Hope Mississippi
A bimonthly podcast educating Mississippians about the needs of fellow citizens, encouraging residents to work together to change the trajectory of our families and children, and sharing success stories.
Hope Mississippi
Eddie Spencer | From Prison to Purpose PART TWO
Reverend Eddie Spencer shares his powerful journey from childhood poverty to ministry, including his recent battle with cancer and sepsis that brought him near death yet deepened his faith and peace in Christ.
• God has a plan to use each of us uniquely—your testimony, whatever it includes, can impact someone who needs exactly your perspective
• Eddie's path included service with Young Life, opening three restaurants in the Mississippi Delta, and eventually pastoring multiple churches
• Despite coming from generational poverty, Eddie's life was transformed by mentors who invested in him, showing how we can be God's hands and feet
• Eddie faced a life-threatening battle with sepsis and prostate cancer, spending 42 days in the hospital and losing 83 pounds
• We should not use our weaknesses as excuses not to change—God can transform any aspect of our lives if we surrender it to Him
• When we align our desires with God's will, He provides exactly what we need, not necessarily what we think we want
• Eddie's peace in the face of terminal illness comes from certainty about his salvation—"to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ"
If you have not given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, don't continue to put it off. There is nothing but a step between us and death. Search your heart—if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, just ask Him to come in and forgive your sins, and He will change your life.
When you need some hope and inspiration to build collaboration, hope Mississippi is your salvation. One in four kids live in poverty. One in five are food deprived. Build collaborations and build hope with those who are struggling. Build hope, hope Mississippi. And welcome back to Dawn Beam's interview with the Reverend Eddie Spencer. Part two begins now.
Speaker 2:And they asked me, said would you consider coming and working with the United Methodist Church? Then I went to St Andrew Mission and became the assistant executive director with St Andrew Mission in Macomb, and so God continued to open those doors, mccomb. And so God continued to open those doors. But before then I guess I missed a very important part. God brought the person that I needed in my life. She and I, we had dated just for a little bit in 1989 or 88, and we went our separate ways. I got married and the marriage did not work, and you know from that. The Lord blessed me with a beautiful daughter and several years later, after I was divorced by three years, my wife present. We was connected because her son was in, which is our son I call him in my program who would go places with me and camps and everything.
Speaker 2:One day we was just talking and I was sharing with her about my vision going back to Hollandale. This day was when we go and start a young life in the Delta. I told her. I said you know I'm going to the Delta Field, called to go there. I said I don't want to go alone and just out of the blue, and I thought she was joking. She said, well, why don't you ask somebody to go with you? And I said, would you go with me? She said, let me think about it. I'm talking about just how God brought us back together. We ended up dating again, which is my wife. Now we're 28 years. We ended up dating again, got married, moved to Holland Hills. But parachurch men in the Delta do not survive. I had a support base which was the Young Life here, a lot of the staff members, but I could not raise the money so I went into the restaurant business. Cooking is one of my hobbies.
Speaker 1:I didn't know that, wow.
Speaker 2:We went into the restaurant business and ended up opening three restaurants in the Delta just back to back. Opened three restaurants in the Delta just back to back and the Lord had to once again told me, said Ed, I didn't call you into the restaurant business, I called you into the ministry. Catering was good, but the restaurant it took away a lot of my time and everything. Yeah, I did catering all the way to two years. There's been my Ray going on two years since my last catering job but I used to cater all over and the Lord brought my wife, which was one of the best things that ever happened to me. A lot of people say you married over your standards. I said yes, I did. And I always tell young people I say if you want to go somewhere, get somebody who is smarter than you who are gifted than you, who are confident in themselves.
Speaker 2:Get somebody you know that can contribute to you, and my wife I'm talking about. She has contributed what would mean throughout this journey and really see how God has used her in these last few months. And I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and it really hit me. And then when they put a port in and the port got infected infected and I ended up developing sepsis, I was getting ready to preach. There was one weekend that Friday started coming back and we went to the doctor and allowed the one who put that port in to look at it and he said it was nothing wrong with it, everything is fine, and said why this thing opened up and blood oozing out of it. He said, oh, that's just the healing process.
Speaker 2:Sadly, I found myself my body just started locking up that Saturday evening I couldn't even get up. Evening I couldn't even get up. I made it to my bed but I had to help get her to help put my feet up in the bed. I was so swole and when they got me to the hospital I had to call my son to preach for him. I had to counsel, get folks to go and preach. And when we got to the hospital I was in such a bad shape but it was only God. Show you how God works Now.
Speaker 2:All of my doctors at the University Medical Center. She said what hospital do you want to go to? I said I want to go to the Baptist. And so the ambulance took me to the Baptist. That hospital was packed. Took me to the Baptist that hospital was packed.
Speaker 2:I'm telling folks all in the hall out in the waiting room probably about 75 or more people in the waiting room and somebody said that they had been there a couple of days have not been seen. I was in such a bad shape and there was a young lady who was there. My wife and my daughter told us that you know he really need help. My wife had put her purse where I can kind of lean back and my daughter got some buckets where they can wash and put under my feet Because I was in so much pain. You can touch me like that. I howled and the young lady said he really needs help. She had them to take me back out.
Speaker 2:Now, all these people, that were people probably, who was in bad shape than I was, but the favor of God, a lot of times we can't explain it, sometimes people might think it's discrimination. But, the favor of God, god showed favor that day because the doctor said this. He told my wife. He said if he wouldn't have made it in here today he wouldn't be here. I was so infected and see, the port was right there, right by my main. All that infection was running right there through my main valve and when they got me back there they started working. I'm talking about working right away, everything you know, doctors coming. I'm talking about I was in the hospital for 42 days and that 42 days I had lost 83 pounds.
Speaker 2:But then, after I got out, they released us and we was trying to get to, you know, a nursing home, I mean a rehab place, but they would not rehab, would not accept me because I had to have infusion and there was a doctor there. He said it he might have said it joking. And I said what are we going to do? He said it, he might have said it joking. And I said what are we going to do? He said y'all going to be all right, and I said what do you mean? We're going to be all right, they are sending me home. He said I know that and I said who going to help us? He said he pointed to my wife and said you and you y'all going to do it.
Speaker 2:And one day my wife had to transform this whole area here to get me here. Then she had to give me antibiotic three times a day but during that time at one time I couldn't even lift my hand up to my mouth. They had to feed me, her and Sharon had to feed me. I was just that bad off. A lot of the doctors sometimes even my doctor really didn't believe that I would come back from that, especially with prostate cancer in my bones. Then this sepsis that caused infection and it took some of my abilities, like walking. I'm learning how to walk all over again A lot of the things God has already restored.
Speaker 1:You know what that tells me? God is not finished with you yet. He still has a plan.
Speaker 2:And I believe that and I want to be used for his glory. A lot of them says why don't you just go ahead and retire? I said God haven't told me to retire from on semi-disability so that you have to put me down to one church still in two churches. But also the church has walked with us and also other people you know God placed in our life have walked with us. It's just been such a blessing to see the hand of God continue to move in my life.
Speaker 1:Your life is a living testimony of his faithfulness. Now you're a preacher, so I want to make a few points as we've talked about your story. We've talked about your story One that, as I read your book the idea of generational poverty and how early on it impacts children I recall you talking about, even as a little boy, stealing bread because you were hungry, and so one thing our audience needs to know is that God's plan is to use us to be his hands and feet to certainly feed his sheep, but beyond that, I'm reminded of how Lee and others have impacted you. They probably had no idea what they did would make such an impact into the kingdom of God. Our first point in talking about your story is that God has a plan to use each and every one of us, and we want to encourage people to find what God's plan is for them.
Speaker 2:Amen, because the Bible says sanctify the Lord, thy God, into thy heart and be ready always to give an answer to anyone that asks you concerning the hope that's within you. God encourages us to share that hope. A lot of times we don't think that we have anything to give. Your testimony might not be like Eddie Spencer or somebody else. God didn't save you to be Eddie Spencer. He saved you to be you. Somebody needs to hear your testimony because you might have the right word.
Speaker 2:There are some people that I speak to. My testimony just completely passed. But then there's somebody who come and say hey, I was afraid of this. It may impact that person. You might identify saying he was afraid or she was afraid. I have fear. I want to know how they overcame it. God used each and every one of us. What we fail to realize is is God did not call us to try to change anybody. He does to change you. That's the reason the Bible said we overcame the enemy by the blood of the lamb and the what, the word of our testimony. I encourage my church members. I say your testimony is a powerful weapon. Your testimony determines the outcome. It's up to you. Share your testimony, don't be afraid.
Speaker 1:Another point that I take from your story is that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but we serve a God that is forgiving, and my sins are no better or worse than yours. We're all sinners saved by grace, and there's nothing you can do that will separate you from God's love and his willingness to forgive, if we're just willing to ask for that.
Speaker 2:Amen. And the Bible said God saved us. What he manifests his love for us while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us, and as I read my Bible, I thank God for this. We only see one perfect person throughout the Bible. It's our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. Everyone else you see them falling, you see them rising up. You see them falling. You see them rising up. You see them falling, you see them rising up. That's what the grace comes from God's grace, for by grace are you saved, and not of yourself.
Speaker 2:But one of the things that I tell people and I also remind myself don't use your weakness as an excuse not to change. If you see something in your life that you know that needs to change, don't allow it to establish in your life where you begin to accept it. You know, just like my anger, I had to say Lord, I don't want to be like this right here, I need you to change me. And a lot of people say, no, you was born with that. Right there. No matter what you were born with, god can change you. The Bible says, therefore if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things become new. Our God is able to renew our life, and that's what we should seek Now. Once you begin to take pride in your weakness no, you can't change because you have accepted whatever it is in your life.
Speaker 2:I preach on Sunday where Paul says you know, I sought the Lord three times and the Lord said my grace is sufficient. And he said that when I'm weak, then I'm strong. You see, god wants to take our weakness and change it so that others can see and they'll say, just being this, what you used to be. And you said but thank God that I'm not, that now you know. That's where the testimony come in, that you can see the contrast, why I used to be and what I am now.
Speaker 2:You know what I used to be, what I am now, and that's another thing that I talk when I talk to young people, especially those in prison do not take pride in your past. It's so easy that you can become bound to it. When you begin to talk about who you shot, who you beat up, who you robbed and everything, you start taking pride in that. That's a spirit that you're allowing to establish itself in your life and it binds you and it begins to in your life and it binds you and it begins to control your life. And it's so easy reading so many of them back because they imbound themselves with that spirit by talking about what I used to do and I said change your conversation, your words. The Bible says life and death in the power of the tongue. Life and death is in the power of the tongue.
Speaker 1:Okay, I got two more points and we're going to wrap it up. God provides all through your testimony. Whether it be a godly wife that could be by your side when you ministered in the Delta, or friends that you needed along the way when he called you to do something, he provides all you need. Can you add a little more about that?
Speaker 2:First of all, he knows our needs. A lot of times we get needs and wants mixed up. He said in his word. He said he would give us the desires of our heart, and a lot of people really misunderstand that when he said I will give you the desires of your heart, but that's a heart who now desires to serve him, to do his will, to glorify him, because that's what we want. Lord, yes, I want you to give me the desires of my heart, that wife. So that wife that you give me will also be able to glorify you, to honor you, not just somebody who I can just look at as a trophy or whatever, but that one that you know who I need because you know the desires of our heart.
Speaker 2:A lot of times we think that we know what we want or well, let me rephrase that, what we need we really don't know. Just like the children of Israel, when God told them, say you know you don't need a king, they say, oh, we want a king. He said, no, you do not need, you do not need it. He told them over and over, because wants bring consequences, but desires bring blessings. And a lot of times, how many times we said that we wanted something and it ended up costing us more than we ever thought. It caused broad pain and hurt. You tell folks I want a boyfriend, I want a girlfriend, but just one one and not the right one. Your heart end up being broken. Wrong one and not the right one, your heart end up being broken. So God, will he say, will give us the desires of our heart. But then, lord, I turn my desires over to you so that you can begin to mold and to shape me into what you want me to be, amen.
Speaker 1:The final point, and you've talked about having cancer, the battle that's been ongoing, you know, I think far too often we don't talk about heaven. We don't talk about that there is victory in Jesus, that when we all get to heaven it will be a glorious day, complete healing. Be a glorious day, complete healing, reuniting with other brothers and sisters in Christ. So I just ask you to kind of tell your perspective, the idea that to live is Christ but to die is gain.
Speaker 2:One of the things and I guess that's what God used in this. Now I have peace using this, now I have peace. Yes, this cancer I'm talking about just even three weeks ago was a dark moment for me and I'd seen like being in the hospital was a dark moment. But one of the things that I had and I said to my wife, I said to my daughter everybody, I have peace, I have peace, knowing that, yes, my God can, he can, he can change me, he can heal me, but if not, I know that he can bring me into his presence. So I'm talking about there's no fear when you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you have that personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, not church membership, but a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, when you know that you have invited him into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. And that's the reason David said yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I know that thou art with me. The Lord walked with us in every situation and I have felt his presence. I know he's present. And even just the other day, my wife and I sat down making funeral arrangements, picking out casks and stuff. I had peace, not afraid, or whatever, because I do know that to be absent from the body is to be with Christ, but to continue to live it is to gain. I'm talking about you know we'll be absent from the body is gain. I know that. Yes, I would love to be here for my wife and my kids, my grandkids and everything enjoying them. But I'm going to enjoy them, even to the end.
Speaker 2:But I encourage a person do not step out of this world or out of this life without a true assurance. Just like you will have your death policy or insurance policy, you better make sure you have your salvation policy, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that you have the Lord, jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior. That right there is worth everything. I have no fear. I'm not afraid, I'm not tormented, knowing, okay, these pains or whatever I get excited about. When some of my doctors say, oh, when he was talking to me he said well, what you want to do? Do you want to stop everything? Do you want to go on? I said we're going to go on, we're going to go on and for them to get like. Even yesterday, when we saw the doctor. He even said you know, a few weeks ago we was carrying him. But look at God.
Speaker 1:He continues to use you every day. My prayer is that God will take your testimony today and for those who are hurting, who need that hope, that God will use this to speak to them, to bring them to Christ. And the ultimate hope is heaven, that to live is Christ, but to die is gain, and we have our hope in Him. Thank y'all so much for listening and sharing this time together, and my brother, eddie Spencer, I love you and I thank God for the wonderful, wonderful testimony that you have been to so many. To God be the glory.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to God be the glory. Just one little nippy. If you listen, have the privilege of hearing this. Ask the question, lord, why did you allow me to hear this podcast? And I want to encourage you in the Lord to search your heart. If you have not given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, don't continue to put it off. You see, you might say Eddie is close to death because he got cancer, but you might be more closer than me because the Bible said there is nothing but a step between us and death. So I want to encourage you in the Lord, search your heart. If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, just ask him. Lord, come in, come in, forgive me of my sins, and I guarantee he will, and he will change your life. Amen, amen, amen.
Speaker 1:Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen.
Speaker 2:Amen, amen, hope, mississippi.
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