Friends And Family

Transformed by Love: Barbara and George's Story of Faith and a Godly Marriage

• Gods Way Radio

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Have you ever witnessed love's true power to transform a life, a marriage, even a soul? Barbara Lee's heartfelt journey from a simple Bible study to a profound awakening in Christ demonstrates just that. Alongside her husband, George, they share the profound impact of unwavering love and prayer on their union, painting an inspiring portrait of a godly marriage that feels like heaven on earth. Their narrative, woven through our candid conversation, will touch your heart and perhaps, encourage you to look at your own relationships through a lens of faith and hope.

From a special church event that leads a man to embrace his faith, to the daily struggles and victories found in a marriage blessed by God's presence, this episode is an open invitation to experience the joy and transformation that awaits within a community grounded in Christ's love. Join us, Barbara, and George for a session that promises to uplift and renew your spirit.

Tiffany:

You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's Way radio exclusive where we introduce you to some amazing people. In John 15, verse 15, jesus says I have called you friends for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known to you. That's our aim that God would be made known to you. Stay with us until the end of our conversation for more information on this program and other unique offerings from God's Way radio.

Joey:

George and Barbara Lee.

George:

good morning Good morning, Good morning to you.

Joey:

Joey and.

George:

Victor and Corey that are here, and good morning to the God's Way radio family. What a privilege it is to be here among the donkeys and myself being the chief donkey. Hey, you guys talking about that.

Joey:

Somebody's been listening. We're going to have a donkey fight on our hands. Never, never. We're going to hear about how to fellowship, not fight in a few. Hey, in all seriousness, I hope you can tell that we're happy, we're enjoying, excited about today's program. But again, as we approach the new year, it's January, the 2nd 2019, guys, gals, men, women, ladies, gentlemen, listening yes you, yes you. You don't have to look over the other shoulder. We care for you and, as excited as we are for today's program, there's nothing more important to us than you, your soul, your life, and that's because it's important to the Lord, and so we want you to know that maybe you are on a different track, maybe you're dealing with some heavy things, discouragement, needs. We want to pray for you, and so the phone lines are always open here at live for Jesus 786-313-3115, 786-313-3115.

Joey:

You know, I'm reminded recently Pastor George Lee was actually we were talking to a little boy about heaven. He was asking all kinds of questions about heaven and this is not one of those like stories that pastors use in illustrations. This is a real story. And he was just asking so many questions about heaven, innocent questions, beautiful questions, but we were trying to get him to realize that you know, there might be toys in heaven, there might be bicycles, there might be karate, but remember, the most important thing about heaven is the Lord, jesus and God and His presence, and that's really the thing to look forward to in heaven. And I have no idea why that story came to mind, but maybe it will be important later. We want to jump into it. We want to use our time wisely. Again, the phone number is 786-313-3115. Well, george and Barbara, as I mentioned to you before we started, we love hearing people's testimonies, we love hearing about how people got to know Jesus, and so, whoever wants to start, I'm really looking forward to it.

George:

Well, as you were talking of that story, that young gentleman there, young boy, the thought that came to mind is that I believe Chuck Smith and someone else said heaven on earth, you know, is like a godly marriage and an ungodly marriage is like hell on earth. So, as we go through this, we speak truth, god's word radio. Yeah, nothing but the truth. What was your question? Again now, Joey.

Joey:

Your testimony. Your testimony. If you or Ms Barbara want to start Now, let me give you some help here. Let's see if I get in trouble. I think Ms Barbara is the one who got saved first, that's right.

George:

Yes. So since she got saved first, maybe we should have her start and say, well, what has developed and how it came about, that I came to the Lord and how she came to the Lord Go ahead.

Barbara:

Okay, well, you know we didn't know the Lord when we got married, so we were both not saved. But I knew of the Lord but never had this relationship with him, and actually I had a dear friend at work. So it's very important to speak about the Lord with your coworkers because they can be saved, and that is exactly what happened to me. One of our coworkers introduced a Bible study during lunchtime and that's where I got to know about Jesus and where he talked about that. It's about having that relationship with our Lord and it really spoke to me and I family we were both involved in this sermon by God, so it's very precious. As we're going through the Bible study, I've learned a lot.

Barbara:

One day in one of my trips being a systems analyst and doing some traveling as well doing some systems installation so it gets very stressful and hectic. One day in one of the hotel rooms, I just cried out to the Lord that I'm going to be surrendering my life to him, and it changed me. My husband is always a very good man, very kind, very helpful to anybody, but he didn't know the Lord, so at that time it took time to really pray for him to see if he can come to that same knowledge of the Lord as I did. And so I came to Calvary Chapel via this friend and that's how I met Pastor Raz.

Barbara:

It was an amazing for me to come to church because I've never attended church. How we teach the word, you know, it's always the priestess on the higher level and we're like down here and we don't never get to talk with him. And it was so personal. It was such a humble man and so loving and caring. So I asked for prayer and I was coming to church with this co-worker and we just prayed and prayed and I never really enforced my husband to. I would just encourage you hey, you know I'm going to church, you know anytime. Would you like to go with me? And he said, no, I'll stay home with the kids and read the newspaper and read the sports section or the you know.

Barbara:

So I just went to church but never really wanted to force it on him, but to pray for him and just be loving to him, as always. And it took about four years of prayer and thanking all the people at the church, Pastor Raz and some of our friends that we've met, that we diligently and faithfully have been praying for him. And just one day, you know, we were doing a Halloween night here with the kids.

Barbara:

And it just happened that I had invited him because it was something that the kids can participate in, and so he agreed and he came and he met some of the people, because some of the people that were at the workplace where we were working also were part of the church, and that's how he met Pastor Raz and so a couple of I think that was in the 30 or the 31st, and then it was soon to be my birthday and it was going to be a Sunday, and I can't remember. I think it was maybe J Dean that asked my George, you know, oh, it would be nice to see if you can go to church for mom's birthday, because my birthday was just a few days afterwards. And so my mom happened to be with us in Miami and she heard that question and she, just as the encourager as she is, oh, that would be wonderful, George, that would be so awesome. And of course he couldn't say no to her. And so he went to church and it was the first day of the rest of his life.

Barbara:

And you know, for as much as I've been praying for him, you know it was such an awesomeness to see how God is working. And I just specifically remember just one time. I can't remember if it was that same day, but it was just a few weeks afterwards. He was very upset with me one Sunday and he said how dare I talk to Pastor Az about his whole life and I never knew that he would be going to church. So it was totally the spirit just speaking through him. And so now you know church has become his second home. I can't keep him from church right now.

Barbara:

So I want to encourage, you know, all the wives out there that have an unbelieving spouse is to never give up on prayer. You know God hears our prayer, but we as wives, you know we should just continue remaining faithful to the Lord. You know, seeking his kingdom and his righteousness and everything else will be added. That has been one of my scriptures and you know you read about his kingdom. What does God want from you?

Barbara:

As a wife, you know you learn to be his helper. In my case, I always want to make his life more easier. How can I help him? How can I make his life easier and help him in any which way that the Lord is going to show me? And every year I ask the Lord, you know, is there anything else that I can help him? Because marriage is not so much about me, it's really about the other person, and sometimes it's hard for wives to come to that place. But really, you know, when you do everything that the Lord is asking you to do and to be faithful, the Lord is going to add everything else. You know it says you know, delight yourself and the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart, and that is such a true statement.

George:

I'm standing, I'm standing. I'm actually sitting in awe right now, because she is not a person that would speak into a microphone.

Barbara:

That is absolutely true.

Joey:

Well, I was just going to say Pastor George is going to say amen, we're going to close the program.

George:

Thank you, we got everything we need this morning. That was the short of it.

Joey:

Yeah, that's really good, you know and just to let everybody listening know again, if you tune in a few minutes later, you're listening to Live for Jesus. Here on God's Way Radio. We have George and Barbara Lee in the studio and you might be thinking I don't know who that is. Am I supposed to know them? Have I met them? You might have, you may not have. They are our friends, our family, somebody we'd like you to meet.

Joey:

It's Wednesday. We try to do this every Wednesday and we've been hearing from Miss Barber Lee about how she got to know the Lord and she gave us so much I mean how her husband came to know the Lord Encouragement you know that's exactly what I was going to point out from your story was to not give up on prayer. Four years of praying for your spouse. Somebody might be praying for a child, somebody might be praying for a parent, a friend. So not to give up on prayer. And again you could say, okay, four years. Some people wait seven years, ten years, forty years.

Joey:

You know it was one of those famous preachers. He would pray for his friend every day for his whole life, fifty plus sixty years. His friend got saved at his funeral. His prayers were answered at the funeral. You know he didn't see the answered prayer, but the prayers were answered. Pastor George, I would love to get your side of that story, if possible in about three minutes, so that we, if possible, so that we can pray and then we can move on to just talking about. You know, a lot of the other things we had in mind marriage and some things you guys have learned but do but I do want to hear your story and your perspective.

George:

Well, I'm going to give the short of it quickly, so at least we get a timeline. Well, it was in 1992. That helped. For a long it's been.

George:

It's been 26 years now that she first set foot into Calvary Chapel, Miami, over here at the 67th Street property, 67th Avenue property, and we both were working at the same office.

George:

You know, and you know how, when you, when your marriage, is spending 24 seven, and then when you now work at the same place, it is 24 seven plus, and so, but not that we work together in such a way that we see each other all the time. But but you know, you know what it means, that 24 seven you spend with each other time and all that. And as that Bible study was taking place during lunch, I would have my own lunch, but not where that Bible study is happening. You know, I would walk by, peek my head in there. Everybody's, everything is cool, you know, and, and, but I want nothing to do with it, and so, but they kept on moving forward with the Lord and with the word, and and I just kept doing my own thing, you know, and, and then, yeah, and they kept praying and and what, what she has done was turning all the radio stations to the under under car yeah to the Christian radio stations, and now there's one more radio station on there.

Joey:

You have it.

George:

Just one of 4.7 guys. We were thankful for that, you know, and I know we're coming up to the prayer thing at time at seven, 45. But yeah, as as as the prayer war is here, little did. I know that many people, including the pastors and the ministers, and the fellowship of believers has been praying that I would come to know the Lord. Well, at least set foot on the property first, you know, and so that Hallelujah night was the, the first, the beginning of that, and and how the prayer do work and the prayer are effective and and God hears them, you know. For for married couples where one spouse is a believer and the other one isn't, or they both are not and someone else is praying for both of them.

George:

It will happen. God's got them on the radar and and it happened to us in such a way that God used Hallelujah night, which is the alternative for hallow Halloween night, and and to me it was hey, it's free candy and it's got to be safe.

George:

You know, it's on God's property, yeah, and so we got here, got familiar with the people. Everybody was lovely and friendly, we had a great time, and so it's a beautiful time. And God used that situation there to get me familiar with the land and get me to meet the people. And, of course, the following Sunday it was was church, and, and how could you say no to one of your daughters who says, hey, make mom happy if you go to church? And then the grandma, my mother-in-law, chimed in oh, that would be nice. How can you say no to both of them? And so God used them both to direct us to come and and and have fellowship on on on that Sunday. And I see we going over. So let's, let's just have a word of prayer. You can have someone call in, yeah, hopefully.

Joey:

Pastor Raz. He texted me he's ready to go. So family again. It's about 746 by our clock and we've just been enjoying hearing from Pastor George and Ms Barbara Lee, and it's it's. It's going to be good, looking forward to the second half of the program, but right now we stop. We pray, this is live for Jesus. Again. The phone number is 786-313-315. We'll be back.

Speaker 7:

God, we thank you. We thank you so much for divine design that on this, the second day of the year 2019, you would bless us, lord, with George and Barbara, reminding us, god, that you can turn marriages around, and not just troubled, turbulent, bad marriages, but even good marriages. Lord, you can bring addition to any relationship when we seek you, when we make you the center. Lord, use this program today. Thank you for George and Barbara. Lord, just amaze us. It. May this be a year that we pray. We pray for husbands and wives and salvation, god. We want to hear the rest of the program, so we pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Joey:

I want to hear the rest of the program too, but I love prayer and we need prayer Again. You're listening to Live for Jesus. The phone number is 786-313-3115. Pastor George, you made a comment earlier and I think it's so important and maybe Barbara would have her own perspective. And again, time is so difficult, but let's try this. You made a comment that there's something that God used in your life to get you serious. You were saved, maybe, but then you got serious. Why don't you tell us about that please?

George:

Well, just to go back a little bit, at the time when we were attending church and there was one Sunday and then the subsequent Sundays, you know, knowing that it seems that everyone is so loving, everyone is so genuine, everything is real and no one wants to get into your pocketbook, money and me were pretty tight, and so every time I go to visit a church it's all about passing the offering plate and I don't like that kind of stuff. And so afterwards I realized God is after my heart rather than after my money. And so and Barbara also said that I got upset coming to church on Sundays because every Sunday or one of the Sundays it was directly speaking to me and I said, well, how dare you just tell Pastor Raz and put my business out there? You?

George:

know, and as that has happened, I realized that it was just the Holy Spirit working, as I know now that God's Word speak to everyone personally, directly. It could be whatever the teaching is all about, but God will translate it into a way that it would speak to one directly, into one's heart. And so how did I get to that turning point? So four years later, barbara was here at 92, I set foot here at 96, and we fast forward. I've been coming to church and loving it and just hearing the Word, not really reading it, but just hearing it.

George:

Every time there was an altar call by the speaker, the teaching, my palms would get sweaty and then my heart would start to raise and I do want to go up and surrender my life and make a public confession. But then that's that small other voice that says tomorrow you'll be right back in the mud. You know, tomorrow you'll be still wheeling and dealing, doing your own thing. And so the enemy kind of like I call it the enemy which is myself it just tells me and says why are you going to do that? You're going to be a hypocrite, because tomorrow you're going to be right in back into the mud, right back into the swing of things, doing the things. You know how to do it and a little bit I realize it is. God says man, come to me just as you are and allow me to clean you, allow me to perfect you, allow me to work the things out, the kinks that are in your life. And I continue doing that from 96 to 98.

George:

There's always been a struggle to surrender to the Lord and little did I know that my life focus at that time was just money, career, just making as much money as I can so I can live as comfortably as I can. So the focus has been just a hard work, ethic, just focusing on my career, my finances and coming to church every Sunday, every Wednesday, the men's meeting. So church was my life. But the world was continuing to hold me back and the money and the finances that I sought so much after I couldn't let go. But I get a signal here that there is someone that wanted to speak and share from their heart. What a wonderful time. So let's give the speakers, the audience, the family an opportunity to share. Thank you.

Joey:

It's so hard to interrupt that story, but you've been holding patiently. Good morning, you're on. Live for Jesus.

Speaker 4:

Good morning. Good morning, this is Bobby, up in Orlando with my wife. But I just want to say real quick about what voorbirds passionately with sharing. It's amazing that now I know it's not just me. You know, if the wife was fading way before we were, and we'll just keep kids to see a Bible study and keep right back out and then all of a sudden it prayers much the way the wife prayed for us, the way the kids prayed for us, and now we with the Lord as we walk with Him and we study with Him. I just want to thank the wife for never giving up on our stubborn husband.

Joey:

Never giving up on our stubborn husband season.

George:

Yeah, we are stubborn. We're just alike, just like donkeys. You know, we're all stubborn.

Speaker 4:

And it's just awesome. It's great to hear that, especially from you two guys. Amazing, bob, very, very happy. Thank you for sharing that. It moves me this morning. I just want to say thank you. God bless All the way from. Orlando.

Joey:

God bless you. Thank you for listening from Orlando. Orlando ties us together here in this room. Bobby, we're going to let you go. We have somebody else on hold. God bless you. Thank you again for listening from Orlando. Good morning, we go to our next family on the phone line. Good morning.

Speaker 5:

Good morning everyone. This is Nora.

Joey:

Are you in Orlando too? Yes, oh, my goodness.

George:

You better be in Orlando too, because the two shall become one.

Speaker 5:

What's funny is I'm in the bedroom, my husband's in another room. I didn't know. He called until a few minutes ago and I'm hearing him and I'm on hold waiting to get on line.

George:

That's amazing. He got ahead of you.

Speaker 5:

Oh, my goodness, that is so funny. I just want to say thank you to both of you for sharing your testimony and I pray that the Lord will continue to use you in the couple's ministry and also in the couple's retreat, because it's been such an inspiration to us and, I'm sure, to many couples. We've learned a lot how to apply, put God first, even in our marriage, and then to appreciate your husband and how hard they work for us and how they're always there protecting us, and just thank you, thank you, and God bless you.

George:

You're welcome. I'm reminded of a verse that says you know God will make us a suitable helper. It's not good for man to be alone, you know. That's why we have our helpmate, our companion, our lifelong companion, with us, so that when we fall or when things are going rough for us, we have a companion that we can lean upon one another, while we both together lean upon Jesus to get us through everything. And I know we all go through difficult times, difficult things, but God is the one that's going to see us through it. You know this too shall pass, and we are to glorify his name after it's all said and done, and that God has a purpose, has a plan, despite how difficult, how intense the trials can be. But God's got us on the radar. You know he's got us.

Speaker 5:

Yes, he does Amen.

Joey:

Have a wonderful time in Orlando Enjoy.

Speaker 5:

Yes, thank you. Thank you and God bless everyone.

Joey:

God bless you. 786-313-3115. Just a few minutes left, but, pastor George, we can't leave everybody hanging. We have to finish that story.

George:

Okay, so the story goes is that from 96 to 98, day in and day out in the church, coming to as much as I can to receive, to be equipped, and yet never surrendering. You know, we could be in church carrying our Bibles, highlighting speak the lingo, but the ultimate surrender, the turning point in our lives, to actually say Jesus, come into my life, come into my heart. I truly surrender it all. But God was dealing with me in a sense that he says you can't love money and love God at the same time. You know, and he made it a point to get me to that place of just a turning point where God says ya, basta. You know, in Spanish, enough of doble partido. You know of loving God and loving money at the same time. You will either hate one or love the other.

George:

And it came to a place where I was dealing in the world, in the business world, in a gray area of the business and making lots of money you know, and little did I know that, instead of gaining and possessing money, money was having a grip on my life and not allowing me to truly surrender, and so I was like a prisoner. I was like a prisoner in the financial world, had a lot of money invested until one day in 1998, september 1, and, wouldn't you know, it is actually my anniversary date. God has a funny way of dealing with us to remember a particular day that the things that I was doing was not in accordance with the complete compliance of the law, you know. And so what has happened? There is. God just broke me, you know.

George:

I got very familiar with the civil proceedings, you know, and the criminal law. Everything was the criminal law was dropped, you know, and everything else, and the civil proceedings continued for the next three years, and it was a difficult time, but God saw through it and he knew that I needed to be liberated from that, you know. And it took three years, you know, from 1998 all the way to 2001, when every civil case was dealt with, and now I'm on fire for the Lord. You know, nothing can hold us back. God knew what we needed, and sometimes we needed to go through the fire, you know, and I had to go through that fire in order for the Lord to do a beginning work, a true, genuine work in our lives, in our marriage.

Joey:

Well, pastor George, miss Barbara, it looks like we're gonna have to have you back, believe it or not. We are out of time. We have seconds left, but we've gotten so much just from hearing your stories, because I know so often and we're gonna go a few seconds over, but I know so often that people you know they hear verses, they hear bullet points and we need the verses. In a sense, we really should rather have the verses, but it's special when we get to hear personal stories, experiences and how you've come through them, how God has brought you through them. But, man, I'm looking at your notes. Oh, man, I wanna look at these notes. So if God opens the door, we're gonna have you guys back again and we're gonna just start on minute one Talking about marriage. Let's talk marriage, you know, but thank you so much for sharing your stories with us. I would say if there's anything left you wanna say but we're over time, we love you. If you just wanna say, see you later. Goodbye to the family on the radio.

George:

We love the radio family and keep on tuning into 104.7. It's the best radio station out there. It's gonna give you life.

Joey:

Hey, I did not give him breakfast yet, so that was on him. God bless you family.

Tiffany:

We hope you enjoyed Friends and Family, unique conversations recorded and produced in our studios, where you get a chance to hear what God is doing in people's lives. Jesus tells us in John 15, verse 15, I have called you friends for all things that I heard from my father I have made known to you. So that's why we love to share these exclusive interviews with you. Our hope is that through their stories God will be made known to you, but you can only find them here on God's Way Radio. Just check God'sWayRadiocom for our full program schedule.