Behind the Scenes with Better Life
August 2021

“LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD”
by Charlie Oliver,
Executive Director of Better Life

We’d just started the hike, and my backpack was already feeling heavy. I was a little annoyed with myself, thinking about some of the unnecessary things I’d packed, and knowing that we’d be four days on the trail as we trekked around Mount Hood. There was nothing to do about it, and I certainly wasn’t going to complain and look weak, not with my brother on the trip. I looked up the trail toward Grandpa, and wondered how he was doing under his impressive load. He’d spent most of his life in the mission field, where others usually carried the supplies!

We carry so many burdens in this life. I’m going to take a risk here and admit that sometimes the load is too much. I make mistakes, so often, and I get discouraged. Even decisions that look right at the outset sometimes turn out to be a real mess! Thank you Jesus for all the stories in the Bible of sinners like me who have cast their cares upon Him, and have been used to do wondrous things.

Turns out that I wasn’t the only one who packed more than a few unnecessary items on that backpacking trip, so many years ago. On the second day we pitched my grandpa’s tent at an access road and filled it with all the things that were loading us down. We simply left the items there to be picked up on our return later. It’s hard to express the relief we all felt at our lightened loads, and it made the rest of the trip so much more enjoyable, even though it also meant my brother and I sharing our little two man tent with Grandpa!  Still some of my favorite memories!

Friends, that is what Jesus wants to do for you and me. He wants to lift all that junk off our shoulders, all those things we think we need, in exchange for his yoke. Trust me, He is strong enough to carry it all! And the best thing? We get to tell others about Him too, so they can experience the same freedom that comes from being relieved of burdens of this world. Thank you for helping us share this news! - CO

I Was Wondering What You Believed

We received a very nice email from New Zealand from a viewer named Elinor who just wanted to thank us for our videos. She said her favorite series was Stories of Faith and she wrote, “They [the programs] are so encouraging. I am watching them going back several years and slowly getting to the latest ones... I love to then tell my husband the cool stories of faith which you have shared.” 

As we corresponded with her she added something else, “Actually, I was wondering which website you could refer me to regarding Seventh-day Adventists. I have been a born again Christian since I was 5 but I have never found a church which I feel I belong in... Watching your videos has got me thinking I might investigate your churches here. I have tried many [others].”

We happily sent her a brief outline of some things Adventists believe and included a directory of churches in New Zealand as well as a link to some educational sites by Amazing Facts. Her response was heart-warming: “Wow! Thank you so much! You have very eloquently written exactly what I believe. I had no idea that I shared the same beliefs as you. I’ve started wondering just based on the clips I’ve been watching. Thank you so very much.”

A viewer in the Eugene, Oregon, area recently wrote us saying, “I was watching Catching the Light... What I was understanding from it was the difference between experience self in the world through Christ as opposed to experiencing self in the world through self... I need/want to hear it a few more times so solidify my understanding. Is there a link for [watching] Catching the Light?”

We were able to send here a YouTube link but we should also mention that many of the Catching the Light episodes are available to watch on our website at BLBN.org. 

A man from Gold Beach, Oregon, called to give Better Life a donation and to tell us that God kept having him tune into Better Life when Pastor John Lomacang was preaching. He felt that this was a divine appointment. At one point Pastor John was even talking about a topic he had just been reading about that morning!

Our Better Life ambassadors in Eugene, Oregon,  Michael and Marvis Remboldt, let us know that a lady had begun attending their church because of Better Life and is currently taking Bible studies from them. She hasn’t even finished going through all the studies yet but she told them that as soon as she finishes them she wants to be baptized! We look forward to letting you know when that happens.

And finally our friend from the Brookings, Oregon, SDA church, Pastor Barry Kimbrough, contacted us letting us know that he is giving Bible studies to a lady who has been watching Better Life for 8 years! 

It’s great to get reports like this from our viewing area. If you’ve got a Better Life story for us we’d love to hear it. You can reach us at (541) 474-3089.

Thank you so much for all you do to keep the signal beaming out from Better Life. All the stories of souls being reached push us forward to finish the work that God has given us all to do. You may not be able to go to the mission field yourself, but by supporting Better Life you’re helping to send “digital missionaries” in the form of the broadcast seminars and Christian programs that air on the network. Thank you so much! 

Thank you for supporting the outreach ministry of Better Life.

NEWS NOTES

ASI TO BE BROADCAST
Better Life will be carrying this year’s ASI convention from Orlando, Florida from August 4th through the 7th from 4 PM - 6 PM and Saturday morning from 6 AM - 9:30 AM Pacific Time. Visit ASIministries.org for more information. 

MIRACLE AT THE LAST MINUTE!
July 13th was the FCC deadline for all analog (non-digital) stations to cease broadcasting. This meant that our one remaining analog station, K33HH serving Redding, CA, would need to be turned off, and the existing equipment upgraded to a new digital transmitter and antenna, at a cost exceeding $60,000.

Diverting these funds would mean postponing other critical maintenance and infrastructure projects, but we had little choice as our construction permit was set to expire in six months so the upgrade had to be done.  

By God’s grace and through the generous support of His people, we received gifts that very week that enabled us to fund all current projects, as well as purchase the new equipment!  Praise God for this wonderful blessing, and thank you to each supporter of Better Life! 

Please consider becoming a monthly donor. Your credit card or bank card can be used to make an automatic donation each month. You don’t even have to write a check! Thank you for your prayers and support. It’s never been easier to become a regular contributor to God’s work. Click HERE to go to our donation page.

Call (541) 474-3089

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT

FAITH
By Jeanette Stark
Did you know the word, “faith” appears 336 times in the KJV Bible?

More than any other action, “faith” is key to our relationship with our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

The Bible does not say without obedience it is impossible to please God. It does not say without sin it is impossible to please Him. It does not say without works it is impossible to please God. It says without “faith” it is impossible to please God.

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 KJV “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

How many times during the trials of your life have you been able to see the outcome? I would say “rarely to never” but that is the beauty of walking with God. You do not need to see the outcome, you need only to have faith! 

Editors Note: You can read more of Jeanette’s devotional thoughts online at Facebook.com/BetterLifeNetwork