Behind the Scenes with Better Life
July 2021

“INDEPENDENCE”
by Charlie Oliver,
Executive Director of Better Life

This month we mark and celebrate the July 4, 1776 adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which announced to the world that the Thirteen Colonies were independent and sovereign, and paved the way for what became the United States of America. The language and wording is profound, drawing a line in the sand in regard to equal rights under God, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for ALL men. While America has struggled to meet this goal at times, providing for equal rights for every person, it is an ideal we continue to pursue.

As believers in Christ, what is our declaration? What do we celebrate? I pray that our heavenly celebration is one of dependence on our Savior, Jesus Christ!  Our Biblical guide provides a treasure trove of promises available to those who depend on Jesus:

• Do not fear; I will help you (Isa. 41:13)

• Submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6)

• My help comes from the Lord (Ps. 121:1-2)

• The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want (Ps. 23:1-2)

• The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still (Ex. 14:14)

Friends, it is good to celebrate.  As we come together to honor Independence Day, let’s remember to continually celebrate our dependence upon Jesus Christ, and to share the freedom He brings with those around us!- CO

Another Baptism!

The photo above makes us smile. It’s Better Life viewer Phyllis Bolden with Pastor Roger Beltran of the Santa Clara Seventh-day Adventist church in the Eugene/Springfield area. This photo was taken right before Phyllis was recently rebaptized...at the age of 98 1/2!  

So how did Phyllis find herself being rebaptized at that age? Well, she began watching Better Life and then started looking into what Adventists believe. As she learned more and more she thought, “As far as I can see they teach what I believe!” And she also wondered, “Where have they been all my life?”

As we spoke with her we asked if she would like a visit from our dear friends Michael and Marvis Remboldt who have been acting as Better Life ambassadors in the Eugene area. Phyllis accepted our invitation and they have since become good friends.  

Phyllis had previously told us of her desire to be rebaptized and so with the help of the Remboldts we were happy to help her realize that dream.

Speaking of baptisms we also just heard of another baptism of a Better Life viewer in the Roseburg area! A lady who had been staying at one of the local motels had discovered Better Life on the in-room TV and ended up visiting the local Adventist church! That lead to her making the decision to become baptized and now she’s part of that church family. Praise the Lord!

But there’s more! After she was baptized the congregation was asked if there was anyone else who would like to look into being baptized and a man they didn’t recognize raised his hand. Come to find out he had been living in a local motel watching Better Life too!

Isn’t it just a wonderful thing to have an evangelistic influence like Better Life available in homes and businesses throughout Oregon and beyond.

We also recently heard from a Better Life viewer in the Medford area who had first contacted us back in 2018. Originally when she called she told us that her son, who is autistic, was very much enjoying the music on the Better Life Nature channel. As it worked out they were even able to attend a Jaime Jorge concert at the Grants Pass SDA Church back before COVID-19 hit. 

As we caught up we asked if her son was still enjoying the nature channel and she shared that they had moved up to Better Life’s other channel and he was enjoying that now. She said that Better Life was one of the few channels they could get on her TV and she really appreciated the spiritual influence of it in her home.

We got another call from an Adventist lady in Berrien Springs, Michigan, who had been given a Roku box and then discovered the Better Life TV app. At first she didn’t know if Better Life was an Adventist channel, but it didn’t take her long to figure it out. 

She said she has been enjoying our Stories of Faith program and that she has shared the YouTube link to the whole series with her family and friends.

Note, if a Roku box would help you view Better Life but you’re unable to afford one, please contact us, we may have a solution for you. (541) 474-3089 

Friends, there are so many people to reach before the Lord returns. We are thankful that you have chosen to partner with Better Life to get the message out to as many people as possible as quickly as we can. Your donation helps to make viewer stories like this possible. Thank you for all you do! 

Thank you for supporting the outreach ministry of Better Life.

NEWS NOTES

HACKED!
You read about things like this in the paper and you just hope it doesn’t happen to you. Well, it did. Unfortunately, one of the devices used to connect Better Life with the cable provider in Eugene was hacked with ransomeware. We didn’t pay the ransom, but it has taken a number of days to get things back up and running properly and thankfully we are back on local cable now! We appreciate the patience of our Eugene cable viewers during this time. 

We have been and will continue to fortify our internet connected devices to keep our signal strong sand secure. Thank you for your prayers for protection for these important pieces of broadcast equipment. 

SCHEDULES
On the back of this newsletter you will find the monthly schedule for Better Life TV, but did you know that we also have schedules for our Better Health TV and Vida Mejor TV as well? You can view or download them on our website at BLBN.org.

BETTER LIFE SPEAKERS AVAILABLE
Charlie Oliver and Douglas Garcia are available as guest speakers. If you’d like to see about scheduling one of them to speak to your congregation please call our office at (541) 474-3089 during regular business hours. 

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

THE NEIGHBOR
By Jeanette Stark
Many years ago, my family had a neighbor who didn’t like us. I could overhear her saying unkind things about our family and our situation. She never smiled, never waved, never said hello.

One day I cried out to the Lord about the situation and the Holy Spirit prompted me to take her flowers. I knew her favorite color was yellow, so I picked every yellow flower from my flower beds, put them in a pretty vase and took them over to her. She was not home so I left them on her porch.

A couple days later my daughter came in and said “Mom, the neighbor asked if you were the one who brought the flowers over. I told her yes. She said to tell you thank you.”

Joy filled my heart! From that moment on she began to wave when we would wave, she began to smile and say hello. Eventually there were conversations and laughter. I even had her in my home.

Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

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