Carly Dixon, Rob Hillmer, and Michael Brazier

Pursuits where you hear from ordinary people instilled with an extraordinary passion together we explore the stories of men and women who take what they love and let God turn their passion into the kingdom pursuits now live from the truth. Your host Robbie Gilmore well I hope your preparing stuff on this Thanksgiving window of pursuits. I am just telling you that we are loaded for bear. Today I am really really excited because of who we have in the audience/our studio today. We have first while Carly Dixon, which with a name like Carly Dixon and I sounds like singers, not just a beautiful name. It is really good when I did, and now Carly Dixon with and I love this. This also is a mouthful. Carolina cognitive rehabilitation.

I did that my best radio voice did like the South Carolina cognitive rehabilitation read rehabilitation so a course that begs the question what kind of annotation we are actually a nonprofit organization and we exist to help strengthen traumatic brain injury patients are survivors, and the issue is, is when they leave the hospital. A lot of times they are financially depleted and they have no way to afford further therapy and said he'll do outpatient for short period of time within their gone home and there's nothing left to do. A lot of times they sent home there isolated and what we do is we have a program we have very skilled clinicians and we offer language in cognitive rehabilitation so they can come in and work on memory and problem-solving expressive language in writing and we are loaded were stuffed today on kingdom pursuits were just giftedness that ducks think Robert. We also with Robert Hillmer, one of our old friends with the Winston-Salem rescue Mission and Robert wait. We had a banquet. We've had a scholarship and we get to have Thanksgiving here in a minute and black and white but Robert which got force well aware 51st banquet on November 1. We also want frail fakers are farm and one of the blessings we had a we had pastor Jonathan Falwell come from University of Toms Rd., Baptist Church down and he preached Dawson was her speaker and he at the end he won Joan K-1 Jones parking tickets for him so he get his driver's license and any Michael who is here with me the studio to give Michael full for your ride to Liberty University. Can you imagine how awesome this time there was really a surprising and really awesome.

But one thing I'm really excited about is you guys have Thanksgiving. We do we are doing things giving dinner on thanks giving Day at 12 noon at the Winston-Salem rescue Mission.

Our goal is to feed 1500 people want to support their please feel free to check us out on the web or give me a call at 533-6723 1848 and will be happy to help you.

Our goal to feed 1500 people and how and as you can imagine. Speaking of Thanksgiving is coming coming coming you're waiting I'm waiting we're waiting for the patient lives well she's going to get another minute to go with it okay when it comes on you this letter right. Speaking of Thanksgiving and John Wayne would say for a great Thanksgiving pilgrim he would say which I can look for a great Thanksgiving pilgrim you know I don't know if you tried this, but from what I understand getting the longer part of the wishbone is a snap. Just doesn't get any better than this.

I'm just telling you you heard about this new song. Maybe. Maybe this can be sung by Carly Dixon. That sounds like it's all about the based about the based no gobble Rachel, that's funny, it's all about the based and I don't know if you knew this but as a matter fact gravy is based on Turkey drippings.

You think Thanksgiving dinners over these jokes wasting stuff and yet buddy both gravy boat has arrived calories disembarking and of course we have a number of Thanksgiving rentals not just one, to give you answers to most of the last when you have a chance to win what role the green beans plate you feel free to jump in here, Robert. What role do Thanksgiving dinner is Carly casserole that's rolled light in the cook bothered the season the Thanksgiving turkey she didn't have the time and how did the Turkey manager survive Thanksgiving. He stayed ahead of the carve bear. I got it I got a smile on Rachel what you call it when people take turns making fun of the Thanksgiving turkey called a roast. Did you know pilgrims made their own special dinner rolls for the first Thanksgiving. They came from, you guessed it, Mayflower somebody out there just it anyway then you know there's a book about a pilgrim who had a love affair with turkeys is called I know 50 shades of gravy, and last but certainly not least on the free riddled to get to the one reading what you call a turkey with no feathers you call it plucky. There you go. So all that said, here's your chance to win. You call in and tell us in.

This is not actually biblical riddled with just in the spirit of Thanksgiving and having always fun. I decided to try different kind of little this week.

What kind of cats did the pilgrims bring over on the Mayflower. What kind is there you go you could call it a win at 866-34-TRUTH 87884 if you could tell us based on the way. Robbie things.

What kind of cats did the pilgrims bring over on the Mayflower. And if you can tell us that Rachel, Delwin, she's getting used to the button well when a book from the kingdom pursuits. There you go, may even be based 866-34-TRUTH 87884.

What kind of cats over on the Mayflower. I know you love that I'm an 11 – 866-348-7884 Michael you got the scholarship delivery so I know everything in the truth audience also listens to the price is right would like to know what you can study the plan is to get an undergrad in biblical studies really yes and what were you to do that. Not hundred percent sure yet what is jealous to begin really. You get to go to college to learn about the Bible do incredibly blessed in that sense and you know the last year the mission and I'll fakers. This has changed my life in a way that I never could've imagined. So all of this coming at once with with me graduating with my year coming up meetings over a year now so so you and throughout fakers. I did so he you as an ear to hear the same note cards out here. All right, well, you can see that the lines are not well yeah we do have a live on the phone.

This can tell us what kind of cats brought over on the Mayflower to hear much more about Carolina cognitive rehabilitation kingdom pursuits. They are so blessed to have with us Robert Brazier with the Winston-Salem rescue Mission where while they've had so much on this fall and amazing banquet and the course given a scholarship for Michael would get into that and also we have Carly Dixon with the Carolina cognitive rehabilitation nonprofit in order to find out more about that but I know right now if you like me, you're dying to find out what kind of cats the pilgrims bring over on the Mayflower. We have Orlando well Orlando's we lost connection with Orlando somewhere were getting ready to get Orlando back here in a second and will be able to take various Orlando urine kingdom pursuits can can hear me. Orlando yet another wonderful well I just personally excited to hear your answer to what kind of cats that the Puritans bring seasoning. I'm not writing I will make all the lower the window on the lower Collie flower cauliflower cats like I think you're exactly right. I did not see a single Came off the Mayflower, but I'm guessing one of them was cauliflower its classic classic I you know is there such a breed is cauliflower, cats know when you eat while they were definitely in the Thanksgiving we know that so it's very likely that that that happened and and I bet you baby me out as you might guess, I had another answer in mind, so you can call in at 866-34-TRUTH 87884 and try that.

If you'd like that. I love cauliflower Time to write that down.

That's that was appreciate your creativity. Orlando is making me want to think about cauliflower is that some future time coming up. I haven't completely delineated all that I can do with cauliflower but I'm pretty sure that is that your letter God bless. All right. Thank you. Wow, did not see that one coming.

Did you know 866-34-TRUTH 87884 if you want to give a shot at what the cats the pilgrims brought over on the Mayflower. So Michael, when Ellis concurrently so one day you're sitting there and all of a sudden you feel the need to get into cognitive how did that happen. I mean well always worked with head injury patient and so I came on when you say you've always worked with head and well in grad school I studies acknowledging and during grad school I really became interested in their neurological side and working with traumatic brain injury and stroke, and they communicate very curious.

Did you have somebody in your life.

Not but I had a professor that can't take me under her wing and I did a research project with her and I just really developed a passion and and leave a day seven? Actually, and go out and help people that cannot afford to get therapy at all, and here's a young Carly yeah, and God's obviously work the Sam still young.

Yes, very, very young and yeah really young, just when you're a kid. Carly and God was working on you and there was that first or second or third patient and all of a sudden you saw God do something and you're like wow can you take us back to that story, I would say probably one of the most memorable is when I lived in Asheville and I was with an organization, we would go up in the Appalachian Mountains and help people necessarily know that they had had a stroke or brain injury that just seeing someone that developed the ability to learn how to talk again when they can communicate and there's a lot of superstition in those areas and so they would be countersigned from families if all this and they were allowed to talk to their paralyzed on one side and you know it can be considered and some other reason. Superstitions and so they would be signed and sent in those instances I can think of one man in particular. And when he first learned how to say his name again in his wife's name and I just remember he just had huge tears in his eyes, and because he wasn't allowed to go to any attic community activities and casinos, shined and said he continue to improve and continue to praise and intercourse Nalley see that on a different level with Carolina cognitive that we see people that even now as many as 10 years post stroke are injury better able to acquire new things that they were able to do before and it's really God created the brain to be.

It's an amazing amazing organ and its ability to repair itself is just amazing laugh fell in love with and developed a passion for helpfulness people we take for granted. I was thinking about that this morning is interesting.

I got put some on your mind and then also know that's what you put that on my mind as I was thinking about you know at one point I was in a wheelchair for correction and when you're in a wheelchair you're watching your son play basketball and you want to play with its terrors at your heart but I can imagine to be inside my own head and I can't say my own name and people don't want to have anything to do with me because I think I'm crazy or whatever they think. So you got to see between what you been taught by this professor gave you the passion and the things that you learn this amazing fruit of God's work in this man's life and so no wonder. No wonder you had to see that to be able to get that this just blows my mind.

I mean how cool is that. And so, looking over here at Michael Brazier.

I'm sure like me you're thinking this man should work as like chef somewhere like Michael Brazier.

I mean, oh my goodness, what a wonderful smile and it just wonderful person to be around. Time I've known about Michael. I'm just going how the world a guy like you end up at the rescue mission over a long progressive period of time. Basically grew up with parents. They were both addicts and had some traumatic things happen to me as a child I had a sister that passed away really young age cancer really howled when she she was 10, I was 14 at the time. Oh my goodness, so I had to be in. It didn't just happen overnight.

It was a brutal period of time. It was, it didn't happen overnight, but it was really fast it was. She was diagnosed and then she passed away just before the year mark of her diagnosis and her parents weren't dealing with that and all that well and obviously didn't have a lot for you, who was also trying to doing yeah and that's sort of an impressionable time for a 14-year-old. I was graduating middle school going in the high school and that sort of let me down a path of self-medicating and ways to deal with sort of trying to trying to be the strong one for my parents who obviously were doing well with losing a daughter and also in a way sort of blocking out my own emotions during that time so that so that I could be the strong one wow and so how how did God orchestrate your arrival and 1/2 acres. I had realized along with my wife and the family members that I'm still close with you that I had an issue with substance abuse that had sort of stem back all the way to my teens, and there were good times and bad. During that 20 years or so, but it is gotten pretty bad.

Leading up last year and I tried over a few over about a year before that, like NA and AA sort of some semi-religious ways of going about getting sober and none of those really worked and I was at my wits and I had.

I just truly accepted Christ into my life at that point and my wife was from Jacksonville and new valve acres which is a rehabilitation program that is 100% biblical based and that's that's what led me there is I didn't know what to do. I know that all your why that is awesome.

She played a big role and she did played a bigger role than than she realizes sometimes. I'm sure my wife would say the same thing where I would say the same thing about my why she has no idea the role should and me sitting here right now so you got half acres already given your heart to Christ. Was there a moment where God came in and said let me show you some Michael.

There was, I had been there. It's what first got there.

Your they sorta cut you off from the world. There's there's no cell phone the entire time you there your Internet access is restricted in the first 30 days, you're not allowed to contact anyone so they want really separate you and give you some introspection like really make you look at why you need a year to get your life back in shape and I did that and you know, for the first time in probably 10 years or so like God really lifted my diction from the point I didn't have cravings and have that desire asked him; to hear more about him going there. We got Peter Rosenberger.

Most of hope for the caregiver, Carly Dixon and I know you're still about cats coming off the Mayflower brought over here by you.

Call us poster children for that today we have Carly Dixon and her passion for Carolina cognitive rehabilitation and while I was hearing some stuff during the break. I'm excited to share with you guys about that in the minute we also have Robert Helmer with the Winston-Salem rescue Mission, Michael Brazier, who was awarded the full ride to Liberty University. We heard a little bit of his story and how God's worked with him out of alpha acres, but now we get a new treat. We got Peter Rosenberger who is the host of hope for the caregiver and Peter being the Riddler that he is I'm hoping is going to know the answer to the riddle today. Peter know we lost Peterson's comment on the line, but the riddle today that you can call in and ask answer what kind of cats did the pilgrims bring over on the Mayflower.

That's right. What kind of cats like feline cats that the pilgrims and unlike most of my riddles.

There's nothing in the Bible about this because you know the Bible was written after the Mayflower incident, but in this particular case, there are certain cats. Besides the cauliflower cats that we heard about earlier are some other ones. Peter Rosenberger is not just to know what kind I thought you beg for sure I go there I don't know more than one way to skin this riddle. I love your topic this morning and I get on this topic. Only one nationally members of our caregivers caregiver for three decades plus now for my wife was medically show that working with the caregiver. But if you have a chronic impairment between that person.

Even worse is by definition a character and so I look at the folks you have a self abuse. Love, love, one with this and I think okay person because even if the person stops drinking or stops taking drugs and they get sober and support to deal with the aftermath of what occurred that in the first place is a long process. You don't just stop drinking.

Also, everything is happy happy happy all the time to the reason you started drinking in the first place, and so those caregivers need to understand that they have their own recovery journey to walk through of regaining their own sobriety. Emotional sobriety of dealing with somebody who has that cut of impairment. So I really appreciate you bringing this topic to show nearly the other part that we have Carly Dixon with Carolina cognitive rehabilitation and she works with victims of brain traumatic brain injury or stroke. She has a nonprofit to those individuals, but like you say every one of those individuals is surrounded by caregivers and in and in that situation. In fact, there was just telling her that the break I have a dear friend. Lot of you may have heard them on the radio with me.

His name is Vinnie Menino. His son Vinnie was robbed and beaten almost to death in downtown Winston-Salem about two years ago and they hit him over the head several times with a hammer. You know about that Robert right and the results of that was a very traumatic as you can imagine brain injury, and I've watched him you know is he went from not being able to function or use words at all.

As he begins to walk through that adventure. But I mean wow that's really really tough stuff and the Olympics in Vancouver shone like one of the top guys in the world. X games all had a terrible fall and wearing a helmet and he still had it meant to us to go through this watch the personality changes quite what to do. It is very difficult thing so she produced topic and God bless you. For your show, which is so important and what a cool thing that God gave you a passion for caregivers and enemies given Carly this passion for so is our target. Carly it would be good just for people to know while there is somebody right here in the Winston-Salem area and right family since his Carolina cognitive rehabilitation anywhere in the Carolinas do you get to travel.

We don't travel really did have people that can friend him on a regular basis from Hickory we have people from the Charlotte area so they did come from all over this to one day open satellite locations and that we can extend our reaches and throughout the state because their secession need that is awesome and you know I just sit there rolling around in my mind a bit of many of the listers gone man. I know a guy if you know a guy, there's good news cc cog so that's her website it's WW WCC COG rehab.org Emma try get up that that outfit kingdom pursuits.com right this minute we have a really important caller. I mean this is so important because my sister actually Cindy is calling in with an answer to because you know she too shares to do more wit and mind what kind of cats did the pilgrims bring over on the Mayflower as I knew you'd know her tunes that he knows he later well the good news is for the cats. They have seven lives to endure it and they know whether you are exactly right to think it was seven. I don't know. It's a perfect number is nine. You're right Here. I think I might need cognitive rehab. Thank you Mandy for season coming from, calling from Michigan that really didn't Carolina people you know that no you know you can't do this at home. You know, this is my first rodeo. So I know you go back to Michael who I I am so you you're there. That situation tell me about your relationship now with your wife. We've been together for almost 9 years, but the last year of our relationship during my recovery and during me gaining my biblical foundation has changed our relationship definitely in a way that I never could have imagined. Like were were definitely way closer. We deftly have a better understanding of what a marriage is supposed to be like and so was here was your wife a believer she she was my wife is actually the one that led me to Christ.

Yes, her her father, my father-in-law is a minister in Louisville, so she she knows the Bible better than I do at this point I'm sure now, so was her father instrumental in some of this to.

He was, he he had an addiction problem as not as severe as mind that at one point his life in his teenage years in high school drinking and stuff like that but he was never real forceful.

He was always sort of let me figured out a moan pace because I think in his heart he knew that if he tried to force sort of the Bible down my throat that it wasn't to do any good.

So I'm very appreciative that he's definitely one of my mentors now and someone that will be wise counsel moving forward.

I wonder, since we have Carly here with us. As I listened to that I think you know so often that young lady looks for their father in a man right and there's this addictive personality and and and so she she saw that.

But then, interestingly, the father-in-law in a second Corinthians chapter 1 you were comforted by Christ. You know you're there to comfort others, which is obviously know the whole basis of your ministry to the extent the basis of Peter's ministry. By all means write Peter that whatever you let Christ ministry wow we have a listener has a comment we don't miss out on this. We have Angela is in Burlington, Angela, you're on kingdom pursuits good morning good morning Robbie did last time you kingdom to Peter Berger was one of your gayest and shared wiki photographed, was having being a caregiver for my mother and and I hear the music in the background.

Good catch Angela so I'll wait. Fortunately, we have nine lives here since 97 Frank Angela please stay on with this. I'm very happy new and Peter. The saga continues on kingdom pursuits as we are loading the Mayflower with Robert Hillmer with Winston Michael Brazier also Louisville rescue mission Carly Dixon with Carolina cognitive rehabilitation Peter Rosenberger with hope for the caregivers now Angela is calling him when we left her here.

Angela, she had called in before when Peter was on the show and you want to hear another crazy coincidence, Peter is Robert Hillmer was also in that I have met Robert back in 10 months, but he was he was there. That same day, Samantha. You are on the same group that we had before going far away.

Okay, you greeted me with what we haven't heard from you in a long time Angel and I told you it was because I was extremely busy being a caregiver for my mother and you and Peter made me promise that by the end of the day I would do something just for me that I truly enjoyed and it would now 11:45 but I did I make myself incorporate myself in an envelope and mailed it and will when I got it two days later it was an encouragement that don't you make a lot you do you do a lot of handmade greeting cards if I remember correctly, yes sir.

Well that is awesome.

And now you listen to my show on the Truth Network every afternoon at four Eastern yes sir I'm trying to will decide is like a big shout out to Stu Epperson and then Robbie Gilmore perceive the value of what we do to reach that family caregivers often overlooked debate.

They don't really know what to say in your why we do the show. Angela and Robbie has been a guiding force agreeing that show to the metal to Truth Network but even beyond.

And so it's all about taking these places where were wounded.

All from the Christ. Watching in amazement what he does with our broken pieces.

Well, I some other things have happened. My mom was in the hospital for her, congestive heart failure and she was released to a nursing home. I'm going to be good to be transparent right now and just celebrated my 68th birthday a few weeks ago and I leave with my parents all of my life, but now getting have an apartment, and having great actually with the interior declaration. I know it was the right thing to do. I had handle. I have no brothers or sisters so allotted plant from other members of family. My mother's sisters fell on me but but that's okay wow I'm serious something in one of your books in your studies for somebody that is been a caregiver. Most of their life and all the sudden finds himself.

Without that responsibility well. I personal standpoint of the one of the things that you are doing well is that you're learning that it's okay for you to good pet and and provide for yourself and your own peace of mind. I was related to the day. Who's that they give her brother from another mother just made her promise that she would not go through the floor.

You try to get rid of all the closer try to settle everything out. Just do it as it comes, as she has strength to do than take a break don't hurry didn't get here overnight you not to get out of it overnight. I'm doing mother was so all you mom. I am not feeling well. We've got a long ways to go before we reached that bridge and they conflict between my apartment and in the house and I'm not selling it or not doing anything for you rush anything. You just pace yourself because you're already stripped caregiver. What Scripture still tried to manage the craziness of the caregivers did to thrive on chaos inappropriately. We can't sustain that.

We gotta learn to make tougher stillness of makeup or illness like to guys we have Carly with this obviously works in this field is so I'm I'm I'm I'm interested in your perspective on what happens when all of a sudden your life changes like that Dennis and a lot of caregivers that often times the strength of brain injuries, strength, and you'll see where roles change and that's a big shock to them and so there's a lot of guilt that comes with a caregiver guilt that if they do go out and do something on their own or when they did have to take an alleged landing in skilled nursing facility or something like that. There's guilt that comes with that and we do like caregiver catching Carolina cognitive Alistair and try to help them see you know the value in doing what they what they know they're being led to two and let you know may on the front and bring some guilt. In reality, it's what's best for them and for their landline in the long run. So we really encouraged him, I think, is to get as support system in place other people and go out and find a support great find. Just great. The women joined a Bible study. I think isolation that comes with being a caregiver is is one of the things that is most detrimental. And so especially if you're in a place where you've been a caregiver all your life or for a long period of time and then you're not anymore. I would say go out and find people find people that you can connect with and you know she said she likes to make cards onto great and make cards with them. I promise you promised to go out and meet some people. There a lot of it sure that I haven't been able to getting back in nail and I don't have learned not to feel guilty or not to feel bad, say good night to my mother and I'll see you would be day after tomorrow the big stamp and I just want to say a very heart felt God place you and thank you got everything together for Peter to be on the program again today and just amazing. Your show comes on the cross to Truth Network tomorrow and I've always support on call in for clock here in this area right but in different skill and guilt in isolation or to the landlord talk about in my book 7 caregiver landline that we as caregivers of it on the crèche to W caregivers. If you could, and then Robert, I would. I would imagine in your line of work with Winston-Salem rescue Mission isolation is what I get in there to yeah absolutely as well as easily try to do is with an incoming we get them involved with different churches and groups in classes because a lot of my slight a lot of homeless Latimer just sitting off and doing whatever they're doing and are also in a group situation so it did take some steps to these people, myself included, the time to open up and Angela let me to share with you that there's guys sitting over there the top of the Piedmont building they've isolated.

They pulled away from everybody in their own way. You know, trying to hide from stuff you know and often think there since the rescue mission down there and his people are set up in those high-rises looking down think about scheduling a problem and those people of the top that I rise over there. You know, like me, you never sit near we we isolate when we get scared and all those things to say. Thank you for your medicine Angela. I'm so grateful you called them today that was awesome and courageous. Well, thank you for let me appreciate you, Peter and all of your network.

You give me so much that listeners there's no reason for us to do this. Let's have a happy Thanksgiving with Us but but… Well, we need to know once again urge people to go to WS rescue.org and find out more about acres you may have somebody you know that means that program is an amazing program over there year, but they have the life builders program and they have, what are they will live life builders program, which is a 90 day program than the Transformers program which is a one-year program. We do that both downtown and elevators are right and so the course cc see if you going on and on the web cc COG which is CC cog rehab.org to find out more about Carly and Carolina cognitive rehab and of course Peter were hoping there to listen tomorrow but you got your own standing with help website as well as books and all sorts of stuff caregiver.com hope for the caregiver if you're in that situation so many resources are available. Again, if you're stuck in a situation where you know somebody that needs alpha acres that they need the rescue mission. Or again cognitive rehab. Wow, what a blessing and a call for God has been enlisting people in all these different areas in caregiving and we have is got a whole army the whole world is almost a perfect well say now say to know the truth that were yet so much truth to match a management journey starts here now at 12 o'clock and then disciple magazine.

Thank you for listening