Behind the Scenes with Better Life
October 2021

“PLASTIC ON THE WINDOW”
by Charlie Oliver,
Executive Director of Better Life

As I write this it’s painting day! My office windows are covered with plastic, and I’m enjoying hearing the chattering of the painters, sounds of ladders being moved, and the rhythmic noise from the paint sprayer- all signals that the Better Life studios will have a much-needed new protective coat of paint as we enter fall and winter! The only drawback? I can’t see out my window and view what I know to be a beautiful autumn day!

I can only imagine how Adam and Eve felt, after the fall, as sin took hold of their previously perfect home. As time went on, I think it might have been like looking through my window right now, beauty obscured by the opaque film of this sinful world.

Friends, don’t get too used to the muted nature of this world.  We have the promise of our Savior’s return, the day when He will rip the plastic off the window! The dinginess of this world will NOT survive His holiness, and the sight to meet our eyes ... oh wow! We will see the world as He intended, because sin will be no more!

This is not a dream. This is the reality He has promised, that in faith we believe. And the coolest thing to me? It’s both free and something we can share! Thank you for your decision to partner with us in the sharing of this wonderful news, telling others about what Jesus has done for us and allowing His love to shine through us. -CO

HE STARTED WATCHING YOUTUBE THEN SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAPPENED

We need to preface our first story by telling you that typically the staff of Better Life gather in the morning for staff worship. At times we have specifically prayed that God would help people find Better Life’s programming using His divine power. It seems that an answer to our prayer came in this email from Wales in the UK:

“We found you on YouTube, my husband had Precious Answers to Prayer by George Mueller bookmarked on YouTube as he settled down to listen one evening in his office.

“Precious Answers to Prayer had barely started when the video suddenly auto-skipped onto one of your [Better Life’s] first stories about George Mueller and the orphans.

“Tom was about to hit the back button but hesitated, then continued to listen as you both sounded very kind and the stories intriguing. Most importantly it was clear you both wanted to honour the FATHER by giving Him all the glory and encourage believers that the FATHER still does miracles today.

“He bookmarked the playlist and the next day shared it with me and we began watching the whole series together.

“We were encouraged so much by the multitude of answers to prayer we kept on listening, they have been a GREAT encouragement to us both in a trial we have been going through here in Wales.”

Amazing. Do you suppose an angel switched the program? Someday we’ll find out!

A viewer in Albany, Oregon, wrote us saying, “I am a Seventh-day Adventist... I watch Elder Ken Cox every night and never tire of hearing the pure gospel! I also enjoy... Authentic, Heavens Declare and Catching the Light! I love them all!”

A viewer who suffers with anxiety wrote us saying, “Hello, I thoroughly enjoy your programming. I suffer from anxiety and depression and find great comfort in watching your program. I not only enjoy the relaxing music and beautiful captures of nature, God’s divine work, but I enjoy the Scripture as well. Thank you and God bless you.”

Recently, an out-of-state viewer called us with a question about Adventist beliefs. She told us that one thing that attracted her to Better Life was how our programs relied so much on the Bible.

As we continued to talk to her she shared that she had been taking care of her mother who suffered with Alzheimer’s. About a year before her mom passed to her rest this lady began watching Better Life. Although her mom didn’t enjoy watching TV in general, our viewer would tell her about some of the things she was watching on Better Life and she believes that some of it got through even though her mom had Alzheimer’s.

Then her story got very personal. She revealed that after her mom was gone she got very depressed. She felt like she had nothing and no one and she began having suicidal thoughts. But then she said that during this time Better Life helped keep her alive! As she watched the programs they gave her hope. She just gushed about how Better Life’s programs had helped her tremendously. Praise the Lord!

Friends, thanks to your prayers and financial support stories like these continue to come in each month. Thank you for helping the gospel get out to seekers around the world!

Thank you for supporting the outreach ministry of Better Life.

NEWS NOTES

NEW PROGRAMS BEING PREPPED
Better Life has been busy refreshing some of our older programs and also creating some new ones just for you! You probably have already seen some of the newly-refreshed programs if you’ve watched Better Life Today and Stories of Faith. But soon you’ll see some new programs, too! 

The first new series is titled Women in the Word and it’s hosted by our own Jeanette Stark.

Jeanette says, “The idea behind Women in the Word is to encourage other women. So often we struggle in silence. We believe we are the only woman in church with this issue or that problem. The truth is, we all have struggles. I hope to give other women hope and to know they are not alone.”

The second program that’s currently in production is a children’s program titled AJ’s Treehouse and it’s a program targeted for children aged 8 to 12.

The program will feature segments on crafts, stories, nature and more! 

The current COVID situation has impacted the production of both of these new programs, so your prayers for them would be much appreciated. 

We’ll be sharing more about these new series when they are ready to begin airing. 

If you’d like to financially support these new endeavors, please give us a call at (541) 474-3089, or you can donate online at BLBN.org anytime.

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

RAVENS
By Jeanette Stark
A flock of ravens visited my property not too long ago. I love these birds and the way they move from place to place throughout the woods. As I watched them, I felt the urge to look for Scripture regarding these black birds. This is what I found:  “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” -Luke 12:24

I cannot tell you how much comfort that brought me. I thanked God, not only for bringing the ravens to my property, but for this wonderful promise that I had found in Scripture.

Friend, if you are going through some trial in your life, trust God. Pick up your Bible, find those promises, write them down and claim them! God is too good to leave you hurting. He wants to comfort you. He will comfort you!

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