From Meteorologist to Minister!

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This is good Truth Network I'm sitting next to my fellow twin tower of media, who is a who's been a meteorologist in media and he's gone from being a famous weatherman to being a pastor of a church missionary, a radio broadcaster all kinds of things in I believe one other little thing in your resume that you really tell a lot of Austin Calvinists is taking a self-defense caught across how do you call that class with your fellow twins think it was Krav Maga all right in our man marketeers and Tina Morgan is the most impressive woman on the planet, probably when it comes our strength and her heart in the face of the Lord. But yes to and I enjoyed with our daughters. Learning how to defend ourselves and then it was good.

The fact that were similar size twin towers. Yeah, we were both beaten up on each other and Saddam yelled over handle me. That was good. But yeah, defender of the faith. Now for sure yet what a story only get that story know if I want to thank the Lord were both walking out even after that that those tough combat sessions right here Tina and Mark put us through the steps in our daughters. I was a lot of fun and vanity marks daughter who's gone on to be with the Lord.

Since then she put me in a choke hold out out is likely what were him I was told she was such a sweet gal and you know she was tougher than most guys if you didn't know her personally but still one of the sweetest things I got to experience before the Lord would take her home to be with him. She was working in the gelato salon which is right their own country club and I don't know what the Lord and on in her life recently that she had a glow to her and a smile to her that I'd never seen on her and I told her I sent caps to get you just irradiating the Lord's law.

This is incredible. She's not happy in their work I'm helping with helping she was happier there helping her damn than I've ever seen her in a skiing barefoot on blues like yes run for wailers funding gone or whatever it is. She did enjoy silly things in life, but she was the happiest I've ever seen her. And that helped bring me peace. When we were so saddened by her like intake so it is just a great example of the hope that we have in the Lord and how we we don't need to live in fear that when it comes even when it's a shock and surprise, we we live in the hope that hope gives us at Blessed assurance. It calms us and affirms the peace of the Lord that he's put in us just what she had that day, and since it is given me peace and I was given Mark Theiss and his wife, peace, and the whole family basin. This is a time a year where the Prince of peace. Boy, he gets proclaim like no other time of the year is just really want to know were issued on Stu Epperson. This is true. Talking one of my heroes really and great friend for many years. Austin Cavanaugh, Sue. Many of you in the North Carolina area and you watch them on the doing the weather is a meteorologist in the big tall weatherman and these are to bend a bit approached here in the restaurant with the Mayflower to see the restaurant exit 118 Rachel North Carolina will come by any of our Utah listeners or blisters from all over the country, all the world listeners in any of the truth talk you come over North America white will treat you Mayflower to with Gus Gus, just a hater want to say to a safe hello everyone agrees or summonsed is amazing amazing gifted chef businessman, a memory of a job hello guys think you have to know you guys Gus Hodges Acosta's and Foster was a far stemming if that means thank you so I place a vessel over Greece so we talk about, we have someone, but he brought out submit amazing food that Austin who is Austin Well you know there's a lot of different directions I can take you but follow the Lord's lead really would say it's a man that continues to embrace being humbled by this one that place our hope in and being continuously richly rewarded by this relationship that were called to enter into that God has allowed us to participate in and through Christ and greatest gift is ever been given not just a Christmas gift, but it's better than a birthday gift, it's better than a graduation gift. It's it's the greatest gift that keeps on giving. So yeah Austin campus is a guy that is glad to embrace that call to give and it shall be given to you because I'm giving in response only gives so that leaves me to give more that was made to live more this abundant life that Jesus is given not just life will resettle and we do our best to try to do God's best. We embrace the abundant life and that's what I'm learning to do more him calling me to be a pastor six years ago Stu, that's what you really realize how much you don't know and and how much God wants to teach you in learning to know him directly because my mentor, my dear Pastor Allen right shares the light here on the same radio airwaves said will the sweetest things to me among many other things. He shared with me in our dear time together may mentor by him, not just as my pastor and shepherd, but as my personal mentor in ministry. He said pastoring is listening. So I am one who is always listening.

Listening to his heart so I can have ears to hear others' hearts because everybody has concerns of their hearts and their skirts in their heart is questions and have yet to be answered. And I'm glad the Lord has made a position now where I've got the time to do that but is listening and also sharing what I hear that Lord willing and submitting helpful somebody else from weatherman to pastor in now before it take us back to the early days of storage grow up close out how Jacoby no Lord, what, where, when did you start to hear that the tug of Christ on your heart, Dan's first job out of law school. He's a Mercer law graduate and make George up his first job at law schools check in real estate titles for a lawyer in Plymouth North Carolina called Carl Bailey.

No Washington County, North Carolina, Downey's small-town warehouses there now and they ruled the roost there, but this was back in the early 70s I think I was born there in the late 60s, a course we moved to Siler city for a short time he got an assistant DA position in Burlington and then Burlington is where I spent a lot of my childhood years up before high school, so it was then living in Burlington, their municipal Stadium Memorial Stadium and brother were wheels will outflank Cummings Cavaliers Williams used a big robbery.

There's just like Duke Carolina but one Sunday evening, my parents said were going to hear Leighton Ford who I think lived in Lake Norman at the time in the Billy Graham's brother-in-law or some like that. I think he married Billy Graham sister. I believe I can't remember her name Leighton Ford was speaking at Burlington Memorial Stadium and it was a Sunday night. It was eight years old and he gave a message and that was that was a night where I'm like church I went in plain hangman with my brother and tic-tac-toe and check this watch minutes to see how Sumer can get the mom's cherry roast in the crockpot enough. I was listening and he had the light of the Lord in hand. He was talking about his son, Sandy, I believe, I think I diner something like that. I do remember that about it. But what I remember is you know my heart even warms number colonists to 4045 years when he gave that altar call it the end for the very first time in my life. Not only was excited to get but in a handsome, handsome, happy tears that were accompanying me and my willingness to get Noel to my family that felt that I didn't ask when he asked I responded and I went down an essay saying that sweet little.

Just as I am Saul. I can remember sitting in that cool summer night. I remember how cool it was, but I remember how comforting it was looking up at him being as close as I was doing because I could fill warmth of Lord in my heart because I was yielding to his stroll. I don't understand all that but the Lord has since being able to recall that has helped bring all that together on how significant that was when I asked a minimum harden. I enjoyed that experience that much stated that the next time when I went to my associate reformed Presbyterian Church ARP in Burlington forever. James Davison gave an altar call medicine will experience it again.

Saul went down to the same thing and I went out until about Artie done it. Leighton Ford's width of the whole thing again on my all this is great this is great and then I did 1/3 time to time and you never, ever since his look and pulled me aside emphasis and also want you don't need keep doing this is you kidding me this is this is incredible. I want to stop doing so yeah eventually you move forward in your file, but that's where it started some some unfortunate backsliding. My senior year in high school started when my parents made the announcement. The splint that hurt my heart and instead of faithfully allowing the Lord time to heal my heart.

Stu took matters in the moment, hands, and I said I don't like the way this fills my interest in this church stuff for a while because I'm going to church on my license lived in while I can't believe will allow this to happen was upset at. I was disappointed I was angry and allow that anger to eventually turn into bitterness and like his word says. I didn't realize the value of that advice in Hebrews 12 it says not to let a root of bitterness spring up or many will be defiled and am living proof of that truth is Austin cavernous from weatherman to preacher of God's word, save it eight years old and gone on to be someone that many of you in North Carolina.

No is like your favorite weatherman. Now he's a pastoring option with right now.

In an interesting place. I've never done a show from the corner booth of the Mayflower to restaurant rule Hall I'm Stu Epperson wherever you are. I'm glad you're with me you'll love the food here and thanks to Gus for further up to cooking up some really good food and thanks to Austin cavernous for sharing his story with us and what a story having to construe your testimony as a young guy you Going for you.

Love that feeling of of of receiving the Lord and you knew you were him and he was in you, but then things got tough. You talk about dealing with the bitterness go through a tough split with your parents. So many kids are the victims. Now those victims by way of divorces. The kids and so tell us how God got you through your senior in high school, North Carolina. What happened next. Well prodigal son years turning away from the father. Unfortunately, trying to live the worldly way of the lordly ways like to put that and while times in Appalachian flunking out of school up there after two years of partying and not going to class. But as fun as that may have felt at the time. The longer I did this to the emptier and more desperate was becoming inside and it didn't matter how good any of those experiences were emotionally in a flash way, whether it's the bus from alcohol or the thrill of meeting another girl but you never thought you would even have the nerve to talk to at but instead being able to speak pretty smoothly and have a laugh at your jokes, because you have that, false confidence that alcohol can give you sometimes in calming your nerves.

It was never successful and soothing my heart heart and that pain never went away because I was always there.

The next day, and over time it it just the only thing that was ever going to resolve that was was going to be coming back to the farm and praise the Lord.

There were guys fraternity brothers like Brad Burris who occasionally on Sundays you see them in their time at Tyndale bathroom and the dormant man we just were out last year's went to bed a few hours ago. We hung over headache going to charge me.

I want to go with you right your crazy man. We don't want to church. I try to talk them out of going but praise the Lord. He taught me into going with him and man oh man grew up going to church now go with you sure did approval. Don't tell me about church and faith. Man, I know all about church saw through my close on went with them, but mainly Jason and Megan made out parking lot working here singing inside where I didn't have a tear, and I can have packages here in my heart Lord's loving whisper welcome home welcome home son even even hung over with a headache on the drive over headache turn into a heart healing beginning because I knew right then.

Despite how bad I didn't. Despite the mistakes I made despite having turned away from him and turned away from me began arousing internally for me had given up on me.

So there was hope weeks after that even after flunking out of school. I would meet my this gal from Lincoln County on a blind date we go see dirty dancing in downtown Boonton shared a tub of popcorn and praise Lord just in May 26 of this year.

We just celebrated sharing 30 years of marriage circulation that was very instrumental part of healing.

This heart heart from a broken marriage by bringing me the wife that would consummate my marriage and also produced two wonderful children, 1922 Austin second Lacey so yeah legs and you know Ansell with the class and and she was comfortable going to church a lot of something so that begin to not only heal my heart heart began to renew my faith and love God's love is perfect love, which cast out, that figure so yeah we got married. Whether some of love, laughter watching Frank deal is energy on channel 8. I love that God sent man. He loves what he's doing… Going jokes. I love the weather, broadcast great Appalachian goes after that.

As long as they would get back in school, graduate make enough grace to get my broadcast degree got a little job working at channel 16 in Burlington, which was another religious station in Burlington that want to start a local newscast. So I just called him to try to make a demo taken. Next thing I know is Lord would have it not look, Lord Jesus will restart local newscast want to come on in and he gave me a copy of the Times news newspaper in Burlington is a just history that definitely cameras and all went well. Officials in Alamance County arrested, you know Tom Jenkins for cocaine possession innocent like that I'm reading the news article and he stopped after about 36 is okay you're hired 01 is a good replacement.

These little places you said you said you like whether the weather guy was like you kidding they really see anyone other, so that started my broadcast green TV had done some radio in Appalachian and in some sports casting their DJ little bit on the WAC there 90.5 so that was Lord at minute door and yes to going back to church more frequently. But I'm telling you is to I had been married 11 years before God really completely heal my broken heart and the part that needed that final seal of not just his approval but my own approval of the way I felt towards my parents because I was still harboring hostility towards both of them in some form or fashion. I would blame things only when things didn't go right my life as well. You know my parents managers screwed up ever since been really hard to get past that, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 11 years ago. 11 years into being married is not going to will retreat him in the mountains. Many Coleman this lady's name living Waters's name for little ministry there.

It sounds a Brevard little hideaway place right on the mountain stream man and just a real simple, humble, godly ministry. She had their and she since going to be with the Lord. I went there when couples conference and my wife was richly blessed that we can, I didn't feel like I was as blessed as she was, and I was, disappointed that I could sing a blessing. She did all that Sunday night I'm sitting at home and I'm get ready go to work to do weather the next day and am in the new I'm in the Old Testament looking at a passage that's not really anybody. Whether you been in the word are not the 10 Commandments in axis and all the sudden that one commandment, the only one of the team that comes with a promise honor your father and mother and what will happen to your life when you do that boy was that Revelation manifested in my heart and mind. The Holy Spirit convicted me like a bear been convicted before all my goodness, Lord. I'm sorry I have not man honoring father and mother. That's why my life has been a roller coaster up and down, up and down the stump because of their mistake.

My mistake. Haven't been honoring them all oversee that conviction.

I can pick up my phone quick enough to call my mother to call my father to share their sweet tears and apologize to them, and to proclaim my honor and love for them and I will take some malevolence serving the I feel like that not only saved my life and affirming who I was in Christ, but it saved my marriage and I know what it meant to both my mother and my father. They never got back together which I pray for for a long time, but the Lord took my father to be home with him just about two years ago and there when he was taking his last press was my mom's bedside reading Psalms and the me and my wife and my children, my sister getting to enjoy that your thought about Romans 828 thanks Romans 828 right there all things working together for the good for those love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.

Yeah eventually Lord with the move in my heart. After that I only only go to church every Sunday. Stupid. I want to get every Bible study I could and I wanted to. I couldn't get out of his work to wipe the dust off of that Bible. My father given me and the words from that book. Have been jumping off those pages ever since then and there, jumping off their jumping off in the next guess where the rate therefore to Russia or Augusta in Maria on this restaurant I've been coming here for many decades and we just had a great meal at night I'm with my good buddy my twin tower media is in the ministry full-time as a pastor in Dobson North Carolina right and that was name church Salem Fork Christian church, so he tell his story to all of her awesome truth talk listeners and ends what it what a treat for me to have you on and we thought let's just tell everyone you can tell me. Anyway, all in the I love to hear the stories of God's work is grace from when you were a little guy and you don't go to that brokenness, and God healed the bitterness and then you shock to Saul Austin.

When your your your whether career is soaring at W Exide Channel 12 news here's Austin Callis Mroz I hear you on classic country. All use area stations and we were buddies hanging out in in the world together and next thing you know you announce I'm going to be a pastor in Dobson North Carolina.

Tell everyone what have well once again thanks to my twin tower played a role in that in many different ways. There was a job change that I experienced earlier my time there. They switched my role from being the morning guy moving me to the weekend slot which is something I feared and never wanted to have to work weekends shaft.

No way. Never do that. But guess what got it already connected me as to where we were coming to Mayflower gospel were going down the sampans on peters Creek Lark will will read some good shot. There was a businessman I went to lunch in their and Stu led them and I got invited Jeff Lawson was there my dear brother in Christ from Calvary and there were some other guys to and that's where we connect you guys prayed for. During that difficult hurtful time where I wanted to quit wanted to leave. I wanted to just say no I'm going somewhere else on work at shift. I'll be valued and appreciated.

That's a decision I made. They felt like that would be good at the time still in the guys pray for me. I felt better. I began to next thing you know that shift our work was opening up opportunities during the week for me to get some of these conferences like Greensboro that were occurring on Thursday and Friday I was off work Thursday and Friday. Like when Dr. lutes and the guys came and you sponsor that you, Norm Geisler will discuss next thing you know, that was part of God's plan to begin equipping me and my face grew stronger and the next thing you know, bring in my Bible with me to work and I'm reading it during my break times and you know it's creating conversation with other believers there at the station. Next thing you know or have a church at the channel you know some people would poke fun of and that's all right man, a great group over there.

But little did I know I started falling in love with Jesus is what happened and it changed how went to church. It changed how I live my life outside the church and realizing really our greatest church is our ability and willingness to faithfully minister gospel song about this were talking earlier wherever he has because he's really call us all be ministers were all ministers of this reconciliation will ring where Christ is the one that reconciles us to. He's the one that makes us right with God and boy we get that right. Everything else falls in line and the next thing you know Allen's asking me to speak at an old church on a Sunday in outdoor service we had back in 2002 and after that day when I shared a lot of what I'm sharing with you today.

Alan got up and set Austin today. You became a preacher. Nobody was just looking for somebody else but then again in my heart's fault.

Lord, if that's what you want to do. I will will calls the same thing. He shared all my heart that day when I was nervous getting up there and sharing. He said just share the love with them that I've shared with you Mr. been doing ever since I started opening up doors to speak in other churches over hundred and as a result, more more Asking as a result, my pastor Allen said hey man, I miss seeing you chart going all I hear you speak in your prayers. Lord, that's great. I want to mentor you.

You need covering.

You need prayer covering you need get wisdom and each of us get our theology straight to make sure we got that so he purchased for me Wayne Broome's systematic theology book which which was one of the greatest resources that I still turn to every now and then, even in my pastor study and he would listen to my messages. We get together for several hours each month and he began to mentor me and disciple me directly and through his charisma, ministry, where Dudley Hall loose his mentor. I got them here Dudley meet Natalie connect Dudley and boy he is just fine spiritual father figure to a lot of folks and it was through curriculum ministry that was ordained as a minister of the gospel and the that was that was in 2013 and 2012.

Excuse me. Little did I know that in 2014 would be when little country church and huffs the name Salem Fork, which will be one of those that God called me to speak and share with would ask me in issue that letter of call to be their pastor. God knows best and people still ask you on a regular basis, but the weather's going to be including leather sleep servicer Mayflower restaurant right altogether yeah and I still pray for snow just like any other smell of the waitresses did Gus guess not only likes snow when it increases is to go order when their home school and lunch sales go through the roof so desk right yeah God is good, what your challenge out there one just just on trust the Lord wherever he has your whether your full-time in the pulpit like you are now or whether you're behind the camera called the weather whether your in a restaurant.

They take care customers as a server waiter whatever what's what's the what's cc the overall theme. Your passion will when it comes to serving the Lord that Greek word memo abide Jesus says abide in me, you, apart from me you can do nothing but praise the Lord with with him. We can do everything. Nothing is impossible.

So by just enjoy discovering the blessing of abiding in him. Wherever you are.

My dad used to say bloom where you're planted. Sounds a lot like abiding because he is the vine where the branch and boy being connected is to him is what decisions us to be fruitful to produce his love is Joyce pieces goodness is Candace's patience and self-control and boy, those are some sweet fruits you can meet Austin on Facebook is got a great page Austin cabinets were friends on on Instagram as well and additionally you can hear his new radio program total in the name of that program. It's on some stations work. We will one these days get on the Truth Network board well but what's the name of that program for folks who want to check that out.

Praise the Lord he just started that this year actually doing this situation all about the one and he continues to expand and provide and we pray for his continued leading and direction. The glorious is the blessings are ours and he is the one who loves us most in every ear and heart that hears their the ones that recognize and can receive that his love is for them to you my friend Austin Cavanaugh/directly on the spot in the very beginning, who is Austin cabinets. I love that this whole you've heard from his own lips all about. The one great new radio program heard on some Wilkins radio stations heard on cousin Kelly station up WPA QAM 740. The big monster station and what original Epperson family stations in the whole country that uncle Ralph and Kelly all those guys a pardon and up their Mount Airy AM 740 and then coming over. You can hear course these things online. Additionally, would check out Austin were to put a picture.

He's in his awesome flannel shirt with his with his beard.

It's very well sculpted and where it Mayflower to restaurant will take a picture with gusts in this fabulous tube. Thank you for sharing your story mutation arena iron sharpening iron to me, a mentor, a friend, just a godly influence and thanks her for for given all the glory to God's to the Lord continues to do with you, you keep abiding you keep being available because he keeps making his way to review so I love you dearly. Because of mono abide in him. John 15 the fine.

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