Two Unlikely Christians

Ep 23: The Reason For The Season

• Pat Mccool

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Pat and Richard are joined by Richard's wife Shereen, to discuss the most important aspect of the Christmas season for Christians. They also discuss the suffering that was happening in Israel at the time, and the unexplainable prophesies in the Old Testament about Jesus birth made centuries before he was born. Shereen also shares her incredible testimony of the supernatural way the Holy Spirit came into and took over her life. 

Pat:

Welcome to the two Unlikely Christians podcast. I am comedian Pat McCool, coming to you from the Deep South in, Piney Woods of Mississippi, and across the Atlantic Ocean to London, England. We find our co-host esteemed addiction therapist and psychotherapist. And now joining us the lovely and beautiful new wife of Richard Turrell. Reen.

Shereen:

Hi. Welcome

Pat:

Shereen.

Shereen:

Hello. How you doing?

Pat:

I'm doing fantastic. Good. You have brightened up the podcast just by showing up here. Ha ha. Have you noticed something different about me, Richard? Uh, new glasses. No. The same dollar 50 glasses I bought from Dollar Tree.

Speaker 4:

Different about

Pat:

you. Every time. Men just don't notice. No. Have you had Botox? He's going downhill. He's going, no, I actually took a shower. I took the toboggan off and I shaved for Shareen. Oh. Oh,

Speaker 4:

that's

Pat:

nice. Yeah. I didn't want her to think you were doing a podcast with a homeless guy. Yeah,

Speaker 4:

he usually, that's the right mess, babe.

Pat:

Do you normally have

Shereen:

a big

Pat:

Yeah, once, once we stopped doing video and we just did audio, she's, I literally would show up here looking like I crawled up out of the woods.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. For any. Mm-hmm.

Pat:

Yeah. I would've, hadn't shaved in a few days. You know, I'd have the toboggan on the top of my head, bleeding from a spot on my nose. I just, you know, I just,

Speaker 4:

what? Its tobo what? Its spoken

Pat:

what Well, a toboggan is a beanie. Do you know what beanie is? Oh, okay. Yes.

Shereen:

Like a beanie hat, like a fisherman's hat.

Pat:

I, I guess that's what they call, and in the South for some reason. Yeah, we call them toboggans. What? And I read a thing and I was like, I don't know why we called them toboggans.'cause it's a toboggan kind of sounds Dutch or something like that. But it's a sledge,

Shereen:

isn't it? A sledge, yeah, it's a sledge.

Pat:

Bogging, you know that the hat that just kind of pulls down over your head that you kind of wear in the winter, you know,

Speaker 4:

we're with it, we know with, we understand

Pat:

the

Speaker 4:

hat. Aspects of this

Pat:

let's it, if I'm not going down on the road doing shows, uh, I don't shave. I get up if it's cold outside, throw the to bogging on and, I rock and roll. That's normally sees

Speaker 4:

three things to know about Pat. Mm-hmm. Pat's a comedian.

Pat:

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 4:

Pat's been married for 35 years.

Pat:

I'm a little, I'm a little embarrassed to, you know, I don't like to pump that, but, and Pat and Pat wrote a book

Speaker 4:

called,

Pat:

yeah. What's it called? Pat, uh, bonsai wasn't really that big of a hill. And the subtitle is One Man's Walk Toward God.

Shereen:

Hmm. Amazing. It's very good.

Pat:

And I, I don't try to, you know, promote it on here, but you know, for if everyone listening, we get about a thousand of your friends to go buy it, you know, you know, you might get something out of it. So. Well, it's wonderful for you to join us, here, Shireen.

Shereen:

Thank you. Thank you for inviting me on.

Pat:

What's, what's that?

Shereen:

Thank you for inviting me on.

Pat:

We, we've just been waiting. We just, you know, we've been talking to agents and we've been talking to managers. And then finally there we are. And just your appearance on here. We figured out why Richard's, uh, video never came on. People that were watching the video on YouTube. We're always wondering why there's two people talking, but it was just by my big mug in the screen. So maybe we can put it back on, uh mm-hmm. We can put it back on YouTube so they can see the lovely shirene. So how are you guys doing the marriage? Everything's going well, right?

Speaker 4:

Yeah, we're doing okay Pat. We're doing okay.

Shereen:

Four weeks in?

Pat:

Four?

Shereen:

Yeah.

Pat:

And everything is tickety boo.

Shereen:

Tickety boo

Pat:

taught pat that word. Today.

Shereen:

Today, yeah. Today. You do? Yeah.

Pat:

Yeah. I, yeah, I learned tickety boo today. And, and I'm gonna, when I go out in public, I'll be using it. So say Shereen. What I do is I hear these British terms, like, uh, the sun has its hat on today. Yeah. Or lovely and then I walk around and I look at the looks on people's faces when I get outta my car at the gas station and look at a guy and I go, lovely truck Cletus. Because not right. Lovely's not, not

Speaker 4:

used a lot over here.

Shereen:

No. Lovely. There's

Speaker 4:

not too much lovely stuff going on in Pat's park. Plenty

Pat:

of lovely stuff. We just don't describe it as lovely stuff, but I'm, I'm, I'm anxious to see the looks when I start dropping, uh, that I am ticket.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, you be careful though, pat. Could land you up in some hot water, man.

Pat:

Yeah. As you, as you said, an armed society is a polite society. You talking to

Speaker 4:

what?

Pat:

Right. What did that, what did that boy just say? So why did he did say, right. That's how we talk over here. We talk Shereen, we put Ws in our words, like we don't have dogs, we have dogs. DAWG like the iron. Do

Shereen:

they say that? Don't they?

Pat:

We talk,

Speaker 4:

wanna buy, do. It's very distinct. Accent. Accent, right. Lovely people. I'm, I, I do, I tease part about, um, where he is from and moonshine and hunting and gone Oh, I'm sure trucks, chalk.

Shereen:

He teases you part.

Speaker 4:

It's actually a lovely, I, I like of America very much.

Pat:

This is the disclaimer. He, he makes fun of me living out in the middle of the woods in, uh, the poorest state in the country. And he always ends it with, but lovely people, wonderful people in my time there. I would just like you to know. He just, you know what I mean? He, he sits there and brutally bashes me, Tim. Right. He gets every stereotype there is and then he quickly, he just, he smooths it over by complimenting the south and everything about it. But, it is a lovely place. And, uh, we we're doing our Christmas episode and, uh, as I said, Shireen has graced us. Um, I don't know if I should ask this, but Richard said you had kind of a supernatural, um. Coming to Jesus meeting Jesus.

Shereen:

Yeah, it was. Um, is that something,

Pat:

is that something you would like to share? Because Richard and I shared hours, but I'm, I'm going to assume there's gonna be less bullets flying sta bleeding from stabbings, stealing cars, and

Shereen:

there's less of that

Pat:

selling drugs, totaled cars. You don't have heroin. Any, anything like that. If you'd like to share it with us, go right ahead.

Shereen:

Yeah, no, I'd love to. Um. So here we call it, like, with deliverance is kind of like, um, it's kind of like what happens, but I, I was kind of like, I was lost in darkness, um, you know, drinking and using, um, and I was, my life was changing through, um. Through the steps, through 12 step process. And I, uh, I got to about 12, 18 months clean maybe. And um, and there were a couple of things that happened actually. I started recognizing that prayer was working. Um. Always'cause we're encouraged in recovery. We're we're encouraged. And the first thing, first things we're encouraged to do is to pray. Um, we don't know who we're praying to. We have no idea who we're praying to. It is just like, pray to what? And it's just like, just pray to God. Ask God for a clean and sober day, and thank God for a clean and sober day. So I knew prayer was working and, and I, and I felt my life was really changing. Like I was having this incredible experience. Like I never knew who I was. I never kind of, I, yeah, I was just completely like, um. Completely just broken before. And then, and then, yeah. So 12, 18 months in, I, um, I started having something called night terrors and I, I didn't know what night terrors were. I hadn't really like ever experienced anything like this.'cause it's important to say that I didn't have, um, my, my mom took me outta religious education at school. And, um, I wasn't allowed to, I wasn't allowed to kind of learn anything about God. My dad, my dad was Muslim. Um, my, my dad's side of the family are Egyptian, Muslim, but my mom was just like, totally like atheist. She was just like, you're not doing religious education. And I used to have to walk out the classroom when the class started. So I had no concept of like God or religion or anything. Um, so when I got to, when I got, when I kind of had this period of clean time and I, I was, I. I just had these, these nights where I would be in bed and I would sense something in my room, like something. I wouldn't have called it demonic at the time, but now I know it was demonic, but it felt like, it felt like there were bats flying in my room. Like these big giant

Speaker 4:

pat, you're gonna have to edit something out here'cause we've got something going on outside. I just need to go and deal with it. Is that cool?

Shereen:

My daughter's calling me.

Pat:

Well, you yeah, you, we don't have to edit it out. My dogs bark and everything goes on in the background. Nobody really, nobody really cares. Yeah. You can finish the story while he, she,

Shereen:

she's going mad. She's like, mom, mom, mom. She's 16. Um, she can hear me talking and she doesn't know where I'm now,

Pat:

if you have a six, if you have a 16-year-old, God can help you.

Shereen:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's actually really good. I can tell you a bit about her and her, her journey actually.'cause she's still going to church and she's still kind of Yeah. Walking with the Lord, which is amazing and

Rich:

that's awesome.

Shereen:

All good. Did she want, I assume she wanted to lift later. Oh, she wanted to lift, which is pretty standard. She calls me'cause she wants me to take her somewhere.

Pat:

Ah, yes, yes. I know what the, I know what the, I, I need a left means in Bri. In, in, in Britain.

Shereen:

Oh yeah. I thought I'd explain just in case you didn't. Um, where was I?

Pat:

Demonic. Yes. You, you were the bats demonic you were having Yes. They, these night terrors and Yeah, night

Shereen:

terrors. So I was having these night terrors

Pat:

presence.

Shereen:

Yeah. This, um, these night. And it felt like there were black bats flying around in the room. And I was, I felt like a couple of nights that I'd been, I'd been like pinned to the bed. I was so scared. Like I had no idea what was going on. And I, and I remember saying my, to my sponsor, my, my 12 step sponsor, I remember saying to her, um, this is happening. And. Like, it's really weird and it's really freaking me out. And she said, why don't you come and speak to my pastor? And obviously being a Christian woman, and I wasn't a believer at that point, I thought, oh gosh, here we go. She's gonna try and hook me in,

Rich:

right? But

Shereen:

I was, I was so fearful. I said, you know what? I will, I'll go and speak to him. I'll go and have a conversation with him. So I went along to speak to this wonderful man, Phil Edwards, his name is, um, I went along to speak to him. He sat me down with a woman. Like, it was like, obviously you know it, it was Phil and a, a lady called Karen. Um, and they sat me down and they asked, just asked a bit about my life. They asked me what was going on and I said, I've had these things, weird things, this, weird things happening. And he said, tell me a bit about your story. He. So I told him what my life was like, promiscuity, the drugs and everything, and how it, how, where I was kind of at now. And he said to me, he looked at me and he said, I believe what you're experiencing, experiencing, experiencing to be very real. He said, I believe it to be very real. And I was shocked and I,'cause I hadn't been exposed to anything like this before. He said you, he said, in simple terms, your life is going from dark to light. Um, and Wow. I, yeah, and I'm going to, I'm, you know, we'd love to pray for you. Basically, he asked me then if I believed in the Holy Trinity. And my response was, what's that? Right? I had no idea. I had no, no idea. Said the Father, son, holy Spirit. And I was, I was like, I don't know if I believe'cause I, you know, and he was like, are you willing to? And I said, yeah. He said, okay, can we, he said, can we put our hands on and pray for you? Um, and then with that, they started praying for me. Something's like leaving my body. It was like I was vomiting. Air was just like, wow, this wretched noise. Like, so I just, and I felt something coming up and leaving as they just rebuking whatever it was to, to, to leave me and, and that it went on for some time. And, um. As they kind of wound down the prayer, they asked me if I was okay and I was, I felt so peaceful, like I felt peace I've never felt before and I, I just didn't wanna speak'cause I didn't wanna leave that place where I was. Yeah, it was pretty incredible. That is

Pat:

incredible. So you were having actual demonic experiences coming at you, attacking you, and he said it was your, you're coming from darkness to light. Yeah. They're probably angry at what was about to happen. And then Jesus entered into your life. And that piece that Richard and I. The whole point of this podcast is to try to share that piece that he and I had, because we all came from that place, but we didn't have that kind of a supernatural experience.

Shereen:

Mm-hmm. Yeah. That

Pat:

is an amazing experience. Yeah.

Shereen:

Praise God. Powerful

Speaker 4:

testimony.

Shereen:

Yeah. Very

Speaker 4:

powerful. Very powerful. It's funny, isn't it? Like I was, I've been talking with people about a bit about this recently. It's like, so if I'd have heard that story 10 years ago Yeah. If I'd had someone talking about that. I would just think it's absolute nonsense, you know? Just yeah, like nonsense myself. And then like I get into the faith, you know, my journey with stuff like that has been like getting into the faith and then getting to know a lot of people in the faith and not making friends with other Christians, and then all of a sudden you are hearing stories like that from people that you know and trust, marry.

Pat:

Mm-hmm. You

Speaker 4:

know, and it's like, well either this is true and this stuff really happens. Or Yeah, this whole thing is some kind of elaborate plot. To make, you know, like, to fall me into, believe me, you know, like the Truman Show, you know, and it's like, but it's, it is real, you know? Yeah. It's real. And I've met so many people now, had so many stories about deliverance, healing, you know, all these like, supernatural things. Um, and it's like, yeah, it's very real,

Pat:

very real. I got chills just hearing the story. That is a fantastic story and kinda like what we were talking about in our last episode, Richard Jesus was either real. Or he was a complete nut job. You're saying this stuff, this is either real or this is just all a big ruse and we know it's real. And that's the point of the show. Uh, because we were talking about Christmas today, which obviously Christmas is celebrated. There's a number of reasons and other thing lot that go into it. But us as Christians, it comes from. The birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Uh, not to put you back on the spot, Shereen, but just one question that I'd asked Richard, in the past, growing up in a secular house, were you, are you a big Christmas person? Like when Christmas comes around, does your immediate feeling, warmth, feeling excited about Christmas? I mean, were you, were you a Christmas person or, I'm not trying to put you on the spot. I just, there's a reason I ask this question. Um,

Shereen:

Christmas was, it was a secular Christmas. It was. We had, we did celebr, we had Christmas as a kind of like commercial kind of event. Event, but nothing

Pat:

religious. Would you say your childhood was, was a very happy, secure child, childhood, or, or maybe a little mixed bag? Yeah. Okay. Well, you, you're shaking your hand. I'm not putting you on the spot. There's reason I No, no, that's

Shereen:

fine. I don't mind answering it. It, it was pretty mixed. Um, okay. But on the whole, lemme yeah. Not so good. Here's

Pat:

why I say that. I just say that for our listeners out there, because I always have the Christmas question and I ask Richard, and Richard was just like that. Uh, I wasn't, uh. He wasn't a huge Christmas guy. I've got a feeling that he's now going to be become a great Chris Christmas guy. But what happens when that's a, a good thing that. Richard could ask in, in therapy questions because that will say a lot about your childhood and the security you felt and everything growing up. I did have a, a really good childhood. I'm a Christmas guy. I mean, we roll into November and I'm just break it up, you know, let's break out the lights. I had the whole thing. I had stuff, you know, Chris. My rebellion and all my stuff started later and I had other demons and things in me, not the kind of where I saw the bats and, and and, and the kind of terrifying things that you did. I brought a lot of the terror onto me. It's just a question that I always ask. Mm-hmm. Richard didn't have that great of a childhood. He not a huge Christmas guy. I know people in my family the same way. What kind of parents and, and that loving, nurturing. Family that you had. Uh, I did have that. I'm a big Christmas guy. You'll just find most people have that. I just noticed that, and I always like to ask that question. Didn't mean to, to, uh, put you on the spot, but the, um, as far as Christmas. What, so what, what does, let's just talk about what Christmas means to each of us. Like to you, Richard, what's your first thought? The first thoughts? Jesus Christmas giving.

Speaker 4:

Well, like, it's sort of changing for me, pat.'cause I'm new in the faith, so it, it's, um, or newer.

Pat:

You have love in your life also. Mm-hmm. I was pointing at Sharine. You wanted what I was doing. Okay. There's there's something coming through the

Speaker 4:

wall at you. Yeah.

Shereen:

Gosh, what now?

Speaker 4:

Um, so yeah, it's changing for me. So it's different now, you know, like, you know, really trying to, I guess, kind of. Get, you know, open my heart and my mind more to what it is that we're actually celebrating. Mm. You know, um, connects with that. And we've been reading this book, which I, I'd love to talk about in a bit, you know, to really get to like what Christmas is actually about, you know, the birth of Christ, you know. But I mean, like historically it was about presents, you know, for a long time it was about drugs and like the. Mm, the, you know, it was always a tricky time. You know, I need to get enough cocaine for Christmas day, but if I buy it any day before Christmas Day, I'm going to use it anyway. And, you know, getting the big stash in like seven days before Christmas and then needing to buy more six days before Christmas and, you know, all that kind of madness. So it's been a mixed bag. So quite actually getting, you know, and as you know, the last couple of years have been quite turbulent for me, pat, so. It. Yeah, it's the first one really where I've really been embedded in a church or two churches and, and actually, you know, connecting, well, yeah, that's the word. Connecting with what it really, what it really means.

Rich:

Yeah.

Pat:

Christmas before all of my, um, my path of destruction blew up on me. That was the Christmas that the guy had shown up from Miami with the big bag rock of cocaine, and I can remember sitting in my house outside of town with my family calling. Trying to get me and I'm ignoring them, trying to get me to come on Christmas day. Mm-hmm. And I am sitting outside of town in a house. I literally just, that came back like it was so yesterday. Mm-hmm. Out there doing cocaine, injecting cocaine, and was at the end of my rope. Mm-hmm. Uh, so I did have those experiences. Were you about to say something to Shereen?

Shereen:

No, I was just listening. No,

Pat:

I was what? Yeah, just listening, feeling. But that just, it, I, it just, when you said that, I, and I can remember sitting there that Christmas, uh, was just such a dark time. And now thanks to our Lord and Savior, christmas is full of joy, happiness, and peace. And you were gonna mention a book, Richard, you want to go ahead and mention it? You said you were going to that mention Yeah, we've been reading this book. If it's something you wanted to say, go, go, go ahead.'cause that's kind of where I was going.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. We've been reading this book, it's called Walking Backwards to To Christmas, and it's by a guy called Steven Tre. Um, and what this does is it takes you like, it starts at the end and it ends at the beginning. Um, but so it's a retelling, it's a telling of the Christmas story from the point of view of various characters within it. Um, so that includes he Herod, you know, Mary Joseph. Anna, who was Anna by

Shereen:

Anna was the prophet in the temples when Jesus came in. So it is, um, it's, it tells the book, the story tells it from Anna's perspective when she was in the temple, when they came in with Jesus. And then it tells it of Rachel's perspective when. Herod ordered all the children to die in, in the Bible. We read that. We heard the screams of Rachel across the kingdom. Um, you know, and this tells it from Rachel's perspective when they came in to take her child. Um, and then, yeah, um, wise man, Casper tells it from his perspective how they followed the star. And then, yeah, it goes on. Um, you've got a shepherd, you've got Martha, Martha's, the innkeeper, actually she's the innkeeper. Um, where, where, um, Jesus is born and then it goes, it goes back from there. So Joseph,

Speaker 4:

but what it does is it really, like when you read it and you are like Rachel, you know, when you read the little chapter about Rachel, like, and her, you know, her, her son being murdered by the soldiers, you know,'cause her sent everyone out. You know, and then it, then you get three, four pages on Herod and what's going through his head. Yeah. You know, and the conflict within him. Yes. Right. And trying to justify what he'd done to himself. And you realize that actually, like of course we celebrate, you know, the birth of Jesus, you know, like our savior and you know, the most important and amazing man that ever walked on the earth, right? Mm-hmm. Like, God, man, walked on the earth, right? Actually the story's brutal.

Rich:

Yeah. Like,

Speaker 4:

there's aspects of it that are horrific, you know, and really connecting with that has been so powerful.'cause it's like, I don't know about you, pat, but you know, growing up around the nativity story, you know, like, it, it, it's as much, it, it's almost becomes like a thing that's just kind of baked into the background of life. It's like clouds in the sky. They're there, they've always been there, you know, but really connecting with it in, you know, through this. Book and of course other books like it. It's not the only book that's ever been written that's told that story in that way. It's a very, really powerful experience. So that's been really helpful just to, to connect with like the true meaning, the suffering, you know, that when that had to happen in order for us to get like what we've got. Yeah. You know, it is that. That's kind of amazing. Isn't that? It's a very different experience to, you know, just focusing on the Turkey and the chewings.

Rich:

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 4:

You know, and like, have we got enough lights up? You know?'cause the house next to us, and this is true story, the house next to us has got a lot of lights up and we don't Well there's always

Pat:

that guy. Yeah. We all have the neighbor that's got the, you know what I mean? The Clark Griswold. I don't know if you ever saw the talk. Yeah. It's all Christmas story. Uh, but, but that's kind of where we're getting to w with this it's presence, it is, you know, the, there's part of it, it's a Pagan holiday, but ultimately for Christians, it's the joy of celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Rich:

Mm.

Pat:

That's what it's all, that's what it all comes down to. It's the presence, it's the giving. I do love, I mean, when I was younger it was about the getting, but it's about giving and doing things for people, and that all comes from the Holy Spirit. Inside of us. And that book, what is the name of the book again?

Speaker 4:

It's called Walking Backwards to Christmas, and it's by a gentle called Stephen Rell.

Pat:

Stephen Rell. Um, I wasn't really thinking about that, but you're talking about how brutal it was at that time.

Rich:

Mm-hmm. In

Pat:

other words, you know, they were children being killed. Mary and Joseph were traveling. She's pregnant.

Rich:

Yeah,

Pat:

they're traveling, you know, having to go somewhere and it's a, and it's, you know, to, to sign up for the tax enrollment. So it's a very tough time that's going on. I never really thought about that. You are right. We all look at it. As such a benign thing, you know, we see Jesus in the manger and then we see the cubed farm animals, and then we see, the magi coming. But the truth was that, uh, you know, a manger was, that was a filthy place. Yeah,

Speaker 4:

yeah, exactly. Where full of where he was waste and Yeah.

Pat:

Yeah. And how he, uh, and how he, he came in, um. But what I wanted to point out was what's so amazing,'cause we don't know when Christmas actually was, you know? Yeah. They say it could have been in the spring because of the sheep and the, you know, in the field and that type of thing. But the prophecy. Of Jesus. So what we're talking about and the joy of Christmas and what we really celebrate is the birth of our Lord and Savior. That took away that terror from Shireen that was happening in her bedroom that saved Richard and I

Rich:

mm-hmm. From

Pat:

the destructive and the miserable past that we were on was all the birth of Jesus. And if you think about what's so amazing about it, there's the prophecy. Of Jesus. Like we were talking in the LA in the last episode, Richard, in Isaiah seven 14. This is some amazing stuff in Isaiah seven 14, if you'll give me one second. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel. And Emmanuel is go through another word for God with us

Rich:

and

Pat:

Matthew directly links Jesus' birth to Isaiah's. Prophecy and it said all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. The virgin will conceive and give birth to his son and they will call him Emmanuel. Mm-hmm. God with us. Mm-hmm. Now, that all happened hundreds of years before he was born and in Isaiah nine, six, seven. For us, we always hear the child is born in the songs. For to us. A child is born to us. A son is given, and he will be called Wonderful counselor. Mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of Peace. Now this echoed in the Angel's Promise to Mary. Back at, at Christmas time. Now this is all prophesied. This goes back to what you were saying, Richard. It's either all, it's either all a, a brilliantly fantastic story or it all happened and we know it happened. And then when you look at Micah five two, the Messiah will come from Bethlehem. Now, that was. Eight SE or eighth and seventh century bc. So seven to 800 years before Jesus' birth. He's predicting. Bethlehem. So seven to 800 years later, it just so happens that Caesar Augustus has a decree that we have to go out for a census, a tax enrollment. So now they have to travel back to their birth home in Bethlehem. Well, the other prophet said it's gonna happen in Bethlehem. Mm-hmm. Hundreds of years before. I'm getting chills When you stop and think about this, because I grew up with the Bibles. You know, me and Richard have talked before. Serena, I bought the Bible. You know, because I'm gonna be a Christian. I'm trying to follow God. So I got my Bible, but I hadn't really read it. Richard has really helped me read it.'cause he comes on here and he starts, uh, giving, uh, he starts giving scriptures that, that I would go and research. So I got the Bible, went to church with my Bible and I took it and I got a bunch of, um, like yellow look.'cause I noticed everybody in the church had stuff stuffed in their. Their Bible. Mine was brand new. Mm-hmm. I had no notes. I didn't take a marker in or anything. Mm-hmm. So I just shoved some papers in there and walked in with Yeah. I'm, I, yeah, I'm a, I'm here, I'm a Christian. You know, I, I did, I really didn't know I was trying to fit in, although. Uh, as Richard and I and you have learned, you don't have to fit in. No. You just, uh, when you start believing in Jesus. But isn't that amazing? Yes. That, that the prophecy, I believe, of his birth was seven to 800 years. This isn't Nostradamus.

Rich:

Mm. You

Pat:

know, they're not calling anything history. They're saying the savior will be born and says the town it will be born in. And the Caesar at the ti, the, uh. Caesar Augustus at the time passes a decree which sends them on this long, arduous journey. Can you imagine, Cherie, you've been pregnant. Mm-hmm. Could you imagine riding on a camel or a donkey or a horse or a wagon when I mean, you're, she's getting ready to have the baby. They're going through the desert and they end up in, in a barn. People talk about a manger, you know, in the swaddling clothes. Yeah, he's in a manger. But it was predicted all of those years early that it would come to that. Particular night. And I just think that's just a fantastic, amazing story. And that's something people need to realize. The birth of our Lord and Savior was predicted hundreds of years earlier, and that's what Christmas is about. That's what we're celebrating and that's why we have the peace and we have the joy and all three of our hearts. Uh, and I can see Richard lit up, uh, the more he, when we turned the cameras on, he had this big smile. This big proud smile on his face. And none of this happens if that doesn't happen. 2025. Yeah. Uh, years ago. So, uh, any thoughts on, on that, on both to your

Speaker 4:

moment?

Shereen:

I was just thinking about when we were talking,'cause we talked about last night, didn't we? About, um. Bethlehem and Nazareth and how he, how he went, how they went to Bethlehem.'cause that's written in, that's written in the book. But we, it was fascinating that we actually mentioned that last night. Um, but we were at church last night and the pastor was talking about Mary and actually like her, her, how her yes to God was so incredibly like she gave her her life and. Her life was a life of pain and sorrow because her son was Jesus like and everything that he had to go through and endure. She as a mother had to go ca be with him through that. So her, her go, no, go on.

Speaker 4:

Well, even before that, like she was like. You know, cast into a, like a shadow of like shame and, and doubt and, you know, yeah. You know, because you know this. And again, it's, it's that thing, isn't it? It's like we, we become immune to this bit of the story. So, well, you know, she was busy by an angel and the angel said, it's, you're gonna be pregnant, but it's not by a man, but it's okay'cause you're going to give birth this man. And it's been really important. What I remember was she then had to go to her fellow yeah. Know and say, look. I'm pregnant. Right. But it's okay. Like I haven't slept with anyone. An angel came to me Yeah. And told me that, um, you know, they made me pregnant, but it's not'cause I'm upset with anyone. And then, you know, and deal with his response and then he has to say, okay, well call. Yeah, let's work with that. So they go through this immensely difficult time and it's like, actually when you really look at the story, it's so full of like. Sa like self-sacrifice. Mm-hmm. And like difficulty, um, pain. But so for this, you know, the most important, most amazing thing that's ever happened to come out of it, you know, and that is, you know, that's really something, the prophecy side of things is like, I mean, it's undeniable, isn't it? Isn't it like 400 plus prophecies about him? Is that right? Something like that.

Rich:

Touched your number. Yeah.

Speaker 4:

Like there's this phenomenal amount of prophecies, you know, spanning all these hundreds and hundreds of years that it's almost like, you know, it's so difficult to argue with when you understand what the Bible is. The Bible's many things. It's historical document. It's a love story. It's a collection of poems, it's songs, it's metaphors, it's imagery, it's, you know, um, visions, visions, it's all these different things. But when you actually understand. The historical document aspect to it, you realize like there's this like incontrovertible evidence that all points to how true it is. Mm-hmm. But then, I mean this is like, I think it was just last week we were talking about this part, so I won't kind of go into it so much anymore, but it's like, it's so, it's like the Bible. It's like I never even knew what it was. I never knew it was a historical book. I just, I dunno what I, I dunno what I thought it was. I never thought about it. But when you, you don't have to look. Deep into it at all to understand the significance of those prophecies, you know, of the accuracy of those prophecies, of the proliferation of those prophecies, and then the fulfilling of them, you know, and just how, you know,'cause Nostri dramas a lot of the stuff he said hasn't come true.

Pat:

You know, that's vague. And some of it was vague, you know, missing letters and it was va it, it, you could, you can do, you know, you can do a lot of that, uh. Point to things that came true, but the Bible is an enigma. I mean, you can't explain it. It's either true. It's either the word of God or it's not. We know that it is, but when someone is, is doubting, I explain. I hand them to explain this book, explain how all of these people. All told these stories from all these different places and all these different times, and it all lined up. But on the birth of Jesus, which is why we celebrate Christmas, it was prophesied and it, well, like I said, it wasn't Nostradamus, it was prophesied hundreds of years and right down to the town where he says it's going to happen in Bethlehem and something happens at that time. But what re said. Um, and I know you guys are a little pressed for time, but I, you know, I've never really thought about that as we started this conversation. I wasn't really thinking about, it was a brutal time, what both of you were talking about. There was a lot of, um. Yeah. You know, there, there was a lot of savagery going on. He's coming to marry the pain. I didn't really think about that. I got chills when you were mentioning that, that the pain that she had to go through, she's pregnant and she's gotta go tell, as Richard said, her fellow, oh, I'm pregnant, but it's from God. Yeah. That's a, that's quite a cell. Yeah, exactly. You know, we think because, oh, it happened and then it was Jesus, but there was, were real people and the sacrifice for her to accept doing that. I'm glad you brought that up, because I didn't really think about the, all of the sacrifice and everything that was going on around that.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. Because I guess it, it's to celebrate Christmas, it's like, yeah. It's like the birth of our savior and that's lovely. You know, an advent and joy and love, and hope and candles being lit. It's a wonderful time, but actually it's, I think for me and just to kind of get into this now as we talk on this podcast part, but it's like, for me actually, it's also, it's about recognizing like, like it's an incredibly profound story in so many different ways.

Rich:

Like

Speaker 4:

so many people had to go through so much, you know, it's like, so it's almost like a thank you know. I used the word than giving loosely.'cause I, that means something else to you lot. But like, you know, it's giving, you know, it, it's an act of giving thanks for all of the people that had to go through so much in order for the story to be fulfilled, you know? Right. I think that's a really important aspect to it as well. And when you really connect with that, and it's, it's too, it's a dichotomy, isn't it? There's the joy. And then there's all that suffering that had to go on. And like when you really connect with that, you know, whether Shereen was gonna get me the right sneakers that I really want for Christmas or not. It doesn't really matter.

Shereen:

It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter does it? There's such a, and there can be such a conflict I think, for believers as well at this time of year because, you know, I'm, I've been, you know, I've been, this is probably my 15th year. Like as a believer. So I've had a few now. Um, but just really, yeah, just really trying to like, um, just pause and just reflect on, on what it was, um, but like what Rich was saying about the suffering in that time and not, not to keep going on about the suffering because we know that there, there is a peace and, and you know, we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. When it, when you even think of it from Rachel's perspective, um, when, when Herod ordered all the children to and under to die from her perspective in, in this book, she said, and you couldn't quite understand this, but I can understand this as a mom, um, from my perspective, she said she, she doesn't wish harm on Jesus on, but she doesn't wish harm on that other baby. But it's actually the fault of that baby that all of the children have been murdered. To and under. So from, from her perspective, like she didn't want harm to come to this child, but so again, like this, there was, there is, so it is soaked in this kind of like this just Yeah. When you submerge yourself into kind of like how it, this book takes you there brilliantly, like how it was and what they had to endure. There's a couple of other fascinating things that I love. Like Jesus wasn't a newborn baby. By this time the Magi got there'cause it would've taken him time to walk. So apparently he would've been like, is anything between 10 months old and two years old? Um, so he wouldn't have been wrapped in cloths'cause if they walked from Syria, I think that region. Um, so it would've taken them a long time. So I find those facts really fascinating as well.

Pat:

We're just blown up every Christmas play in America.

Speaker 4:

Ah, on that notepad, re and I are appearing in a Christmas play at our local church. I got drafted into play Joseph, and then I very kindly emailed the organizer to ask if Sheen just to play merry, and we just got confirmation this morning. That Shereen will be appearing as Mary at St. Andrews Church in Watford at 3:00 PM on Saturday. So if anyone's listening and they will come, then please do, and you'll be able to see. I, I'm gonna check

Pat:

there, there's maintenance going on in my Gulf Stream, uh, right now, but if they get it rolling, I could walk in. If not, I'm, uh, I'm going to need a video. And, and I will tell you, I, I'm, as we close, uh,'cause that those were brilliant points. I'll get back to it in a second. Have you ever seen a movie called for Christmases? I

Speaker 4:

do not think so. Patrick, have you said if

Pat:

you can find it, do you I it, it used to be on all network television. Um, it's got Vince Vaughn and Reese, uh, Witherspoon. What's that? Witherspoon? Witherspoon? Yeah. Reach Witherspoon. Watch this movie. And you, when you get, you'll see a point if you're playing Joseph and you're playing Mary, watch this movie and you will get to a point where you will just burst out laughing and the movie's hilarious. You can keep watching it over and over it. It's got Robert Duvall. It's just a fantastic cast. Um, anybody that's listening out there to haven't seen four Christmases, highly underrated. Movie. It's, it's hilarious. But watch it. And I'm just, I'm dying laughing. Thinking of you, Joseph. You, uh, playing part of Mary. If you watch that movie, you'll see why I found that

Shereen:

funny. Okay, we'll, we'll find it and watch it

Pat:

for Christmases. Even if you've got, even if. Richard's got a pony up nine bucks or something. It's, I'm, you know, for a special, I don't know how your streaming or whatever works over there. Uh, let's wrap this up. I, I know Shireen has to go and I appreciate you staying and it has been wonderful to have you and I'm so glad you mentioned the suffering because like you said. Just to this point, a lot of us are, are having a great Christmas. I've, I just came back from shows last week outta state. I'm here relaxing and this is a wonderful Christmas for me. It's a wonderful Christmas for you guys that are come together, but there are people out there that are suffering. Uh, and it's so apropos that you mentioned that Shireen.'cause that's one thing we are talking about the birth of Jesus came to end suffering and there are people that are suffering at this time of year. Absolutely. There are people that are suffering loss, they are lonely. They're not having a lot of the moments that we have. And I just wanted to wrap it up by pointing out to those that are listening, that are struggling right now, that are going through loss, that this birth that we're celebrating. Is going to make it end well.

Rich:

Hmm.

Pat:

Because in just a couple of scripture, revelation 21, 4, he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning, or crying, or pain for the old order of things has passed away. Isaiah 25 8. He will swallow up death forever and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. So if you're going through a tough time now. Jesus gave his life. So it will end well for you. It will end in victory, it will end in joy, it will end in peace, uh, whether in this life or in the life when you are with him face to face. And that's why we celebrate. The birth of Jesus. And one last numbers 24 17. You always talk about the Christmas star. Do they talk about that? You know, and with the, yeah, talk about the magi. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel. And I do do this every year at this time of year when it gets clear, I, I've just always noticed I've. I like to go out when it's cool outside and you look up in the sky and you find the brightest star. Now, I don't know which one's the North Stars. Richard knows that I'm a little, I'm a little challenged there, but I look at that brightest star and you think of that night with the Magi following

Rich:

that

Pat:

star and that star represented. The birth of our Lord and Savior that gave us peace. That gave the three people that are talking right here, joy, happiness, and peace, all because of his birth.'cause it we, it wasn't heading that way. It was not heading that way. Mm-hmm. And people out there that are struggling and that are suffering right now, your peace and your joy will come and it was bought and purchased 2025 years ago with the birth of our Lord and Savior of Jesus. And that's what this Christmas is about. And that's what, hallelujah.

Rich:

Uh, any

Pat:

final thoughts, guys? Or. Do you need to get on outta here? Shire said 30 minutes. We kept you longer than 30 minutes. We got 45

Speaker 4:

outta her. Yeah.

Shereen:

Really? Did you? Yeah. How long are you on for?

Speaker 4:

This is 47 minutes now. Both.

Shereen:

Um, can I, can I leave on something that the pastor that, um, prayed for me, um, when he delivered me, he, he said to me, I was really kind of inquisitive and, and I wondered why, like, before I became a Christian, I, why, why the, the word, the name Jesus. Frightened people or why people cowered away from Jesus, right? Like I would say to my friends, oh gosh, like, you know, I've got a relationship with Jesus. And they were, I would see their whole body language change it be like, oh, and I remember being like that, and he put this past that was so wonderful. He said to me, it is simply this. It is like they're in darkness and it's like you've got a big torch and you've just shone it in their face. And that torch is the light of Jesus. They're in the dark and they just cower away. Yeah. And um, and yeah, just for anyone listening, just to, you know, if you, if you ever feel that, like, just open up because Jesus is the light that just can come and shine and illuminate everything in your soul.

Pat:

Hallelujah. Fantastic way to end it. And Richard, how many times have you and I talked about what Reen just said? How when we would you say, Jesus people get really tense and people get really terse. Yeah. And she was basically validate. That's what we've talked about numerous times. And that's a brilliant way to. To end it when, when you have darkness in you and you start talking about Jesus, people start recoiling. And that's when the bats start, start flying. And there's a reason for it because it's the light trying to replace the darkness going from darkness to light, which is what Shereen just, uh, so eloquently said. That's fantastic. And we even did an episode called From Darkness to Light. Mm-hmm. Well, fantastic. Shereen, we, uh, you open invitation. If you have to come back.

Speaker 4:

Yeah, definitely. Anytime.

Pat:

So go enjoy your holidays. Merry Christmas to you guys. You and Merry Christmas to everyone out there.

Speaker 4:

Yeah. Merry Christmas.

Shereen:

Mery Christmas. Yeah.

Speaker 4:

Alright. God

Pat:

bless

Speaker 4:

everyone.

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Pat McCool

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Richard Turrell

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