Ep 1426 | Nick Vujicic Was Born Without Arms or Legs but Refused to Let That Define His Life
00:00I am unashamed. What about you?Welcome back to Unashamed. We are super excited today because we have a very special guest, Nick Boyachich.Your name is not always super easy to say. Is that why you go by Nick B?That's why we do the Nick B.Look, do you and I have met? Do you remember meeting me? I'm out, by the way. I'm the sometimesleader of this outfit. I'll love you. I think I do remember shaking your hands.Yeah. So here we met you because you speak a lot with our brother Willie. Yeah.Doing life surge. And so Willie invited or Life Surge invited dad and mom. Yeah, you were backstage that
00:47day. You were backstage. Whoa. Yeah. And you came in. And so you said when you walked in the room and now that I'veseen your movie, which by the way, there's a new movie we're going to talk about later called No Limbs, No Limits.that is just incredible.And so we'll talk about it.But you said, I'm into hugs.And now that I've seen the movie,it makes more sense than it did that daywhen you said that.
01:09And we all laughed, you know, when you said it.So Lisa and I came over and hugged you,and Dad walked up and he stuck his hand out.And you said, well, Phil, if I had a hand, I'd shake it,but I'm into hugs.And so Dad just kind of patted you on the back,you know, because he's not into hugs.those. Do you remember that? You forced him into it, though. But for those who are listening, Nick does not have limbs, thus the name of the film, no limbs, no limbs. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah, no, it was, it was cool. I mean, I've been such a big fan of your whole family's ministry for quite a while, and I know how relaxed you all are. And, you know, humor is easy. But, yeah, no, I didn't know if I'd get a hug from him. But, man, I tell you, meeting all your backstage was an
01:59honor, an absolute honor. And we love the blind. I've seen it several times. And thank,thank you so much for having me on this podcast. You're so welcome. So tell me this before we get,get into your story. So you've been with Willie quite a bit. And obviously he's mine andJason's little brother and Zach's cousin. When we go by poundage, he's our big brother.So what's it like being running tours and being on places with Willie?I'd just love to hear your perspective because we didn't talk about that day because he was in the room.Now he's not here.We can talk freely about him.
02:40Listen, me and Willie, we can't stop talking smack backstage.We're poking each other.And like, it's so funny where, you know, he's jabbing me.I'm jabbing him.And like, there's these people that are not on the road.all the time like we are.And so, you know, we kind of pull pranks on the people walking by who've never seen ustogether before and just, you know, like trying to make them feel awkward.
03:08And it's been fun.It's a lot of fun backstage, a lot of fun backstage.And it's been cool as well to see Corey as well join him now the last couple times.I've seen them.And so got to meet one or two of their children backstage along the way.but no, really's awesome, man.We really's, he's a character, let's say it that way.He makes me laugh really hot.
03:30Yeah, he's pretty funny.We have to give him credit,but we do throw each other under the bus.That's the way we call it, Nick,when we do the smack talk, as you said, which is a lot of fun.Well, Nick, I apologize.The first time I found out about you was last nightwhen I watched this movie.
03:50And I don't know where I was when this was.happening. You were on Oprah Winfrey. I started doing the timeline, which I don't, I don't watch a lot ofTV, and I mainly spent a lot of time in the wilderness, but I missed it. But it's such an incredible,incredible story. And I'm not sure where, how we want to start this introducing. If there was somebodylike me who's been living under a rock and haven't heard your story, it is so powerful. And I wouldtell you, at first when I saw that it was a documentary, I thought, well, how's that going to work?You know, because I was thinking it was a movie. Then I watched the movie, and I thought, I see why this is adocumentary? Because this is so much better than a movie. You could never make a movie about it, because
04:44the story and who you are in Christ is so much bigger than trying to fake.something. And so most of the documentary was actually footage. It looked like that someone filmedyou along the way. That was my first question. I mean, we've got a lot, but how did, there was so muchfootage of you as a young child and beyond. Tell us, how did that happen? Because was that just an error?You happened to be in an air when the video recorders were probably coming out in their fullballoon, but who had the fourth thought or to film that much? Because that made this documentaryincredible when we could go back and see you as a child. Yeah, well, first and foremost,praise God for any good along the way that anyone gets from this. And, you know, I don't
05:36expect everyone to know my story. It's not about that. It's just we had an opportunity becausemy mom had the fore knowledge and the access to her.brothers video camera back in 1980s in Australia. We did not have what everyone had, you know,in Asia or America. I mean, I think there was a little bit of a delay, but we were one of theearliest ones to have a video camera. And obviously, I wasn't the one holding the camera.But it was just something that, you know, was so beautiful now, you know, very surreal to lookback at all this footage. And there was tons that she took. And no, I'm, I'm, I'mappreciative of the fact that as well my mom is still alive and she and my brother and my sister
06:25were interviewed, giving us their perspective and other people along the way. But yeah, no,it was an honor to be asked, you know, let's do a documentary about your life. Normally when youget a documentary about your life, you're either really old or dead. And so, in my mid-40s,having my wife and my kids in here as well and witnessing what's going on. It's trulybeing, I've been thankful just looking at this whole process and getting this tool. I'm going to call it atool. It's not that a movie or a documentary itself changes lives. It's it though opens up theheart. It opens up the mind that then people who already have questions about, well, how could a lovingGod allow me to be born this way.
07:16And where is the miracle when I'm praying for a miracle?And we want hearts and minds to be changed in a way to say, okay, God, if you got to plan for a dude without arms and legs to be your hands and feet from Australia and you've taken him all around the world, you know, if you've got a plan for Nick, then maybe you've got a plan for me too.And that that's what we want.So, Al, I know that you know this because you got a lot of kids running through your house.Do you ever get nervous about what they're watching on TV?Constantly, Zach, you're always trying to monitor what they're looking at, what they're listening to, what they're watching.Yeah, one of the things that we realized early on, I say early on, we realized later on, we thought the key was more Christian content than we realized actually the problem.It's not the content.
07:59It's the pipeline.It's these platforms that don't allow that content to come through.It's one of the reasons why we get involved with ECHL, which is a new streaming platform that we're working with.It's called EKK, ECHL, ECHL.com.But it's more than just a streaming service.It's got movies, series, podcast, daily devotionals, kids content, and a whole lot more coming soon.It's the only place, by the way, you can get every episode of this podcast.Unashamed, ad free.
08:22I know a lot of you have already signed up.You could also get a bunch of other podcasts, not just ours.You get blurry creatures.You get full-fledged with Priscilla Shire.And these stuff that's being added all the time.My daughter, Ruth, she loves the kids' content.They have movies like Light of the World and Franklin.So go to Echle.com to check it out.
08:40You get 20% off with a one-year subscription.with go unashamed.That's eKKL.com.Here's the code.Go unashamed.By the way, we just came out with a new movie,the Daniel movie,which will also be on the platform as well,
08:54Daniel on the Firey Furnace.Go check it out.EKK.com code go unashamed.When you have a household as big as mine,you've got a lot of kids,it's hard to keep up with stuff like,for example,subscriptions,
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09:33You could also set budgets and goals, get personalized insights and regular reports and receivereal-time alerts for large transactions, upcoming bills, refunds, low balances, all that.Rocket Money pulls your checking, your savings, your loans, your investments, everything in one dashboard so you can see your full financial picture in one place.Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps you find and cancel unwanted subscriptions, monitor your spending, and helps you lower your bills so that you can grow your savings.Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster.Join at RocketMoney.com slash Unashamed. That's RocketMoney.com slash Unashamed. RocketMoney.com slash Unashamed.Well, your story, I mean, so you're obviously born without any limbs.And the syndrome you have is, I looked it up as tetra amelia.
10:26Is that right?Am I pronouncing that correctly?Correct.And so you're born like this, but at some point in your life, I mean,did you always have this?Because you've done amazing things.You've gone on to do quite a bit, matter of fact.And did you have this in you from your parents kind of from the beginning of
10:43speaking this into you?Were there moments of, was there a moment?Like, tell us a little bit about kind of your journey and even, even kind of how you've been able to accomplish what you've been able to do.Yeah, look, I'm very thankful that my mom and dad took me home.And obviously, there's a story about them and how they took it all.And you saw how raw, you know, my parents have been over the years.You know, even on national television in Australia as I was actually the first child to go to school for the first time as a disabled kid getting integrated.and, you know, my whole parents' perspective is amazing.
11:19My perspective, you know, going through the ups and downs of the questions,why was I born this way?Those questions, though, didn't really come in my mind or my heart until I really wentto school, getting bullied, teased, saw everyone who had more than me.My mom and dad were very strong Christians, in fact, 11.months before I was born, they planted a church in Victoria, Australia. And I went to churchevery Sunday, whether I liked it or not. And I started really questioning, like, why did this happen?And they said, we don't know. Ask God. I asked God. He didn't come back to me. And, you know,
12:02then we hear about this God of miracles and the God of love. How can a God of love and miracles, not give memine? How can Jesus love all the children, all the children of the world? But he gave me less.Yeah, yeah.And so that whole question that, you know, is really the disabilities of the heart.It's got nothing to do with, you know, the circumstance that you're physically going through,but it's all of our disability on the inside, the fears, the thoughts, the rejection,the depression, the anxiety, the fears of the future.And so for me, those early childhood years between ages 8 and 12, I actually was very bitter,
12:39a lot of hatred towards the Lord because he didn't make sense to me.Either he was not real or he was unfair.At age 10, I actually attempted suicide by trying to drown myself in my bathtub in sixinches of water.Never believe in that there was a hope plan or future for me.If there's no meaning to this and I'm just a burden to my parents and I'm going tobe bullied throughout my life and I'm not going to get a job and I'm not going to getmarried, even if I got married, I can't even hold my wife's hand. If I've got nothing to look forward to,
13:12then what's the point of living? And so I attempted suicide at age 10. And so that was the depths ofdespair that I went through in those childhood years, despite my very loving, encouraging,solid family and church community. Well, and that's what, that was one of the things that reallytouched me, Nick. I mean, it was so raw. You use that word and real.Even your parents talking about their first reaction when you were born and what their thoughts were.And to articulate that out loud, how difficult that was for them and how they went through that.And then you, and that was just, it broke my heart watching the film.I mean, that was one of many times I teared up, you know, looking at you.
13:55You're such a cute little kid, you know, and you just, you had this smile and wonder, you know, watching those videos when you were a kid.And then you could see it almost.And obviously it was probably the way you guys edited.the film too, but you could see it, the concern on your face and just that, feeling that loss,you could see those pictures in the image of you and looking at that in your child. And tothink about, I may have grandkids that are 10 years old and think about bearing the weightthat you were feeling to have to consider that. You know, that, it was just for me watchingjust, you know, as a grandfather and a father, it was heartbreaking for me just to know that
14:32you were feeling that way and going through that. And it was really interesting because when I wastaking some notes as that was going on. And you mentioned later, which I want you to talk aboutyour conversion and the idea when it finally clicked for you. And I had written down in themargin before you got there in the movie, John 9. And you hadn't gotten there yet in the story.Look, it was the first thought that I had. Yeah. I was like two minutes, because I'm a Bible nerd,so two minutes into it, I thought, I wonder what he thinks of John 9. I had no idea. That was actuallygoing to be a segmentand look I'll in full
15:08transparency the second verse I thoughtwhich y'all didn't address in the movieis on the sermon on the mountwhen Jesus makes thisreal crude barbaric examplethat you probably never heard a sermon aboutis the one where he saysit's better for you to
15:24oh gouge out your eyes or cut offyour hands or your feet you knowthen to miss it which you were talking about theheart because you've said thatlater, I thought he's read all these verses. Because in John 9, you did a way better job ofexplaining it than I thought was what was going to happen. It was so good. And it, I did more thantear up. I mean, it made me weep because I thought, man, this guy is bringing out troublingverses in a way that I've never really considered from your perspective. And I know we're hogging your time.
16:02But I wanted to say also when you talked about being born that way and going through the 8 through 12, what I found fascinating is when you were at home, you didn't feel different because you were getting love.Because people would say, how could you even think that?But I was so shocked when I saw that.You were like, well, this is what I got.This is what I do.Everything's harder.But you weren't stopping and saying, oh, how come I'm any.other way, which was a very sobering to think of. So what was your question? Well, my question was
16:38tell about that because obviously you went through that period and that darker time, but then as ateenager, you realize something different. And please tell about that because that really, that reallyturned it around for you, at least from the film's perspective. Yeah, no, appreciate all that. And justone comment about my parents and their, you know, reactions at birth, you know, my dad,nationally on the news as I was being portrayed as a trail blazing, trail blazing, pioneering,integrating special needs into school. He said to the whole country, yeah, I wish mylimbless son would have died actually at the beginning. Yeah, he said it. And to hear that as a six-year-oldand then know that later on as a teenager, you know, my mom and dad have been really, really raw
17:29in their whole life. And the reason why we keptat that role was we want people to know that just because you're a believer, it doesn't meanthat everything's la-di-da, beautiful, God bless you, how are you, everything's great. You can'talso deny that some Christians still go through depression. I've been going through depressionagain recently, you know, like there's always spiritual warfare. Yeah. You know, it gets hot when you'restanding in front of the gates of hell and redirect traffic. And you can't just pray away depression.And, you know, when you know that it's war, it's war. And so we want people to know how real it is,not to try and make people sad, but understanding to relate what brokenness is, no matter what
18:18we're going through. And so, and all the glory goes to God, you know, as me being 15,reading at a Bible study at church on a Sunday morning.Here I am asking God for the longest time.Where are you?Why me?And why was I born this way?So you've heard us talk about how much we love bass growing trees before.They've been one of our longest sponsors of this podcast since we started from the beginning.
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19:59Use Unashamed to save the day. Offer is valid for a limited time only. Terms and conditions mayapply. So John chapter 9, a man was born blind and no one knew why he was born that way either.And Jesus said it was done so that the works of God would be revealed through him. And Jesus spits in thedirt, gives the dut a facial without any warning, no question, no, no, you know, hey, my name'sJ.C. I'm the healer. I'm going to, you know, make you see. And the blind man, though, I was takenaback by the blind man's lack of questions. He allowed Jesus to do the miracle. And what helped mewas, look, more than arms and legs, you know, that's spiritual of cutting off your arm orplucking out your eyes. It's all about your spirit, your heart, and your mind, not your body.
20:52And so it wasn't about the body, ever about the body.It was always about the disabilities that actually no one could see on the inside.And so for me, I realize, hey, I want to believe in heaven, want to believe Jesus, you died in the cross for my sins, rose again.I want to believe you got a hope plan to future for me.But what's the deal?And this is where I'm like, okay, wait a second.Here I am asking God, what's the plan, what's the plan, what's the plan?But if he gives me the plan, then I don't need faith.
21:25I just follow the map.The whole point on this side of heaven is to have faith to believe he's got the plan,that his grace is sufficient, that he'll even cause the worst parts of my life for goodif I trust in him.And realizing, yeah, when I don't get a miracle, at least my soul is safe, my heart is healed,my mind is renewed, and that's what makes me complete, lacking nothing.It's not about arms and legs.Now, do I have a pair of boots in my closet as a Texan just in case God gives me arms and legs?
21:58Yeah, I do.Do I still pray for arms and legs?I do.I've seen miracles.I've seen demonic exorcisms and physical healings all around the world in my travels, 89 countries.But, you know, a billion people in China know Nick without limbs.A billion people in India know Nick without limbs.And a billion people outside of those two countries, they actually heard the goal.
22:22gospel. And, you know, to understand that, look, 90 years of having arms and legs on this side ofheaven, big deal. It's going to give me arthritis later on anyway. And if he wants to give mearms and legs, he can't. And he will. But if not, it's okay. And so that was the turning point.I'm like, God, give me arms and legs. But if you don't give me arms and legs, use this pain.And, you know, two years later, I became pretty confident in oral presentations at school,became vice president of my high school, I was pretty good at math and chess, and so buildingup that confidence.The janitor saw me speak in front of the school who pulled me aside later and he said,
23:04hey, are you a Christian young man?I said, yes.He said, I knew it.God's going to take you all around the world and you're going to be a speaker.I said, what are you talking about?You're crazy.Speak about what?he said, your story. I said, I don't have one. He says, yes, you do. He organized my first speech. And he's
23:21one of many people that have actually spoken into my life along the way. But he also organized myfirst speech and people crying. I'm like, what? And that's when God's like, look, when you don't geta miracle, Nick, you can still be one. And that's the beautiful thing that for as long as, you know,anyone listening or watching, for as long as you're breathing, God's not done with your story.And you have no idea.God has no limits as to what he can do with your broken pieces and your yes.And the last sentence on this would be, you know, when you walk by faith and not by sign,you put a G.O. in front of the word disabled.
23:58It actually spells out God is able.To do what?To do exceedingly abundantly more than you can ever ask you, imagine or retain.And I'm so blessed.You know, my wife, she's my everything, my kids.They're my everything.But after that, man, it's the mission to let the world know there is hope and it's true.That's the story of Abraham.
24:18I mean, he didn't know how God was going to do it.He just did that he was going to do it.And he actually got it wrong.We talk about that a lot of this podcast, you know, because we're in a book of James right nowand talking about the concept of faith.But, you know, I thought about that this weekend.We had someone at our church, one of my best friends, had a heart attack, a 42-year-old young guy.elder in our church and they were able to get him to the hospital very quickly put the stint
24:47in he was like 100% recovery like everything worked out his plan and so we were in church we weresaying this prayer of Thanksgiving and just thanking God for that and we do thank God for thatand that he would that his provision and his answer in that moment was yes but I did say before theprayer that we don't judge the success of God or we don't judge his character based on what we see assuccess because we don't know the story. We don't we have a very small vantage point both in time andspace. We occupy a very small place in the known universe and the spatial place, you know. And when wewere here just for a minute, like you said, 90 years maybe, 70 years maybe. So I think yourtestimony is so powerful. I pray that a lot of people go to see this film. I know your goal is
25:34to have a million people watch this film. And I pray that our audience,will show up because I really believe that this is a very powerful story.But I love your story because the answer has so far has not been that you would wear thecowboy boots.But yet, when you look at your influence, when you look at your impact, you've probablyimpacted the world for the gospel more than a lot of people, most people on the planetright now.And so God is clearly moving in your life.
26:01And it's such an encouraging thing to see what you're doing, Nick.Well, another verse I thought of, Nick, was the,I had just done a sermon recently out of Daniel 3,Tomazhadrat, Mishak, and Abedigo,when they were facing the fiery furnace.And the speech they had to Nebuchadnezzar was,where our God is going to deliver us,you know, we fully trust in them.
26:24But then they said, but even if he doesn't,we're still not going to bow down to youbecause that's not who we are.And when you were talking about that a minute ago,about you're ready, either way,if he provides the arms and lays your servant,but if it doesn't, you're going to be the miracle for someone else.To me, that is that exact same spirit and mindset of trust in the Almighty and his role in
26:49your life, but even if.But even this, I mean, like, Nick, you have a meaningful, like you have, like, you havea very meaningful life.Yes.Like right now.So it's even like, I love the, like, what you, your fear in the bathtub at 10 years old,you have four kids now?Four beautiful kids.
27:08It's Q.O. 13, Dan, who's 11.That's what I wanted. I wanted to jump in.My wife's a stint, buddy.My wife's a saint.Her name is Kanaer.And I can't hold her hand, but I don't need to hold her hand.I just need to hold her heart.You don't need arms and legs for that.
27:25Yes, indeed, I've been, my quiver's full, but we are, we're very, very blessed to see that even those fears.God turned beautiful miracles around.And now you have a teenager.You said that.Your older sister's a teenager?Does that take you back, Nick, to the teenage years yourself now that you have one?No, I didn't think about that.But when I first held him or looked at him as well, like we put him in like a rap that I
27:54could hold him.But when I first saw him in the first hour of life, I just like, wow, you know, any parent,when you look at your kid, you're like, dude, I feel so unqualified and overwhelmed right now.like, what do you do with this?And he had arms and legs.And so it was more at that point, I'm like, wow, I really admired my parents and seeingthem grow up to this point.You know, it's like you don't really appreciate the good parts of your parenthood, sorry,
28:25your parents, if they were good parents, if you will, until you yourself see how hard it was.And to be shook up like that, to be.given a son without limbs. I mean, it's just, it's a miracle that I had the parents that I had.They had the tenacity. They had the family community church around them. The big Serbian familieson both sides to encourage them along the way. Not everyone was encouraging at the beginning,but everyone was like, what's going on? You know, what did you do that God would allow your sonto be born with a disability or, you know, all that kind of stuff? But, you know, eventually peoplelike gone up. God's got a plane. So housing costs are real consideration for families right now.
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30:18Visit andrewandot.com today or call AAA, AAA 1172.What I found fascinating about the film and something you didn't really highlight,it just became, especially in your speeches, something so powerful.is the amount of things that you can dowith without arms and legs.I mean, you have a little piece of a foot.That is like your rudder.It's how you write, all these different things,
30:51how you push buttons.And it was so fascinating to me,and it really stirred the heartbecause a lot of your greatest thingsthat you would say in a speech,you would then illustrate,even by the fact of I can,give you a hug to those young people because I realize why all of them are crying because here
31:13they are wondering why they're here or if there's a God and not liking something about themselvesand they're looking at you who can do all these I'm being fascinating things even you're a betterputter than I am I was watching your your skill the way that's not too hard need to be a betterprobably not but it made me feel like man and uh i i wanted to ask you about that because ithink that is a part you know of of how god brought you forth because you were doing videos andi mean here's a guy in your condition doing all this stuff driving boats and just justlooking like you have no fear about doing these different things and uh so i was going to ask youabout that because what I found some of the most humorous part is you're able to put yourself
32:07out there and use humor. And I loved one of your first jokes that nobody liked.I was so glad you brought this up. Talking about your male anatomy because immediately, you know,on what makes you a male, I guess. And because immediately people think, we have four kids,I'm telling you what everybody's thinking in that moment. Well, how'd that work, you know? And I'm like,you figured it out, you know?And so it's so fascinating.But you made a joke about, because a lot of the teasing that you got from kids,and we know how brutal that can be at school, was things along those lines.
32:47And here you go, your first speech, you get up and make a joke about what makes you a male,which had horrified all your supporters because they're like, that may be inappropriate.But no, that was good news.And the other thing was the movie had so many heavy themes that are so enriching, but that was a light moment that I thought was really good in the film about that joke.And your siblings even laughed and in their interview said, oh, that was him.That was Nick.And your personality came through so powerful through that, I think.Yeah.
33:21It's what makes me.I want people to like relax and know that, you know, I didn't take myself so seriously along the way.You know, that's, that's where you have the, the light breaking through the clouds where you could,you could only have that when you start having an attitude of gratitude.And that's why we want people to bring their kids along to the theater because so many kids,they're not thankful for what they have.You know, they didn't cuddle me.They allow me to fail.
33:50I vacuumed the floor for $2 a week.You know, they didn't give me all the toys I wanted, when I wanted it, how I wanted it.And I think that safety of being very stern, disciplined, and make sure you're thankful,but at the same time, being surrounded with cousins and having fun along the way and tryingthings.Like, no one knew what Nick could do until he tried.And so many people never reached their full potential.They've got given purpose because they never tried.
34:20And so all of that to say, yeah, it was Nick as a teenager just going for it.and trying along the way and failing along the way.Yeah.Well, I thought the most impactful part for me,maybe besides the,because you immediately started off with the youth.And I thought, man, this is how God,this is how God works.
34:48I mean, you take something that makes no sense to the world.Because they're like, why is this guy got a smile on his face?Why does he have humor, have this ability to speak, have the clarity about where you came from,that there is a God, what your purpose is.It doesn't make sense to the world.So it led to this scene in the movie with Oprah Winfrey, which you had made a predictionthat one day you were going to be on the Oprah Winfrey show.How many years was that, Nate, before?
35:17Because it's captured on video.How far back was that?Do you remember when you were saying, you were saying, I'm going to have been OprahWhip and then you said, of course, she doesn't know that yet, but this is, I mean, it was so funny.How many years was that before it actually happened?I think it was about nine years.Okay.And I mean, Oprah Winfrey was the most influential person in the world at that time.
35:43There was no podcast.There was no blah, blah, blah.She was number one.And so if you want to try to reach the world, you got to get on the Oprah Winfrey show.one day. And what's interesting is, I've never shared this publicly yet at all. But when yousee one of those first speeches, I'm on a black stage in front of just sitting on a stage withthe microphone and on a stand, there were five steps up to that stage. On the Oprah stage,there were five steps. And the Oprah Winfrey producers,
36:25me, I'm not allowed to go up on stage. She's going to talk to me from the stage. And I'mgoing to share this on Instagram soon, but this was just so profound. God's like, I gave thatdream in your heart for a reason to make a massive impact. You sitting in the chair,I don't, I don't want, I know they don't want you to get out of the chair. I want you to getout of the chair. And Rick Warren was talking about the poker hands and the five cards, the circumstances,the chemistry and all that kind of stuff, the circumstances that you're dealt with, the cards that youdealt with playing the hand that you dealt with as best as you can. And it was five cards,five steps. And I'm like, okay, God, if that in my peripheral, if that's five jumps from the
37:15floor to the top, I'll do it. And I'm like, oh, that third step looks a little big. And I nearlyactually fell off on the third step. But that was the big, big thing for me as a kid, like going onOprah and letting the world know, God loves them. And, you know, she's been ups and downs and saying this,then retracting this, and saying this, then retracting this. And every six months, she's got a differenttheology of life. But I also been praying for her as, you know, for her soul too. And so it wasall beautiful to see that. And my wife was actually in the crowd.And that was before we got married, that was just as we started dating as well.And so that was a very special moment.
37:57Oh, for me, look, as much problems as I've had with producers for the last 20 years,where they're wanting to do their thing.And I'm like just wanting to be myself or do something different.In that moment for you, because they gave you three minutes,and it was so awkward, you were so right.I mean, he was in the crowd.Yeah.She's asking them a question from at least 50 yards away.
38:24And for you just to take it upon yourself to say, I'm going up there,because most people think, well, how are you going to get there?And you're like, I'm going to hop.Because you're a tremendous hopper.I mean, it's incredible to watch.Best hopper we know, did.But you haven't enough knowledge to realize, okay, well, they have to capture it.So you're, meanwhile, directing the cameras also.
38:49In that moment, and I thought, is he really going to, is this real and how did I miss it?And by the time, I thought they did a really good job of capturing that moment,because by the time you got on stage, you knew.But you said something which we're studying in the book of James about faith and action.Because it took a lot of courage to literally go off the reservation here and do this.And like you said, what if you fall down and all this?But when you landed on stage, and of course, then what are they all going to do?Because the crowd absolutely erupted.
39:29You couldn't make this up.The producers were like, they were drooling.As a producer, when you did that, that's the kind of stuff you can't be careful.Well, first they were probably in the fetal position.Handcuff him.Handcuff him.They saw at work, and they're like, yes.Yeah.
39:46I guarantee you, Nick, somewhere after that, they were taking credit.for that. Oh yeah. Somebody said, yeah, I had this idea. Nick, if you can just get up there.Yeah, look, that was so funny because at that, so it was actually live. And then the editedpost-production of it later, they cut every J-wood out of Pastor Rick's mouth, but they couldn'tcut any part of mine, because how am I going to get from the chair from the first step to thesecond step to the third step to the fourth to the fifth? That's good. They actually had to actuallyactually honor what was happening by the Lord there because of that. Otherwise, so much more wouldhave been cut out for sure, I bet. So, Jay's, like the old Christmas song, it's the most
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41:38Look, I got up, I threw my computer up in the air.Got off, no, I did.I got off the couch and I said, this is how God turns the world upside down.Yeah.Because you turn the whole, there.their plan upside down and just showed how God can work through a human being.The last person you're going to imagine him working through in this powerful way, it excitedme so much.
42:07My wife came out and she was like, what is wrong with you?I was like, oh, I'm watching this movie.She said, oh, is it good?I was like, it's life changing.I got it right next to the passion of the Christ here in this moment because that's whathappens when God's spirit is in you. And he does work in ways that you just wouldn't ever imagine.And I'm so thankful that you not only turn the Oprah Winfrey show upside down, but you turn theworld. Well, because you look, you did it humbly, Nick, but trust me, us watching, and we know
42:42we've been on television, we try to impact people for Jesus like you do. But when you justran through that montage of all those presidents andprime ministers and huge crowds.And then even at the end of the film, it's like almost a million people are listening to you.I mean, that is really inspiring for those of us who do this with all our might to try to do that.And you're right.God did that.God did that in that moment.
43:12And you listened to him and you did it.And I'm so glad you did.I appreciate it.Thank God for it all.You know, like I, we've been needing wisdom, you know, and he's,even now, like these last six months, there's some things that I can't even share publicly,but there's just a lot of spiritual warfare that even handcuffed us to even get marketingdollars for the release of this. And it's like, okay, I know what I can control and I know what
43:38I can't control. And when God says something, no matter how big of a Mount Everest that is,or absurd or making people angry, you know, you got to shoot straight. You got to shoot straight. Becausein the end, it's you and God. And either you'll, you'll either say yes or you will say no. And God's alwaysa redeeming God for sure. And I have many regrets in my life. But, you know, we want everyone torealize on that note, you know, if a man without arms and legs is dreaming big just becauseGod told him to, then, you know, we all, God has a story for all of us. And, you know, my uncleBata, he always said, your history is his story. So for as long as, you know, I want to talk to yourlisteners and viewers right now, you know, it's not about the Nick V's story as much as it's about
44:33how God wants to use each of us to scatter seeds of love, hope, and encouragement along the wayso that you would be best positioned by his grace to say yes to his full plane for your life.and I'm so blessed.Like, you know, we had the janitor on the documentary.My uncle Bartah, my uncle Sam, my mom, my brother, my sister, my wife.And I want everyone to know that you can become a part of this.And I really, I don't take those words lightly, man.Like when you compliment this piece, we are so a 17-year-old kid came up,
45:16the other week, because we showed the screening and he said,thank you, thank you for giving God the glory.Like, it's about your story, but it's got nothing to do about you.It's all about what God can do with anyone's yes, with anyone's broken pieces.And, you know, we're all not going to be evangelists and authors and podcasters and, you know, movie producers.But this is the beautiful thing where your audience can actually engage in this,just as they've engaged, you know, your film and ministry,bring people to the theater, especially those who don't want to go to a church,
45:54especially those who ask God, you know, where are you,or blame God for their pain, or, you know, they just, they don't have faith.They've got depression.And you never know what those seeds can do.And that's the whole story of this film.It's the people that God told them to plant a seed in this little kid with no limbs and you don't know what can come from a seed.You can open up an apple and count how many seeds there are in an apple, but orchards can come out of one seed.And so that's the beautiful thing.
46:32We all can be a part of someone else's story, including getting them to the theater and encouraging them to watch this one story.You know, I want to say something real quick, just because I think that's spiritual warfare around this, too, Nick, and I don't mean, I'm not saying this to politicize anything because I don't think it's deeper than that. But just yesterday I was watching a video of Margaret Sanger, who was found her Planned Parenthood, and she was on, I think Mike Wallace back in the 50s. And he said, do you believe in sin? And she said, well, yeah, I do believe in sin. She said, I think it's a sin that children with disabilities are born into this world.And I think, you know, this is this is the issue that I think it's even beyond just that you could, that there's, there's limits.Your life is actually a testimony to the value of human life.And you have a family.You have a wife.You have children.You have a career.
47:29You have a purpose.You have a, you're living a fruitful life that, I mean, you are living out Genesis 128.And I think this is so important because these, these, uh, moving.that we do and things, they, they really help shape the imagination of a culture.And I was thinking about this poem that a guy named Red Stiegel wrote called Born tothis Land. And it's about, it's a three, four minute poem. And it's about fifth generation,it's a granddad. I think he's talking to his grandson. He's like, hey, this ranch is going to beyour land. This is our family. This is our story. This is who we are. And it's not going to end
48:05with me. You're going to continue this on. And when I heard that, I thought this guy in a three-minutelittle poem did more to make a case for private property rights and any philosopher or anyeconomist or any volume of book could could give you and so I think the value of what your film hereand by the way you can go get tickets now which I'm encouraging everybody to it's that is it Nick VeeFilms is that where you're right yeah Nick Nick Vfilms.com guys this is we have to we have to buy ourtickets we got to show up for these kind of shows one because we want this that opening weekend isgoing to be crucial, but two, bring somebody. Because what you can do through film and throughthis documentary is really to highlight the value of human life, because there are a lot of people
48:51out there that don't think their life's worth it. And I think what this film does is it reallyhelps to shape the imagination of a culture to say, no, your life does matter. You do have purpose.I'll also say this. Look, you know, we're so thankful when first and foremost, we only got about600 locations. So you have to go to Nick Vfilms.com, type in your zip code and then start gettingyour tickets now. Yeah. And bring your friend, bring your youth group, bring your school friends andyour work colleagues. There are people now buying out theaters. Like, I want to talk to anyone whohas any employees. They have families. You know, fill up theaters as much as you can for theFriday, Saturday, Sunday. And actually, at the end of the film, I'm looking. I'm looking at.
49:38looking into the camera, I was inspired by your dad, Phil, a lot by how you guys did the ending.You were the number one inspiration for me to look in the camera and to actually do it properlycompared to just cutting it and saying the end. You guys did it really well. And so we're alsogoing to be doing the pay it forward thing too where people then in the theaters scan the codeand buy someone a ticket. But I'll tell you right now,Look, we want everyone to know about this.Well, Nick, you are a tremendous inspiration to us.Please pass that alone to your wife, to your children.
50:20Thank you.You guys are doing God's work and reaching literally now in the billions of people all around the world.And that's really what it's all about.That's what inspired me watching the movie.It's one of the best movies I've ever seen.I left floating like Jason.I was watching on the computer.And so I cannot more highly or deeply recommend that you go see this film.
50:45And like Zach said, we need to do it just because of spiritual warfare.And this is something that defeats the gates of hell, which is what we're all about.Yeah, what's funny about that, Nick, is that what you did, the part you were inspired by the blind is with Jay's idea.I made the film.Jace hadn't seen it yet.I show it to Jace.He said, well, you got to have Phil address the audience.audience, you know, and mainly you've got to put the gospel.
51:12He's got to preach the gospel at the end.And so we got that with Phil, and I agree it was awesome.But as a filmmaker, and we believe in your project, well, really do.I do want to really ask our audience to show up for this because buying tickets now,like going and filling up these theaters, the way this works is if you guys sell out the 600theaters, then they will open up more theaters.and this will be seen by more and more people.So really this opening weekend is the key to the success of the whole film.
51:45And we need these kind of stories to help shape the imagination of a culture for the kingdom of God.And so I just want to encourage you guys.Like, we believe in this.And we want to see it succeed because we want to see the kingdom come.And God's will be done right here on earth just like it is in heaven.So thank you all.Go check it out.We love you, Nick.
52:07Thank you, brother.Thank you, man.Thanks for listening to The Unashamed podcast.Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcast.And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube.And be sure to click the little bell and choose all notifications to watch every episode.
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