**The text in this transcript may not match perfectly with audio**

[THEME MUSIC]

[ANNOUNCER]

Today is Monday, November 26, 2018, and this is Radio WAVE.

[THEME MUSIC]

[ANNOUNCER]

Broadcasting across the world from the Radio WAVE Studio at Caritas, Alabama. This is Radio WAVE with a Friend of Medjugorje.

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

So, were just a few days from Thanksgiving, reflecting, thinking about family, all those things that have taken place. And the plan for salvation was within the family. Very amazing when you think about it, how the Son of God was going to come, and how He had to redeem us, and God chose to put Him between two people, two pillars. And in the Poem of the Man-God, Jesus even said, Between Mary and Joseph, I had Heaven on earth, and that helped Me not miss Heaven. Thats a profound statement.

Is this what your family was Thanksgiving? Is this what youre going home to? Youre seeking it because more numbers than ever, people went back home. Even we talked about last Mejanomics on Thanksgiving Day, the stores are closing for the benefit of their employees to be spending it with family. And one I called out for which was Recreational Equipment Incorporated. They didnt just close on Thanksgiving Day for the families and employees, they closed on Black Friday. Thats a big statement to give up the biggest profitable day of the year. But what is it saying? Its also saying somethings in the heart. Were seeking something were missing. And money is not the end of the story. What we see is family. And thats what Our Ladys message spoke about this 25^th, directly about something in your family that you need to do.

[JOAN]

Our Ladys November 25, 2018 message to the world:

Dear children! This is a time of grace and prayer, a time of waiting and giving. God is giving Himself to you that we may love Him above everything. Therefore, little children, open your hearts and families, so that this waiting may become prayer and love and, especially, giving. I am with you, little children, and encourage you not to give up from what is good, because the fruits are seen and heard of afar. That is why the enemy is angry and uses everything to lead you away from prayer. Thank you for having responded to my call.

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

Its interesting that Our Lady says: open your hearts and families But what Shes saying is, Open your hearts, open your families. Open your families to what? To prayer. For what purpose? So they may become more love. And especially: I am with you, little children, and encourage you not to give up from what is good Family is good. There is more given up because of family than giving up anything.

Families are in destruction. Its been that way for decades. Its been declining. Why? Because the most hated institution by the enemy is family. Its not the Vatican, its not the pope, its not the bishops, its not us, its not the Church. Its the family. he despises it, he hates it. he will do everything to cause strife, destruction. Theres nothing he wont do. he and the system, not just satan, but the system hes made, uses everything to lead you, the family, not just an individual, but the family, away from prayer. That drops his protection.

That can be proven by a Gallup poll that was given that said that if you go to church and a nonbeliever couple goes to church, one out of two divorce. So, its not different. Just simply going to church, as opposed to nonbelievers that dont go to church, its the same statistic. But, if you pray as a couple together, Gallup poll found out, and it isnt saying you have to go to church, just praying together, the chances are 1 out of 1153 couples would get a divorce, that pray together. Just 1 out of almost 1200 couples.

Does that not say something to you? [I am your mother,] little children, and encourage you not to give up from what is good, because the fruits are seen and heard of afar Thats a pretty big statistic of importance that can be heard around the world. You might want to say thats a shot thats heard around the world thats heard. [And] that is why the enemy is angry and uses everything to lead you away from prayer Its not even just church. Im not saying not to go to Sunday Mass, but if you pray together, as a family, you stay together! And a secular organization, Gallup, proves that by interviewing people and taking a poll.

Is it not amazing? Is it not astounding? You think Our Ladys messages are just saying something simple? Go deep into them. Our Lady is telling us never ever to surrender no matter how difficult our situation is. Nobody wants to teach people these things today, and nobody wants to know now. They dont want to show you.

Our Ladys messages have a purpose to show you, when youre in the night, and its cold and dark, how to see the light. Shes telling us in this message, Fight! Dont give up whats good. Marriage is good. Love between a husband and wife is good. Better than both of those things are praying together. You have to pray together! Its not an option. And if you think you dont have to then youre following exactly what the anger of the enemy is wanting you to do, to lead you away from prayer so he can destroy the family and destroy the culture and the city and the state and the nation and the world.

The family is splitting apart. We have to pray together. Our Lady once said, The best prayer is community prayer. The best community prayer is the husband and wife praying together. These things are important. Weve forgotten this. But nobody wants you to know that. And satan doesnt want you to know it. The system doesnt want you to know it. hes built the system to keep you away from prayer. I dont have to fill in the blank of what that instrument that keeps you away from prayer more than anything else. If you dont know about it now, over these years weve been talking about cellphones, youre never going to get it. It is destructive, it is damaging. Youre crazy for letting your children have one in the house! Its destructive to their soul.

So you have to fight. You have to close all the doors. And if youre uncertain about these things, all this is bringing you down. Never surrender! Fight this, follow the message, and Our Lady will show you the way.

[SONG: NEVER SURRENDER]

Just a little more time is all we're asking for cause just a little more time could open closing doors. Just a little uncertainty can bring you down.

And nobody wants to know you now. And nobody wants to show you how.

So if you're lost and on your own you can never surrender. And if your path won't lead you home you can never surrender. And when the night is cold and dark, you can see, you can see light. Cause no one can take away your right to fight and to never surrender.

With a little perseverance you can get things done without the blind adherence that has conquered some.

And nobody wants to know you now. And nobody wants to show you how.

So if you're lost and on your own you can never surrender. And if your path won't lead you home you can never surrender. And when the night is cold and dark, you can see, you can see light. Cause no one can take away your right to fight and to never surrender. To never surrender.

And when the night is cold and dark, you can see, you can see light. Cause no one can take away your right to fight and to never surrender. To never surrender.

Time is all youre asking for. To never surrender. You can never surrender. Time is all youre asking for. You stood your ground, never surrender. Never surrender, no.

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

Theres a little story I read the other day that was real interesting. And then Our Lady comes out with this message: not to give up for what is good because the fruits are seen and heard of afar And this story is way in Africa in the middle of nowhere, a little village. And youre going to hear it. We have people listening this mic overseas, afar, and theyll hear it. And you can picture the scene of what happened with this situation. Because what happened was a good with a price, but yet the fruits from it will affect you and many other people.

[JOAN]

The Russians are a rotten lot, immoral, aggressive, ruthless, hoarse, and generally evil. They are responsible for most of the troubles in this world. They are not like us. Thats pretty much the summary of the daily news about the Russians. But sometimes something slips through the net of prejudice, some small bit of a sign that is so clean and true and real that it wedges open the rusting iron curtain long enough for us to see not an enemy, but fellow travelers joined to us by membership in the fellowship of joy and pain.

See Nikolai Pestretzov. I dont know much about him. I dont know where he is now. But Ill tell you what I know. He was a Sergeant Major in the Russian Army, 36 years old. He was stationed in Angola, a long way from home. His wife had come out to visit him. On August 24, South African military units entered Angola in an offensive against the black nationalist guerillas taking sanctuary there.

At the village of Engevia, they encountered a group of Russian Soldiers. Four were killed, and the rest of the Russians fled except for Sergeant Major Pestretsov. He was captured, as we know, because the South African military communicate said, Sergeant Major Nikolai Pestretsov refused to leave the body of his slain wife who was killed in the assault on the village. It was, as if, the South Africans couldnt believe it, for the communicate repeated the information. Quote, He went to the body of his wife and would not leave it although she was dead.

How strange. Why didnt he run and save his own hide? What made him go back? Is it possible that he loved her? Is it possible that he wanted to hold her in his arms one last time? Is it possible that he needed to cry and grieve? Is it possible that he felt the stupidity of war? Is it possible that he felt the injustice of fate? Is it possible that he thought of children, born or unborn? Is it possible that he didnt care what became of him now? Its possible. We dont know. Or, at least we dont know for certain. But we can guess. His actions answer.

And so, he sits alone in a South African prison. Not a Russian, or Communist, or Soldier, or enemy, or any of those categories, just a man who cared for just a woman for just a time more than anything else. Heres to you, Nikolai Pestretsov, where ever you may go and be, for giving powerful meaning to the promises that are the same everywhere, for dignifying that covenant that is the same in any language: for better or for worse, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and honor and cherish unto death, so help me God.

You kept the faith, kept it bright, kept it shining. Bless you.

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

If you reflect on this, its profound. Our Lady said: God is giving Himself to you that we may love Him above everything If you do that, youll love in a way that doesnt make sense to the world. This sergeant fled, and he realized his wife was dead. He goes back knowing what his fate may be. But could he live with himself knowing that he didnt go back just to at least say goodbye, hold his wifes hand? Grieve? Had he not would he have gone crazy the rest of his life knowing he just left her there? And yet, he fares better because hes in prison. And he knew what he didnt give up. What was good? To go back and say to his wife, I love you. And reflect on their marriage and, Youre my all. And nowadays you hear about it, and the fruits of it are pictured in your mind and heard afar.

He didnt do it to be on a stage. He didnt do it to make an impact. Every one of those soldiers, everybody who saw this, was affected by it. And it reflects back on a witness what they should have in their family. Contemplate his thoughts, going to prison and sitting there for years. Did he regret it? Would he do it all over again? I think he would.

Jesus said about Judas He would die a whole crucifixion again just for him to save him. And this is the kind of love Gods calling us to. And we dont see it, we dont understand it. You have to reflect on this Gallup poll, that if you just pray together, your chances are 1153, that youll divorce, simply by praying together.

This statement of Our Lady, the most important part of this message, is that he, or the system, your environment, consumerism, materialism, all this will lead you away from prayer. And thats all satan has to do. Thats his only goal. And were in a time of grace now. We need to see these things. We need to understand these things. But we dont. Just like the song said, We dont know how. And nobody wants to show us how.

Our Lady is here to show us this. Shes making us see things that we could never see before. And Our Ladys wanting to show us that Shes going to see us through. Shell never abandon us when we fall. She was always, and will always, be at our side. She says, You can call me immediately. I will come. Even in the middle of the night! Our Lady gave those words exactly that way. Not in the night. But, Call me and Ill come immediately in best resolving the difficulty.

Weve got a Mother, weve got a Woman who loves us, whos entrusted with the world, meaning us, our families. And Shes showing and teaching us the way. But we dont want that. In fact, many people want to give up. And thats why Our Lady says, Dont give up whats good. What is good is family. What is good is neighbor. What is good is everything of God. But weve traded all these things for things that are meaningless.

And today many people around the world are doing the biggest shopping day now, which now is new called Cyber Monday. They do the cyber shopping. Theyre expected to be $100 billion spent or something, some crazy number. This is ludacris. This is not of God. And these are the things we tire of, and it causes us to give up, because its a struggle to stay with the good.

If your family doesnt want to stay together, they dont want to pray together, dont give up! You have to say, I wont give up. Its up to you to do that. Youre the one following Our Lady. They may not be. Our Lady is teaching us to live the spirit as, I wont give up no matter what happens.

[SONG: I WONT GIVE UP]

Dont tell me love is something you wont try again. Thats just not true. But now maybe what you needs a friend. Well, I'm here for you.

I will be by your side if ever you fall deep in the dead of the night, whenever you call. And I wont change my mind. No, Ill see you through. And I wont give up. No, I wont give up. I wont give up on you.

You need someone who knows you from the inside out the way I do. I've seen you walk the wire never looking down. I believe in you.

I will be by your side if ever you fall deep in the dead of the night, whenever you call. And I wont change my mind. No, Ill see you through. And I wont give up. No, I wont give up. I wont give up on you.

I will be by your side if ever you fall deep in the dead of the night. And I wont give up. No, I wont give up. I wont give up. You can call it love. But I wont give up on you.

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

How beautiful it would be if what the words of this song said was the mantra for everyone and every situation, that, I wont give up. Our Ladys not doing that. And She said on yesterdays message on the 25th: I am with you, little children, and encourage you not to give up from what is good This soldier clung to something that gave him a consolation and a mental clarity that would keep him from going insane because he gave up years in prison just to stay a few moments with his wife. Had he left, would he be able to be healthy mentally? Who knows? But I bet he wouldnt.

Love is the basis for sanity and sanctsanity (26:32) and sanctity. You choose. A broken family, you wont pray together. One out of two divorces versus 1 out of 1153. Drill that into your heart. Its real.

[JOAN]

Moving onto another section of the message, Our Lady connected two words together that, to me, gives you some pause as to why She connects the two. The words waiting and giving. That we are in a time of waiting and giving And then She says further down that this waiting may become, She says, prayer, that it will become love, but especially that it will become giving.

When you think of waiting, a lot of times you think its a passive word. Youre just sort of waiting for the bus to come, or youre waiting for your birthday to arrive. So, what are your thoughts about why Our Lady is speaking about the word waiting?

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

Well, when you put it in the context of Christmas, waiting for the Messiah, the Jews waited. They missed that time. They are still in waiting for the Messiah to come. And the Messiah will come back. It will be their first time, it will be our second time. So, theyre not necessarily in error, except they missed the first time.

Our Ladys warning us in so many stories, in so many ways, so many lessons. Dont miss the moment. Shes here on earth for the second time, and its an impossibility for Her not to be here in preparation for the second coming. A lot of the Jewish people are going to be surprised at the first coming because theyll recognize Him. Everybody will. And theyll grieve. And not all of them will go to hell because of that, or any of them in that matter. Its just their hardness, their ignorance, and we all have that - us as Christians, those who deny to see God when He comes in our presence.

And how many people today are ignoring Our Lady, denying Our Lady, as the Jews did in Christ 2000 years ago? Theyre missing the preparation for the second coming and waiting and sparking the moment to be in wait for the second coming of Jesus. Were in a marvelous moment. Were in on the top of the wave. Knowing that the Virgin Mary is here, and Her being in expectation, pregnant, bearing us into holiness.

She said that: As I bore Jesus in my womb I bear you unto holiness See the symbolism of Her words? Also understand that in a literal way. She is walking with us. She said: I am with you For what? To: encourage you Why? Because you want to give up whats good. Dont abandon the family. Dont abandon the Church. The Church is very much in trouble, very much in trouble.

Ivanka said September 7, 2011, quote, From 1981 to 1985, I had daily apparitions. Through those years, Our Lady shared with me about Her life. What was Her life? Family, Joseph, Jesus, Her in the house. Ivanka continues, Through those years, Our Lady shared with me about Her life, about the future of the Church, and about the future of the world.

I can tell you now, and I wont go into it today, but there are some big, big things happening right now in the Church that are very disturbing. And I am not talking about the scandal. Its worse than that. Ive been looking at it for months. And I dont get scared of anything, and Im not scared of this, but this puts the fear of God in me. Because there are some dramatic things happening that not even the bishops understand and what very few and almost nobody can see unless you were immersed in the messages for years. And its frightening. I dont know whats going to happen, but theres something coming down the pipe thats not good.

Why would Our Lady share with Ivanka about Her life, we understand that, but about the future of the Church? We know its going to be here always because, The gates of hell wont prevail against it. But is our church going to be transformed into something else? Is it going to be different? Is it not going to be understood in the context as we know it now? There are things happening that are going to be such a big change in the Church that we wont recognize it as we recognize it today.

So, this is a big hint from Ivanka and from Our Lady, just knowing this knowledge. And about the future of the Church and about the future of the world. I was writing down all of that, and when Our Lady says to me when and to whom I will give it. I will give it to them. Ivanka, September 7, 2011. Were in moments that nothing is more prioritized above the messages and above your family, above love, above your neighbor. Thats where you have to go to. And your family is to be an institution that is not to be belonged to itself but to sacrifice itself for the salvation of the world and the salvation of souls. Thats your purpose.

If youre an introverted family, you only care about yourself, you only think about what you want to do at Christmas, or what you want to do on Thanksgiving, youre off kilter. Mary and Joseph never looked at themselves, Well, weve got Jesus, were going to keep everybody away. Weve got everything. Weve got Heaven with us. No, they knew what their purpose was. And when it came to give way to that, Our Lady did it. And thats why no one has suffered more than Jesus, and no one has a second place of suffering more than the Virgin Mary, what She went through when She gave Jesus up.

We live in a moment thats very, very serious. You cannot give up, you cannot separate, you should not be an escalator of situations, but a de-escalation. Dont incite things and make them bigger than what they are. And often, the things that youre making something may not even be there.

We are called by Our Lady to be a people who bring peace and pray and trust in God that He resolves all things according to His will. And its a beautiful way to understand it. In that way, youre not trying to fix everything. Its Gods problem. Ive got to be holy. Ive got to pray. Ive got to fast. Ive got to sacrifice. Thats my work. Thats your work. Thats our job. Thats the call to be an apostle. And when you understand these methods and these systems, youre free! Youre liberated!

Weve talked about this before on the radio, because all human relationships are really about forgiveness. The Crucifixion was about what? Forgiveness. Jesus died on the Cross for what? For the Father to forgive all of mankinds sin. And so, forgiveness is setting the prisoner free. If you do that, thats what happens. And, by doing that, then you realize that the prisoner was you. If you dont forgive, you put yourself in prison. If you dont forgive, youre giving someone a rent-free place in your heart. Do you want to live that way? Do you want to be that way? Youre destroying yourself.

God has called us to be what Jesus was, and thats why when we say, Forgive us as we forgive others, in the Our Father. Thats the way it works. It happened with the Pharaoh. He pronounced the judgement. It came back on his own son, because he wanted all the first-born Jews to die. And what happened? All the first-born Egyptians died.

How much does God have to speak to us through the Scriptures? How much clearer can He get? Why do they celebrate, to this day, the Passover, the Blood of the Lamb on the doorstep? Our Lady is coming here to show us that. My Son forgave you. Youre a sinner. You must do the same thing. And this is how things work, and youre liberated, and youre free.

Ive got a lot of enemies for what I do, and I always forgive them constantly. And some now are my friends. Some actually are supported. I never dreamt that they would be back in that position. But love conquers everything. And thats what this song was saying, Never surrender. Quote, Without the blind adherence that has conquered some.

We see this with our shepherds. They are blindly adhering to something that is conquering themselves. Theyve lost the path of where they need to be on it. Thats why Our Lady is here with us, to raise up apostles. Ive said it before, and Ill say it now, we need them for the sacraments, but were the ones that are taking over the Church. Its going to be a new kind of Church, a Church that may shock everybody. I cant give you the details, but theres something coming. Otherwise, even the logic of Ivanka being shared with the future of the Church, why? Unless something is going to be different. Weve got 2000 years of what the Church is. But its coming to be something different. Why? Because the anti-Christ system is too powerful not to infiltrate the Church.

Perhaps thats tied to the words of Marija when she says, Every family is a small church. Thats where it begins. Its not in the cathedral, not in your local church. And yet the statistics show prayer is the most important thing. And Im not saying and not advocating to not go to church, but if you pray together, you heard the statistics. If you go to church together, youre 1 in 2, still get divorced. That is a statistic from a few years back. We dont know where it is now. But its a truth.

So, we have this one thing Our Lady says, That is why the enemy is angry What is the enemy? Why does She say that? Why doesnt She just say satan? Shes only said that one other time. She said on February 11, 1982: Do not let the enemy take possession of you in anything And here it is, from the beginning of the apparitions to now, 2018, that the enemy uses everything to lead you away from prayer. In 1982, dont let him take possession in anything!

What is the enemy? Why not just satan? It could be your spouse, it could be your children, it could be your boss, it could be a system out there that is, not it could be, it is a system out there. Look at what keeps people from prayer.

We just heard a pastor talk about football this past weekend on the altar. And his enthusiasm was ten times more than what he did in the homily. And actually, it was more interesting, even though I wasnt interested in it, in what he was saying, because he had more power in it than the Word. The word on the pulpit was nothing. Again, like I always say, its a good sleeping pill. No interest, no substance, no food, starvation.

The Church is in a trial, and its going to go through something. So, what is the enemy? It could be right there next to you. Often, its the person thats closest to you. But that doesnt mean that youre not to love that person. Youre to preserve (he said preserve) persevere. And dont let the enemy take possession of you. Be courageous. Forgive. And its hard to do. But you have to do if you want to stay sane and go towards sanctity. This is the way it works.

Our Lady says this is: A time of waiting and giving Those two words tied together is what God did in giving Himself to you, that you may love Him above everything. And theres everything out there above that now, materially.

So, Our Lady gives us a real hard pill to swallow. You may think youre going to choke. But, Our Lady can give you the graces, that even if youre underwater, and often we say that we just barely have our nose above the water here at Caritas. There are so many things were doing, so much were looking into for the future, the anticipation. Weve been waiting to get into certain points to be ready. Because She said, Be ready And sometimes were underwater. But the miracle is, Our Lady, through Her messages, and what Shes bringing you to gives you the ability to breathe underwater. Its miraculous. We feel like sometimes were drowning. You out there feel the same way.

Because, to go through conversion, to go through a change of mentality, puts you under the water. And you have to tread water. But, if youre with Her, you can breathe like that, and it will feel like youre flying. Youll feel the victories. She brings that to us. And its freedom. Its freedom because Our Lady shows us how to fly when were underwater and we think its too dark and were all alone. And its safe to say, Mary, help me. And She can come to your aid and to your help.

[SONG: BREATHING UNDERWATER]

I believe in miracles 'cause it's a miracle I'm here. Guess you could call me spiritual 'cause physical is fear.

And it's safe to say the storms gone away and Im dancing on the morning after. Yes I'd love to stay, but my home's the other way and I miss the love and laughter.

Something like flying, hard to describe it. My God, I'm breathing underwater. Something like freedom, freedom. My God, I'm breathing underwater.

Every moon and every star knows who you are, you know. So ever if gets too dark, you never are alone.

And it's safe to say we surrendered a day to pay back all the love you borrowed. And hope that I had survived yesterday and today is jealous of tomorrow.

Something like flying, hard to describe it. My God, I'm breathing underwater. Something like freedom, freedom. My God, I'm breathing underwater.

Something like flying, hard to describe it. My God, I'm breathing underwater. Something like freedom, freedom. My God, I'm breathing underwater.

Something like flying, hard to describe it. My God, I'm breathing underwater. Something like freedom, freedom. My God, I'm breathing underwater.

Something like freedom, freedom. My God, I'm breathing underwater.

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

This is a time of grace and prayer, a time of waiting and giving What does that mean? you might ask. Were always in waiting. The biggest moment of our life, the highest peak of our life, is at the end. The waiting will be over. And youll give an account to Our Lord of what you did, and youll understand eternity at that moment and where youre going.

[ANNOUNCER]

You are hearing a Friend of Medjugorje on Radio WAVE. This time is a time of giving. For over 30 years, a Friend of Medjugorje has directed the mission of Caritas of Birmingham to give for the salvation of souls. We cannot continue to give freely without the generous financial support of our Field Angels. Thank you.

We are actively looking for more Field Angels to give a small and unburdened amount of just $5 a month. That is all we need to help save a drowning world. To sign up, contact Caritas in the U.S. at (205) 672-2000. Or, visit mej.com spelled m-e-j.com, and click on Field Angels.

For all who join, a Friend of Medjugorje will share with you one free copy of the special writing To Love, which is a firsthand witness of selfless giving. When signing up over the phone or online, be sure to mention this broadcast and the item number PR1001.

Now, here is a Friend of Medjugorje to conclude todays broadcast.

[A FRIEND OF MEDJUGORJE]

So, in this time of waiting, give to God what He desires, and His desire is His will for you. Dont resist, dont hold back. Be generous with God, as generous as He is with you. Youll never know it if you dont reflect. Youll never understand it if you dont think.

Its simple. Love. Love. Always love. Forgive. Forget. Because Hes done that for you. Its the way to peace and eternity.

We wish you Our Lady. We love you. Goodbye.

[ANNOUNCER]

This ends the Radio WAVE broadcast with a Friend of Medjugorje. These broadcasts are available as CDs which are sent directly to your doorstep on a monthly subscription. For information, contact Caritas in the U.S. at (205) 672-2000.