In his marriage Andy has learned that the most intimate thing he can do with his wife is pray.
      7. During high school, Andy tried to change, but he brought himself wherever he went.  He was a drug addict, sex addict and became very violent.  He began stealing again, took acid  and one night shot up a Toyota Dealership and gas station.  2 credits short of graduation he got 7 class A felonies.  They sent him to the penitentiary at 17.
      8. Prison was a gladiator school.  It’s a University for Felons where he could learn to be a better criminal.
      9. His grandmother was a woman of faith that saved his life.  She was a prayer warrior for Andy.  He always knew God had a plan for him, but he didn’t want to listen.
      10. Andy got his girlfriend pregnant and got married.  He tried to get sober, began meetings, but it didn’t work.
      11. He left his wife and kids and became addicted to smoking cocaine.  He couldn’t pay child support and was thrown in jail.  His ex-wife bailed him out and they remarried and had twins.  Andy still couldn’t stay clean.  He confesses that he was a very abusive husband.
      12. Andy moved back to California worked at a bar and found his next victim whom he stayed with for 20 years.
      13. When he met a stranger who broke down he became addicted to methamphetamines.  He was soon asked to deal meth and it became a big deal.  Although Andy was making a lot of money he never sent child support.  He was again arrested for not paying child support.  It was God saving him from a much worse prison sentence.
      14. He met a bank robber in prison who he took out on his first night back on the streets.  They found him dead in Andy’s car from a heroin overdose.
      15. At one point he was very high and snuck into a house to shoot up some guys who stole his stuff.  He ended up shooting a man in the chest.  He went on the run, but they tracked him down.  Nobody died,
      16. Andy got on his knees and prayed.  He got a deal for 5 years and knows that God had a plan.
      17. In prison Andy contracted Hep C from a heroin needle.  When his mom died, he couldn’t grieve while he was inside.
      18. Once he got out his 15 year old son wanted to have a relationship with him, but he didn’t know how to be a dad.
      19. One night a homeless crackhead came to him and said you need to straighten up.  This was Andy’s angel.
      20. Andy found out that his children had been raped by their stepdad since they were 7, but God had lifted his rage.
      21. Andy has held his job now for 15 years.
      22. He met his wife Cassie and she took him to Celebrate Recovery.  He’s been clean and sober since June 6th, 2003. Feed yourself with scripture.  Celebrate Recovery Ministry at Seacoast Grace Church is a ministry that helps broken people find their way back to God through a 12 step Christ based program and Andy became a minister there.

       

For past shows and to learn more about the God’s Men of Influence community, check us out at www.godsmenofinfluence.org

Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence

Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.

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Marcus Slaton (23)

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#83 – Drugs, Sex, Theft, Molestation, Domestic Abuse, Infidelity and finding God –  Andy Jones Part 1

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    1. Andy Jones should be locked away in prison, but God saved him.  Through a life of molestation, drugs, sex, theft and domestic abuse God was with him, but he refused to listen.  Andy has served as a ministry leader at Celebrate Recovery Ministry at Seacoast Grace Church, a ministry that helps broken people find their way back to God through a 12 step Christ based program.  This is his amazing testimony.“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” – John 8:7
      1. Biggest Weakness – Profanity
      2. Biggest Strength – Compassion and empathy
      3. Dark Time – Born to an alcoholic mother and father Andy struggled as a child.  At 7 years old he was put into a mental institution.  He was a wild child that his parents couldn’t handle.   If you misbehaved, you were locked into the white room where he saw his mom leave on a visit.   Andy stayed there for 16 weeks and then bounced back and forth between his mom and her crazy boyfriend and her dad and his abusive girlfriend.   Because he wet the bed, she would beat him regularly.  In school he was in special ed classes and fought a lot.  Andy was an outcast, but he found adults that he could spend time with.
      4. In junior high, Andy ran around with a crew called the River Rats.  During this time is when he began stealing and handling guns.  In the 8th grade he ran from the cops and ending up in jail for 30 days.
      5. Early on he was molested by a babysitter and other older men and women, but it seemed normal.  He explored sex for many years in situations he shouldn’t have.
      6. In his marriage Andy has learned that the most intimate thing he can do with his wife is pray.
      7. During high school, Andy tried to change, but he brought himself wherever he went.  He was a drug addict, sex addict and became very violent.  He began stealing again, took acid  and one night shot up a Toyota Dealership and gas station.  2 credits short of graduation he got 7 class A felonies.  They sent him to the penitentiary at 17.
      8. Prison was a gladiator school.  It’s a University for Felons where he could learn to be a better criminal.
      9. His grandmother was a woman of faith that saved his life.  She was a prayer warrior for Andy.  He always knew God had a plan for him, but he didn’t want to listen.
      10. Andy got his girlfriend pregnant and got married.  He tried to get sober, began meetings, but it didn’t work.
      11. He left his wife and kids and became addicted to smoking cocaine.  He couldn’t pay child support and was thrown in jail.  His ex-wife bailed him out and they remarried and had twins.  Andy still couldn’t stay clean.  He confesses that he was a very abusive husband.
      12. Andy moved back to California worked at a bar and found his next victim whom he stayed with for 20 years.
      13. When he met a stranger who broke down he became addicted to methamphetamines.  He was soon asked to deal meth and it became a big deal.  Although Andy was making a lot of money he never sent child support.  He was again arrested for not paying child support.  It was God saving him from a much worse prison sentence.
      14. He met a bank robber in prison who he took out on his first night back on the streets.  They found him dead in Andy’s car from a heroin overdose.
      15. At one point he was very high and snuck into a house to shoot up some guys who stole his stuff.  He ended up shooting a man in the chest.  He went on the run, but they tracked him down.  Nobody died,
      16. Andy got on his knees and prayed.  He got a deal for 5 years and knows that God had a plan.
      17. In prison Andy contracted Hep C from a heroin needle.  When his mom died, he couldn’t grieve while he was inside.
      18. Once he got out his 15 year old son wanted to have a relationship with him, but he didn’t know how to be a dad.
      19. One night a homeless crackhead came to him and said you need to straighten up.  This was Andy’s angel.
      20. Andy found out that his children had been raped by their stepdad since they were 7, but God had lifted his rage.
      21. Andy has held his job now for 15 years.
      22. He met his wife Cassie and she took him to Celebrate Recovery.  He’s been clean and sober since June 6th, 2003. Feed yourself with scripture.  Celebrate Recovery Ministry at Seacoast Grace Church is a ministry that helps broken people find their way back to God through a 12 step Christ based program and Andy became a minister there.

       

For past shows and to learn more about the God’s Men of Influence community, check us out at www.godsmenofinfluence.org

Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence

Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.

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Marcus Slaton (22)

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#82 Changing From A Selfish Man To A Father – Jon Farkas

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    1. During a dark time 23 year old Jon Farkas found the God’s Men of Influence podcast.  After listening to the James & Teri Craft show and a drive he cried for 2 days.  Since then he’s been listening and letting the testimony of men inspire him and open him up even further to God’s love.  This is his testimony.So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.That, however, is not the way of life you learned  when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

      Ephesians 4:17-24

        1. Biggest Weakness – Being judgemental of people.  He looks at people as if he is better than, but is humbled when he finds he is not..
        2. Biggest Strength – The love of the father.
        3. Jon was adopted and grew up in an evangelical home, but it was dysfunctional.  He never felt close to God.
        4. Jon feels emotionally disconnected to his adopted parents and therefore doesn’t feel like he belongs anywhere.  He was always getting in trouble as a kid.
        5. Dark Time – The last few years he’s brought many self-destructive issues into his relationship.  His girlfriend was very stable, but he was not.  He was addicted to porn and was unfaithful.  She got pregnant had the baby and then he was unfaithful again.  He told her what happened and they separated.  Jon ran away and got into other relationships and partied.  His girlfriend moved away with his son and won’t let Jon be a part of his life.
        6. Jon went to Missouri where they are now living.  He played with his son and began making excuses for not being there for him.  On his drive back he found the God’s Men of Influence Podcast.
        7. He realized he was driving people away with his actions and has decided to surround himself with men who will hold him accountable.
        8. Jon thought he needed to separate from his son to get things right in his life, but now he realizes he needs to be with his son.
        9. His son’s mother wants him to give up his rights to be with his son, but he now he won’t.
        10. Jon considered ending his life, but thought about his son and now he wants to be the father he never had.
        11. Recommended Books:  “How To Raise A Modern Day Knight” & “The Purpose Driven Life”


       

For past shows and to learn more about the God’s Men of Influence community, check us out at www.godsmenofinfluence.org

Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence

Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.

Continue Reading