Behind the Scenes with Better Life
January 2022

A Sticky Situation
by Charlie Oliver,
Executive Director of Better Life

I hesitate to share this story for fear I may reinforce my reputation of placing myself in sticky situations. Perhaps I should reflect a bit more on how my adventures continue to provide me with so many spiritual lessons and make some adjustments!

Last week I once again donned my ill-fitted engineer’s hat and headed out to diagnose a signal outage on Medford’s John’s Peak site. It was a very foggy day with poor visibility. It was getting late when I arrived at John’s Peak. Now, John’s Peak is a rough site to visit, with a very steep and exposed final climb and a confined space up top within which to turn our Ford F350 engineering truck around. As I pulled up to the equipment building, I saw that the difficult turnaround maneuver would be impossible this time. The tower owner had parked a large excavator next to the building, leaving no room to turn around.

I busied myself with diagnosing the outage, which turned out to be a transmitter failure that will, unfortunately, take time to repair and may ultimately require replacement (please pray for us!). It was after dark when I finished my work. My focus changed to getting back down the mountain safely. The steep access road drops immediately, with a sheer edge on one side, and the truck’s backup lights did nothing to penetrate the darkness and fog. For a moment I considered simply staying up top for the night. It would be cold, but I had snacks, water, and a blanket. Ultimately, I decided to at least begin my way down and committed to stopping if I felt it too dangerous. I said a prayer, lined the truck up with the access road, and inched backward. Blind.

Since you’re reading this, which means I’m here to write it, I clearly did make it down safely. Just figured I’d ease the tension a little bit for you. You’re welcome! As the truck began its descent, the dim backup lights illuminated the wall on the uphill passenger side of the road. I couldn’t see the road itself, and I couldn’t see the drop-off on my side, but that wall gave me the guidance I needed through the treacherous part of the road. I hugged the wall, and slowly descended about half a mile to where I could safely turn around.

God was with me through this experience, keeping me safely on the road. The smarter choice might have been to stay on John’s Peak overnight, but God met me and helped me where I was. I also learned a few lessons, for example to try and avoid starting up a mountain late in the day. I will also add more powerful lights on the truck, to help pierce the darkness when a late-night tower-run is required. Does this sound a bit like the journey of life to anyone else? God is there for us, guiding us through trials and giving us the Bible and the blessing of Christian fellowship to help us on our way. Sometimes we need a helping hand, and sometimes we get to use our experiences to aid and encourage others. Telling our friends about Jesus allows us to share that lifeline in our communities, which is exactly what you and I do here at Better Life. Pretty cool stuff!- CO

HE FOUND BETTER LIFE ON TV

We got a very interesting email the other day from a man in Eugene who said that he had been watching Better Life recently and it had helped to open his eyes to see a loving God. He said he had been raised a Christian by a “ruthless fanatical mother” who beat him, saying that it was nothing compared to what God would do to him in the end. This angered him and he thought he’d never give any religion another opportunity. Then he found Better Life and after watching he said he wanted more of what he had been hearing on our programs. He wrote, “Help me get the correct path.”

Thank you for helping the good news of our loving God to people like this man in Eugene. So many need to know the Good News that comes from heaven.

Then we heard from a lady named Rachel who called us from Alabama. She told us that earlier this year she prayed to the Lord to give her something uplifting to watch on YouTube. She said she was lonesome and didn’t have anyone to talk to. She told the Lord that she needed a program that she could connect with. Then she discovered Better Life’s programming and has continued to watch. We are happy to welcome her as another member of the Better Life family!

A lady from Thunder Bay, Ontario contacted us after discovering Better Life on YouTube. She is Catholic and said that she wanted to share a story of something that happened to her with us. It is so good to hear from people around the world!

Some of you may have noticed the new or upgraded sets that have appeared on the network recently. One lady, in particular, noticed the upgraded Better Life Today set and she sent us these encouraging words, “Dear set designer… while viewing your program I can’t help but see in the set decorations an encouragement to me personally. It specifically speaks to me thru those retro/vintage copies of the curtains that my mother had… I just want you to know that I appreciate what He has done thru your hands. God Bless”

And finally, a lady from Gasquet, CA called saying that she had been raised an Adventist but had left the church for 55 years. She has decided to come back when she “stumbled” upon our station and is thrilled to be watching the programming. Please pray for this lady and all the dear souls to whom God is ministering to through Better Life.

Friends it’s because of your generous prayers and financial support that Better Life is able to continuously reach out to a lost and dying world. Thank you for everything you do!Thank you for supporting the outreach ministry of Better Life.

It’s with a heavy heart that we share with you that our dear friend Marta Davis passed to her rest unexpectedly on November 19th, 2021 after suffering a massive heart attack. 

Long-time viewers may remember that Marta and her husband Ron managed Better Life. When Better Life’s station manager left, someone suggested that Ron and Marta apply for the position, but they weren’t really that interested. They finally agreed to help by temporarily taking the job until someone more suitable could be found. But that temporary assignment lasted over a decade. It was a big job, but they learned to walk by faith. Marta commented, “Like the Israelites, we go around with wet toes. We have to step into the water! If we don’t think big, pray big, and trust Him it doesn’t happen.” 

We so much appreciate the part that God had Ron and Marta play in Better Life’s history. Their years of labor have no doubt added more souls to God’s kingdom.

Please keep Ron and his family in your prayers. Ron and Marta were married for 59 years. Trials like this make us long for heaven all the more. Thankfully Jesus has given us the blessed hope of resurrection and eternal life.

Meet John Dale

We’d like to introduce you to one of our production staff members! John Dale is one of our Better Life video directors. Not only does he direct some of the programs we produce in our studio, but he also works behind the scenes running camera and editing many of our programs you watch on Better Life.

Besides the work he does with Better Life John is also a wonderful nature photographer. The picture to the left of Crater Lake in the snow and the mountain scene on the first page are samples of his work. He captures amazing images like these from around the Pacific Northwest. 

If you’d like to see more of John’s photography just visit JohnDalePhotography.com and check out his online portfolios or you can also see his work on Instagram by going HERE.

NEWS NOTES

Non-Profit Status

Just a reminder that Better Life is a 501c3 non-profit organization and donations made to it are tax deductible. You can easily donate by calling, by visiting us online or by sending your donation to the address above.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Making a contribution is easy. You can do it by mail or phone using our contact info at the top of this page, or by simply visiting us online at BLBN.org. Thank you for all you do!

Just a reminder that Better Life is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and donations made to it are tax deductible.

Click HERE to go to our donation page.

Women In The Word- A New Series!

In early 2021 I found myself sitting in the conference room at Better Life Television being interviewed by Charlie Oliver and Denise Bradford. One of the questions Charlie asked me was, “if we hire you, would you be interested in hosting a show where you interview community members?” My quick answer was “Yes!” My many years in radio had been preparing me for just this and I relished the thought.

Soon after, I awoke with the strong impression to go another direction. I felt God asking me to share my struggles, and to let other women know they were not alone in theirs.

Women in the Word was born.

We begin each show by sharing our own personal experiences with the chosen topic of the week. We read Bible verses that pertain to the topic or that brought us encouragement. 

Please join me as we seek to encourage others and more importantly point them to the one that offers that hope and encouragement, Jesus Christ. 

Our new series, Women in the Word begins January 2nd and will air Sundays at 4:30 pm, Mondays at 12:30 am, Thursdays at 9:00 am, Fridays at 9:30 pm, and Saturdays at Noon.

Be blessed and remember; Jesus loves you and He is coming soon.

Veggie Doggie Cookies

Recipe from Marta Davis

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cornmeal

2 cups whole wheat flour 

1/4 cup nutritional yeast 

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. chopped parsley

1 cup vegetarian chicken broth

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt and cornstarch. Add the oil, parsley & broth and mix well. Press into sprayed cookie sheet and score in small squares or roll out and cut with doggie cookie cutters. Bake for 25-30 minutes until crisp. Break apart and freeze most, keeping other in fridge, as they have no preservatives and may spoil quickly, especially in warm weather.

Important January Dates

11th- “National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day.”

You will have to give this day a second look for sure. Of course, the 12th may have to become “Look for a new friend day,” so pick your puddle pal wisely. 

We’ll keep you posted!

16th– Remember “National Religious Freedom Day”

What a blessing to have the freedom to worship in accordance with one’s own beliefs and conscience.

And then there is “National Puzzle Day” on the 29th, which many people find quite puzzling. 

Which of the following statements are true, research shows that puzzles: 

-Improve mental speed & thought processes.

-Improve motor skills & dexterity for all ages.

-Helps to delay the symptoms of dementia & Alzheimer’s disease.

-Enhance problem-solving skills & increase effectiveness at work.

Surprise! They are all true!