A New Day (58 page)

     “
I’m not saying that at all, though I wish I still had that right.  I’m saying that I’m a single man, who is completely dedicated to the Lord.  I haven’t had sex with a woman since I asked Jesus to be Lord in my life.  And I won’t, until He gives me the freedom to marry Tasha.”

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Well, Tim; you took a great deal of trouble to come here and explain this.  What in closing would you have to say to these people?” the host asked, seeming a bit more reticent.

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First, I never said I was perfect.  I don’t know anybody but Jesus, who is.  I have a long way to go.  Anybody can fall.  Anybody can make mistakes.  The trick is to get up and start walking again, when you do fall down.  It’s a shame when a person can’t do that because of accusation, condemnation and wounding by other people.” 

    
"It’s incredible, the way we attack and stab one another, when we do fall.  I thank God that I didn’t go too far over the line that night, and make love to Tasha.  I love her, but she’s not my wife yet.  Just imagine the disaster we’d face if I had stepped over that line.”

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The second thing is that I want to say publicly that I am disgusted that the world at large got to look in Tasha’s bedroom window and ogle pictures of me kissing my intended.”

    
"Then, rather than asking Pattie Danniels what right she had to do this, all the negative attention is focused on Tasha and I, who were though not in the most appropriate circumstance for an unmarried couple, not doing anything so wrong, either.” 

    
"I deeply resent that people all over America and who knows where else in the world, are looking at pictures of her in her bedroom, in her night clothes.  I thought it was against the law to be a Peeping Tom, but nobody seems to care or even be thinking about how Pattie Danniels obtained her pictures.  It's not unlawful to be in a woman's bedroom, kissing her goodnight.  Yet, I am on trial, and so is she, though she didn't invite me into her room.” 

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Third, I hope to put a seed in the minds of America, to be careful before they judge.  I am not accountable to you or anyone else for my private life.  If I had done something wrong, I’d expect the men that I am in submission to in the church, to take me aside and deal with me.  Not some blood-lusting magazine that professes Christ, but does all it can to destroy a ministry based on the words of one woman -- who has not shown herself to be credible in my experience.” 

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I am accountable to God for my life, and for everything that I do.  I do try to lead by example, and practice what I preach.  I can’t say I never get off the path.  The Lord did talk to me me about going to talk to Tasha in her room under those circumstances.  I didn’t plan to do it then, and I don’t plan to do it again.  I feel very convicted that people have been misled because of what I did.”

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But, I also think it’s pretty sad that Pattie Danniels was out on a very private deck with a camera, just waiting for me to make a mistake – so that she could convict me before the entire world.”

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Those pictures were taken the night before I left Tasha’s house.  I can guarantee you I didn't sleep with her, because she wasn't even talking to me.  Hard as I tried, we didn't work out our differences.  So, the whole thing is a farce. It's laughable!”

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And Pattie made it sound like I was ‘living in sin’ with Tasha in her house.  I had been in the guest room for two nights when she and her father arrived in Salt Lake, coming from Idaho.  I spent exactly one evening with Tasha and her father, the housekeeper and another male guest, before everything blew up; and I went home to Jackson.”

    
His eyes were flashing in frustration.  “You know, I wonder if Pattie was outside the house every night while I was there, peeking in windows, and hoping for a lucky shot?  If she was, she waited a long time to get one.  I hope it was worth it to her.  I rather suspect that she knew Tasha was in Idaho, and showed up in Salt Lake the same evening that Tasha did -- hoping to get a picture of me kissing her.  Why is it that Pattie is stretching the truth?” he asked pointedly.

    
The host looked at Tim with dawning respect.  “So does Pattie Danniels have something against you, Tim?”

    
Tim closed his expression.  “I have no idea.  All I know is that she was looking for a good story.  She worked hard to fabricate this one.  But that’s what pays her wages, I suppose.”

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You’ve met her before?”

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Yes. ”

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So what’s your relationship to her?”

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I don’t have one.  She’s just a reporter who’s asked me some questions.”

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So what do you think about her, now?”

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I have nothing more to say about Pattie Danniels, or anybody else.  I don’t appreciate what she did, and she has not reported this accurately.  I just want the record set straight.”

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So you choose not to judge others as you’ve been judged?”  the host asked patronizingly.

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Though it’s human nature, I don’t want to participate.”  Tim acknowledged.  “When someone wrongs me, I try to pull my feelings out of it, and see what good can come out of it. The Lord uses all things for the good of those who love Him.  So, I try to step back and see what can be done to use the circumstances I find myself in, to further the Kingdom of God.  I don’t want to accuse anybody, or tear anybody down, or see anybody fall.  We're supposed to be on the same team.” 

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My Master has commanded me not to judge others.  He alone knows how to deal appropriately with these situations.  My intention is to just get out of His way, and let Him do it.  I’m just staying in prayer and peace, and letting Him deal with me, and everyone else involved in this.”

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So you think we should ignore moral issues in the church and just let everybody do whatever they want?” the host asked incredulously.  “Leave it to God to deal with … someday?”

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No.  The Bible gives us clear guidelines for confronting others when they step out of line.  But no one is using those Biblical principles to judge me, or resolve this.  And any correction should come from the men I‘ve submitted myself to; my fathers in the faith. 

    
"And before they approach it, they should go to God for wisdom and guidance, so that they can take the appropriate approach. Pattie hardly knows me.  She doesn’t have any right to be blurting out some hocus pocus story that she doesn’t know the half of.”

    
"If she were truly ‘concerned’, she would have talked to me, or taken this to my leaders in the church.  Instead, she has used sensationalist tactics to condemn us publicly, without any facts, at all.”

    
"You know, the focus of the church should be to heal itself.  We are all part of one body.  This magazine is not the church – and I am amazed by the audacity of this woman reporter, and her allegations. 

    
"How can this story, this behavior, be acceptable to the Christian world?  It’s the most … un-Christian thing I’ve ever seen!”

    
Tim paused, and sighed.  “My spiritual fathers and leaders in ministry aren’t condemning me. I haven’t received a call from any of them yet, though I certainly intend to talk to them about it. 

    
"I’m certain they are asking God what HIS opinion is, before they approach me.  And I’m sure they are waiting to hear my side.” 

    
"Why is Pattie Danniels doing this?  Why should one part of the body of Christ, try to stab another and cast it out?  We all need one another.”  Tim said quietly.  “We should be trying to help one another; and bring correction where and when it's needed in a Godly way.  Christian magazines should be for lifting one another up; increasing one another's faith.  Not sensational reporting.  Don't we already have enough of that in the world?”

    
There was silence in the studio.  Then, applause began to ring out, and soon the entire audience was on it’s feet giving Tim a standing ovation.  When it died down, the host looked at Tim with clear respect. 

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So, Tim, it’s obvious that you’ve won our studio audience over to your side.  What else has happened as a result of this story?  Is there anything more to tell?”

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Sure.”  Tim agreed.  “My lovely lady was devastated by this.  She was in tears, full of fear and uncertainty, and condemnation.  She felt terrible for letting me get into this situation by being dressed like she was, for not being as careful as she might have been, and all of that.” 

    
"You see, she was still upset with me when I left Salt Lake last week.  I didn’t think I was going to be able to salvage our relationship.  But, this story changed her perspective.  She was beside herself."

    
Tim’s dimples jumped to life and he gave the host a boyish grin.  "The Lord is already turning this thing around.  Instead of being angry with me, Tasha became extremely concerned for me and what this would mean to my ministry.  It helped her see why I am so careful, usually, not to get into the kind of situations that allow sensationalist reporters to skew the facts – and ruin lives and ministries.” 

    
"So when this story broke, I called her on the phone to apologize,  and to see if there was anything I could do to help her through this embarrassment.  I had no hope that she would ever want to see me again, after our disagreement and all of the publicity that followed.  I thought that this story would put the final nail in my coffin with Tasha.”

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But instead, she was asking me to forgive her.  Though she was wounded, she was reaching out to me.  So, I flew to Salt Lake to see her,  and I found that all the barriers between us had miraculously vanished.  What was meant for bad, has turned to good.” 

    
"It made us both realize how much we do love one another.  It’s God’s plan and purpose for us to love one another, and to help one another stand.  Not judge one another, and tear one another down.”

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So, you two just patched things up?  How amazing!  And you attribute your reconciliation to this very potentially destructive story that Pattie Danniels published?”

    
Tim nodded.  “I guess I do.   You know, the trials and testings life throws at us, are what make us grow in Christ.  Without hardship, we would be comfortable and complacent.  That, too, is human nature.  So, if we keep our hearts right and contrite before the Lord; repenting when we sin, and asking the Lord what His will is in every situation -- we are bound to be victorious.  He always knows what we need to do, to come out of every trial as overcomers.  Just as He did.”

    
The crowd cheered and applauded.

    
The host smiled at Tim and pointed to the wall-sized picture of Tasha walking down the street with a sweet smile on her face. 

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So this is the girl you want to marry?” he asked appreciatively.

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She is.”  Tim confirmed, both dimples showing.  He looked very proud of her, and very much at peace.  He also had an air of honesty – and the innocence and purity of true love – that shone through his eyes.

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She’s very beautiful.  What do you want to tell us about her?”

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Nothing.”  Tim replied immediately.  “She has a right to her privacy.  It’s already been shredded enough.  I don’t want anything to wound her further.  I would ask everyone to consider how they would feel if they were named Tim Rain, or Tasha Taylor, today.” 

    
"Give us a chance to live our private lives, and let God do His work in our hearts.  We have the same needs in that respect, that everyone else has.”

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I understand she’s had some heavy losses in her life?” the host hinted.

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Who hasn’t?” Tim replied smoothly, knowing they were about out of time.  He stared at his host with a glittering challenge in his eyes.  He fully intended to avoid this line of questioning.

     “
Indeed.  Well, Timothy, thank you for coming. I wish you all the best in your ministry, and in your quest with the lady.  Ladies and gentlemen, Timothy Rain.”

    
Tim left the stage after nodding to the studio audience and shaking his host’s hand.  He was followed by a roar of applause and cheering, and a second standing ovation.

    
He made his way to the lounge, and found Tasha waiting for him, with tears streaming down her face. 

    
She went into his arms, and he held her tightly.  She wept for a long time.  He just held her.  When she began to regain control, she looked up at him in awe.  “I can’t believe what you did out there.”  she said with a catch in her voice.

    
He smiled grimly.  “I think it came out all right.” he agreed.

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It was incredible!  The audience was on their feet again as you were leaving.”

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Well, good.  Maybe this will change the environment we have to work in, a little bit.  I’ve had enough of these head-hunting tactics.”  Tim snapped.