Lindsay Roberts
Prayer Requests by Lindsay Roberts
Feb 19th
LR:
And, you know, we’re sitting here live, believing God for those same miracles that you saw on that roll-in to come into your life. Now I’ve got three different groups here, and this group is testimonies since last night that have been healed as a result of prayer. This group is sowing a financial seed, believing God for financial miracles and any other miracle that they have need of. According to Malachi 3, when you give offering, then God rebukes the devourer for your sake. That’s what He wrote in Malachi.
And then this group is believing for miracles, and this particular group have just now called in. And I want to go through these as fast as we can because there’s quite a big stack. And then we’re going to go in the back and pray again with the Abundant Life Prayer Group.
I want you to listen to this. And if you see yourself in any of these categories, and as we’re praying for these categories, you attach your faith to that prayer and believe God for your miracle.
Now God said He’s no respecter of persons. So what He did in the different people that you just saw giving their testimonies, testifying to the presence and the power of God, you begin to experience the same thing in your life. What God did for somebody else, as you stretch out your faith, God’s not a respecter of persons. He is a respecter of faith, the Bible says. Jesus said He saw their faith. So we’re going to stretch out our faith and go into agreement for your miracle.
(Reading requests). And, you know, I’m just going to say this right out. I’m reading them, but I’m not in agreement with the diagnosis. I’m in agreement with God’s miracle. Okay? But we want to say—the reason I want to give it a name, the reason I want to call out the people’s names with their need, is that my Bible says that God has given to us a name that’s above every name named in heaven and earth and at that name, the name of Jesus, all this other stuff has to bow. And that’s what we’re going to pray. (Reading requests) God said if you lack wisdom that He would freely and liberally give you wisdom. (Reading requests)
Right now, Father, in the name of Jesus, we lift these up and every one that continues to come in. And we thank You, my Father God, according to Your Word and Your will. You sent Your Word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.
I thank You, Lord, as people are calling in and stretching out their faith, You are a God that stretches right back with miracles, in Jesus’ name, amen. Amen. We want you to stay tuned. Keep calling. We’re going to be right back.
AD: 60 Years of Miracles
LR:
Okay, we’re back and once again we’re right here standing with the Abundant Life Prayer Group. If you call right now, 918-495-7777, this is the particular group that you’re looking at right now that will be on the telephone.
And I want to tell you something. Someone said, “What is the scripture I just read about rebuking the devourer?” That’s Malachi 3:10 and 11. It says, “When you bring your tithe and offering into the storehouse that God opens the windows of heaven, he pours you out a blessing where there’s not room enough to receive it, and he rebukes the devourer for your sake.”
A lot of people are sowing seeds against their need, believing God for a miracle. (Reading names of people sowing Seed-Faith) There’s a whole stack, and we’ll never get to them. So right now in the name of Jesus, Father God, we thank You that Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.”
And You also said, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” And so we are praying for harvest, financial blessing to come on each and every person sowing seed.
If you feel like you’d like to sow a seed, feel free to call the Abundant Life Prayer Group. Give us your prayer request. Sow your seed at 918-495-7777. That’s 918-495-7777.
But if you’re going to plant a seed, you be sure and give us a prayer request and say, “I am planting this seed to defeat this need, in the name of Jesus.”
And I also want to tell you, we’re going to be back live tonight at eight o’clock, Hour of Healing live, right here tonight from the Prayer Group.
Now I’m going to give you one more number, same number I’ve been saying, 866—that’s toll-free. That means it’s free. Toll-free means freebie—866-870-6932. If you would like the Overcoming Stress book, please allow me the privilege of giving this book to you. No charge.
I remember when Oral Roberts was on television and I was a little girl. He’d say, “My book is free and postpaid.” Well, I want to tell you, so is mine. This book is my free gift to you, Overcoming Stress. And all you have to do is 866-870-6932. That number is on your screen. And don’t forget, you can call the Abundant Life Prayer Group, because we’re going to be around here praying. You can write to Richard Roberts and Lindsay Roberts, Tulsa, OK 74102. And we’re coming back tonight live at eight o’clock on The Hour of Healing to pray for your needs.
So bless you in the name of Jesus. You be healed, set free and delivered, in Jesus’ name. Make it count today.
Prayer Requests by Lindsay Roberts
Feb 12th
LR:
I’m right here in the Abundant Life Prayer Tower on the campus of Oral Roberts University. And right as you see where I just walked out of, we walked out live with the Prayer Group praying. And I do have a couple of prayer requests that have just come in. And before we get to those, I do want to tell you something. Are you pressured, stressed, frustrated? Look me in the face. Yes! Okay, so we’ve accomplished that much. We know what the problem is.
This book I wrote, it says, “Take charge of the negative situations that come to attack you. Overcome them with the Word of God.” I want to give this to you. Normally this book is for sale. And you know what? I’ve had a lot of fun writing it. But it’s not about fun writing it or selling it. It’s about getting it into your hands and understanding that you could take charge of negative situations that come to attack you. Overcome them with the Word of God.
Now I want you to pick up your telephone, call a free number, 866—that’s toll-free—866 is a free number—870-MYDC, like Make Your Day Count, 870-MYDC, or the same number is 866-870-6932, 870-6932. That’s a free call.
And what I want you to do is say, “I want Lindsay’s free book. Please send it to me.” And I want to give it to you. I’m sowing seed. Why? Because if you read in Malachi, it says that when you sow and tithe unto God—this is my seed—that God will open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing where there’s not room enough to receive it. We all could use that. And He would rebuke the devourer for your sake.
Satan walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Now I just read that to you. That’s in the book of 1 Peter. Satan is trying to devour you. How do you combat that? You know what? I believe we combat it with tithe and offering. Because Malachi says when you bring tithe and offering into the storehouse, when you give to God’s work, He will open you the windows of heaven, He’ll pour you out a blessing where there’s not room enough to receive it, and He will rebuke the devourer for your sake.
And so I have to do my part. I have to sow seed. And my seed to you today is Overcoming Stress. It’s a gift, 866—I’m so bad about toll-free numbers, the 1-800 thingies. But here’s what it is: 866-870-MYDC. That’s the same as 866-870-6932. You call that number. You tell them, “Lindsay told me to order this book, and Lindsay says it’s free.” And it’s free to you today. I want to give it to you.
Now one thing I want to do is, from the time that we announced we were going to do this, we asked people to call or write in, and we were going to take their prayer request live. We said it last night on The Hour of Healing. And two particular prayer requests came in. I’ve got some stacks over there that we’re going to go through in a minute, and I’ve got some Seed-Faith gifts that people are saying as they sow, they want the devourer rebuked. So I’m going to read those in a minute.
But listen to this. This is a person by the name of Tommy, and Tommy called in, right here in Oklahoma, and said that he’s having struggles because of bereavement, that there had been a loss in his family and he had not been able to overcome that.
This other person called in and said that in the city that they live in—the man lives in Pennsylvania—and the particular city that they live in, he said this particular city has just really been rampant with drugs and alcohol and violence in the youth. And he said he wants to see the youth of his city come to Christ. He’s also believing for a particular job.
In the name of Jesus, right now we’re just going to stop for this precious one that’s called in about not being able to get over the loss, bereavement. The Bible says that Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted.
And for the drugs and alcohol and violence in the city that this precious man called in, I am praying for young people to come to Christ and that city to experience revival, in Jesus’ name.
You know, it’s so simple to just see the need around. But you know what? We can fight. We can’t fight one another, but we can fight the good fight of our faith. The Bible says. God requires us to fight one fight, one battle, and that’s the good fight of our faith.
This precious lady wrote in, and I don’t want to give too much information. But I tell you this, and I’ve never been in this position before. I have not gotten into a situation remotely like this. But I tell you, it doesn’t matter how you hurt, Jesus wants you healed.
She said that she is a caretaker for a family member with Alzheimer’s. And she said it’s gotten to the point where although she loves this family member very dearly, she’s become a nervous wreck and said, “The only thing I’ve thought about day in and day out is ending my life.”
She said, “I know it’s terrible to think like that, but I must tell you I’m really tired.” And she said, “Please pray for me.”
And then she said, “I’m enclosing a Seed-Faith gift.” And she said the amount. And the amount of the Seed-Faith gift is according to Malachi 3:10 and 11, where it says, “Bring ye tithe and offering into the storehouse and expecting God”—He said, “Prove me, and see if I’ll not open you the windows of heaven, pour you out a blessing, and rebuke the devourer.”
Now in the name of Jesus, I pray for peace and rest on you, sweetie, for God to bring you peace and rest and you to be a strong caretaker and for these suicide thoughts to go. And the Bible says you’ll live and not die and declare the works of the Lord. We pray over you right now for that.
This one called and said, “Please pray for depression.” I can’t even begin to tell you the number of stacks of prayer requests that we’ve had over depression. We speak right now in the name of Jesus—this person’s from Pennsylvania. And she sowed a Seed-Faith gift, and she said, “I am expecting a miracle as I plant my seed.”
All right, in the name of Jesus, we speak to anyone with depression. In the name of Jesus, we break the bondage of depression. And we say, in Jesus’ name, don’t have a breakdown; have a breakthrough, in Jesus’ name.
And then one more I want to read real quickly. And she said she has a specific need. And she said she just feels like giving up, just giving up.
You know what? I’m going to tell you one more time. And, again, I’m reading the phone number because I’m not real good about these phone numbers—866-870-6932, 866-870-6932. Stressed, pressured, frustrated, yep, I know how you feel. I didn’t write this book out of la-la land. I wrote this book out of experience. Believe me, I know what it feels like. There are days when I wrote this book that I thought, I’m so stressed, I can’t write a stress book. Now that’s ridiculous. But it’s the truth. Sometimes we feel so stressed.
You know, I read a statistic when I was writing this book that the number one thing people worry about is that they worry too much. This is not God’s highest and best. And we pray for you right now, for God to bring healing to that situation. Dial 866-870-6932. When the operator comes on, just tell them, “I want Lindsay’s free book.” And it is my gift to you.
I also want you to do one other thing. Pick up your telephone right now if you have a prayer request. Because, like I said, we are live right here in the Prayer Tower here in Tulsa. And I want you to dial 918-495-7777, 918-495-7777. Please give the prayer partners your prayer request. If you want to sow a seed, they’ll take that as well. And we are praying over them live as we get the requests.
We’re going to watch something called Living Proof, and it’s living proof that God is still in the miracle business. And we will be right back.
Prayer Requests by Lindsay Roberts
Feb 5th
LR:
Welcome to Make Your Day Count. I am so glad to be here standing in the midst of the Abundant Life Prayer Tower. I am Lindsay Roberts. We’re here amidst the Prayer Group right here at the Prayer Tower. And I’m telling you something, the Abundant Life Prayer Group is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with these particular prayer partners where we are—we’re live in Tulsa right now at two o’clock—and these people are sitting here bathing this atmosphere in prayer.
You know my husband Richard Roberts. We’ve been doing The Hour of Healing every night live from right here. And when we walked into this atmosphere, I said, “Richard, you know what? The Hour of Healing has taken on a new level, a new dimension,” when we have felt this presence of the prayer of the faithful people here in this place.
And so we said, “You know what? Let’s think about doing Make Your Day Count here.” Now we’ve never done this before. As many years as we’ve done Make Your Day Count, we’ve never done it live from the Prayer Tower. So here we are.
And I was reading a scripture the other day that really was the catalyst for me to do this live from standing right here. Now I have to tell you, I’m used to Richard being standing right next to me and kind of holding me up and lifting me up. This is a whole new day. Lindsay’s doing it by herself. Oh, mercy! Now you all pray for me, and I’m going to pray for you.
So I’m going to tell you how this started. If you look in the book of Galatians, and it says in Galatians, chapter 5, verse 25, “If we live in the Spirit, then let us also walk in the Spirit. If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.”
You know, we want spiritual prayers from a spiritual God, but we’re walking in the flesh and getting into fear and doubt and worry and unbelief and all kinds of garbage that we don’t believe we need to be a part of. And yet we want God’s spiritual answers.
Well, it’s very simple. If you want God’s spiritual answers, then you’ve got to walk in the Spirit. Okay, well, how do you do that? Well, the Bible says very clearly you don’t walk in the flesh; you walk in the Spirit. You walk by faith, which is a spiritual atmosphere.
Well, I had a person tell me as I was coming in here—you’ve seen my friend Melissa on the program many times—and as I was walking in here, she said, “If we don’t acknowledge spiritual warfare, we’re going to turn into spiritual road kill.”
And that hit me. If we don’t start acknowledging spiritual warfare, that satan comes against us to steal, to kill, and to destroy, if we don’t start recognizing that these attacks are not just flesh and blood, but they’re powers and principalities and rulers of darkness—and the Bible says, spiritual hosts of wickedness—if we don’t recognize that some of the junk that we go through is not just flesh and blood, but it’s an attack of satan himself coming against the body of Christ, trying to get us into fear and doubt and unbelief and trying to get us to believe we’ll never get out of this mess, “Oh, my goodness!” and just walk in fear.
We’ve got to get into the spirit and do what the Spirit of God says. I was looking at the scripture in 1 Peter 5:8. It says, “Satan goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” So then if you take that scripture, okay, we know satan is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. How is it that he devours us or doesn’t devour us?
Go to Malachi 3, and it said, “God rebukes the devourer for our sakes.” When we bring tithe and offering into the storehouse, God promised He would rebuke the devourer so satan couldn’t go around as a roaring lion devouring us.
Okay, so I thought about that, and I said, “All right, Lord, we just have got to stop what we’re doing and pray.” The Bible says, “Men ought to pray and not faint.” Maybe you’re in a situation right now—and like I said, we’re live right now here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And if you want to call the Abundant Life Prayer Group, pick up your telephone, 918-495-7777. They’re taking prayer requests. They’re bringing them to me right now.
And as they’re doing this, we’re going to pray. We’re going to pray warfare prayers. Satan is attacking you in a spiritual war. So we have to attack him back—we don’t wrestle flesh and blood, the Bible says. This is not about people. He said, “You do not have the privilege of fighting flesh and blood, powers and principalities and rulers of darkness.”
Okay, well how do you fight them? He said the only fight we get into is the good fight of our faith. So we are going to begin to pray, and we are going to pray for you. We’re going to pray for me. We’re going to pray for whatever needs come in to the Abundant Life Prayer Group.
And right now live from the Prayer Tower, we’re going to pray for you and begin to believe that what has come against you, whether it’s spiritual, physical, financial, emotional, whatever it is that’s coming against you, we’re going to believe that God is going to open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing where there’s not room enough to receive it and rebuke the devourer for your sake, as His Word in Malachi promises. So we’re going to do that today. We want you to stay tuned. We’re going to take a break, and I’m going to walk over there and sit down. And we’re going to continue to pray. But please remember, during this break, you can pick up your telephone and dial 918-495-7777. And these are the prayer partners you’ll be talking to right here that I’m standing in front of. And you’ll be talking to them. They’re going to bring those prayer requests live to me, and we’re going to begin spiritual warfare in your behalf. So stay tuned. We’re going to be right back.
Richard Roberts LIVE with Guest Wayman Tisdale Part Fourteenth
Jan 29th
WT: Yes, I am. There are a lot and, you know, when I go out and play, that’s another way I try to be an example. I try to let people see Jesus through me. And you rarely ever see me get an attitude, upset. (Applause)
RR: Well, I’ve watched you. Of course I watched you play at the University of Oklahoma. I watched you play right here in Mabee Center. I remember watching you during–several years ago–your senior year at ORU I saw you play right here in Mabee Center.
WT: My junior year.
RR: Well, during the NCAA tournament. (Right) Was that your junior year that I saw you here?
WT: Right, that’s the last time. RR: You played right here. That’s right, that’s right, right here in Mabee Center. And I noticed that when you got a foul called on you or something perhaps went the wrong way or something, maybe you got a call that maybe you didn’t deserve, you never got upset. Certainly you didn’t let it show on your face. You just acted like you had the attitude of, all right, we’re going to regroup, we’re going to get them in the end. Is that your attitude?
WT: And that’s the attitude, I think that’s Jesus working through me. (Applause)
RR: Now, Ted, I want to ask you, is this the kind of young man you’re looking for to play basketball for Oral Roberts University?
TO: You know, Richard, when I, when I came here the sign outside as I drove on the campus talked about mind, body and spirit. And I think that Wayman epitomizes the thing, the concept that we’re talking about. Yes, this is exactly what we want. We want great athletes here at ORU. We want to do our job to be sure that they grow in their spiritual life and we want them to graduate. And some of these days after you finish spending all that money, I want you to go back and finish. You know, Wayman left a year early and I know his goal is to finish that degree because it’s a matter of pride that he can go around the rest of his life and say, “Not only was I a great basketball player, but I graduated from my university.”
Richard Roberts LIVE with Guest Wayman Tisdale Part Thirteenth
Jan 22nd
RR: Wayman, what’s it like playing in the NBA with people like Jabbar and Ralph Sampson and all those great players? What’s it really like when you’re under the board with someone that’s as big or bigger than you are?
WT: Yes. In college I used to have, you know, some nights I’d have a rest. Not against Kansas, they beat us twice, to come to think of it. But in college you have a couple of nights you could look forward to that you would have a rest. But now it’s work every night. You know, one week I was ____ Larry Bird, Dominique Wilkins, Charles Barkley or Dr. J. I mean night after night it’s work. And it’s like night and day as far as the competition because these are older men that know the game and they really, it’s their job. And they put it into a science almost as far as what they do, how you pace yourself through an 82 game season, plus with pre-season games it’s like 90 something. So it’s a lot of work out there.
RR: How have you been able to share your witness for Christ while you’ve been in the National Basketball Association? Is there anything that stands out in your mind the way you’ve been able to share Christ?
WT: Well, not right off. I talk about the Bible a lot. In fact, I’ve gotten some people, some of my teammates to go to church since I’ve been there. You know, the days we have off we try to go out and read the Bible. (Applause) In fact, before each game we have at home we have a chapel service and it amazed me how many people, how many players would be in there, you know. The first time we played Philadelphia, here’s Dr. J., who has been in the leagues 15 years, he’s the first guy in there. It really was an inspiration to me to God. There’s a lot of Christian players there. You know, it’s just great. I attend chapel services before every game, so that’s really helping me out and try to minister.
RR: Are you surprised to see how many born-again, Spirit-filled Christians there are in the National Basketball Association?
Richard Roberts LIVE with Guest Wayman Tisdale Part Twelfth
Jan 15th
WT: Well, as far as drugs are concerned, I just thank God that He’s really taken I guess drug users away from me personally. Out of all my friends I’ve never had a friend that really I hung around that used drugs. And if I did, you know, God gave me the knowledge to get away from them and, you know, not that I was trying to be stuck up or anything, but I just had no desire for drugs ever. And I was exposed to drugs, in the sixth grade I had friends that were using drugs in the sixth grade, and it really blew my mind back then that, you know, guys would at that young of age would be encouraged to use them. And, you know, just from then on, my mother would always, she would almost preach to meabout the dangers of them, and, you know, just kind of got instilled in my mind that drugs are the most worthless things on this earth as far as drug abuse is concerned. And–
RR: And you didn’t need, you didn’t need drugs to excel as an athlete, did you?
WT: whatever, there won’t be enough people to pick my body up off the ground. So I just really encourage the young people to really think of what could happen. You know, we’ve seen this summer a couple of drug abuse. And, you know, we really need to take a stand and really go against drugs. I’m trying to start a program myself. In Indianapolis when the season starts, I’m going to all the high schools and talking against drugs.
RR: Now that’s wonderful. That’s wonderful. I want you to saythat again because that’s terrific.
WT: I’m going to different high schools. I’m going to have a program (Applause) that–in fact, my brother went today to try to establish it and hopefully we can get it started. I have 20 or 30 students to come to the game and I have their section. People know they’re against drugs and they’re in Wayman’s corner, and that’s just going to be the title. And hopefully that can go over and I can be an influence on the youth in Indianapolis and hopefully all around the world, it can get just larger and larger. We need more people to really preach against drugs now.
Richard Roberts LIVE with Guest Wayman Tisdale Part Eleventh
Jan 8th
TO: I haven’t forgiven him myself.
RR: You just put that right on your tie. I know, Wayman, that while you were in high school, almost every coach of every major college in America came down to Washington High School to see you play. And one such man was the man who was at that time–a little higher, Ted, if you would–one such man was Ted Owens, who at that time was the head coach of the University of Kansas. And he had not come to ORU yet to be our head coach and now our athletic director. And, Ted, you were telling me about the many times that you came down to watch this young man play. And your lips were watering, you said, because you wanted him at the University of Kansas.
TO: Well, we felt we could maybe have the greatest team we’d ever had if we could get Wayman to come with us. And, of course, he attended the University of Oklahoma and made them a great basketball power.
RR: And you were in the same conference, you had to face him.
TO: We had to face him.
RR: How grateful were you when Wayman graduated from ORU?
TO: I think everyone in the Big 8 Conference was grateful, except Billy Tubbs.
RR: Well, Wayman, you know that basketball has–of course athletics in general–play an important role here. We believe that athletics is a way to give a witness. Millions and millions of people read the sports page every day who don’t ever open the Bible. It is their Bible. And we are in athletics to be a witness for Jesus Christ. And I was so thrilled when I heard you say the principles upon which your father helped you to build your life and how you, how you pray before every game and what Jesus really means in your life. And I want to ask you to do something. I don’t want to put you on the spot. But there are a lot of young people out of school this summer and are watching this television program. And you know what’s been going on across the country, the death of a prominent basketball player, Len Bias, the death of other young men and young women because of drugs you’d take a moment and talk to young people, really out of your heart, because there are things that are going on that’s destroying young people’s lives, in athletics and also in other areas of life. And so what would you say to a young person who is watching this program right now?
Richard Roberts LIVE with Guest Wayman Tisdale Part Tenth
Jan 1st
RR: How did you handle it when you were in high school and even in college when people would come up to you and kind of give you the business because your dad was a preacher? I’m interested, because I know how it happened to me.
WT: Well, my father is pretty well-known around the city of Tulsa. I’d tell them to look at him. You know, he’s a person that you can talk to and most of the time I would tell them to go talk to him, “and you’d see how proud I am, why I’m so proud of my father.” And I like people to come up to me and talk to me about my father because, you
RR: Did it give you an opportunity to be a witness?
WT: Definitely. Definitely. My father, the way he preaches in church and it just gives me more inspiration to be a witness.
RR: Did you ever get opportunity to get some of your teammates to come on over to the church and hear your dad preach?
WT: Right. In college I did, a couple of my teammates used to come over and play instruments. Tim McAlister used to, he’s a singer, he’d come and sing solos and, you know, most of the basketball team would be practicing. And Oklahoma basketball team really didn’t practice on Sundays, so we got to come home. And most of us were in church.
RR: Well, I want you to know, Wayman, that it took me a long time to forgive you–
LR: Now you’re going to get it, Wayman.
RR: It took me a long time to forgive you for not coming to ORU. I have forgiven you, but it took me a long time to forgive you. Because I can only imagine what our basketball program would have been in those years had you been here at ORU. But I want you to know I have freely forgiven you. And about six feet ten, it didn’t take me quite as long. (Applause) Now I know, I see our athletic director, ORU Athletic Director and head mens basketball coach, Ted Owens, here. Ted, would you come over for a minute and join us? Give him a good welcome. (Applause) Is there a microphone–let’s see, Wayman, I think right under here there’s a mike. Hello, Ted. I think I’ve got a microphone for you here, Ted. If I keep pulling it, there’s no telling what I’m liable to find under that couch.
Richard Roberts LIVE with Guest Wayman Tisdale Part Ninth
Dec 25th
RR: Now as you went through Washington High School here in Tulsa, not only was the city aware of your basketball talent, but soon the state knew of your basketball talent. And it wasn’t long until America knew about your basketball talent. And before you knew it, there was not a game that Wayman Tisdale played in where there were not college scouts and even professional scouts coming. What was it like as you were a high school student in Washington, as a basketball standout and as a scholar in many ways, what was it like?
WT: Well, mainly–excuse me–it was a lot of pressure involved. But somehow God took all the pressure away from me. I really never felt any pressure until last year. But other than that–
RR: That’s when you went in the NBA?
WT: Right. But seemed like I was just having fun. I’m still having fun, but it was just like another game to me. I really, I used to pray before every game and I still do, but when I go out on the court I’m about the most relaxed player out of anybody and that’s helped me to excel through my whole career. I just never really worry about anything.
RR: Well, do you attribute that to your father and his ministry?
WT: Definitely. You know, he really, he talks to all of us and he said, “If you put God first, you have nothing to worry about.” And I really listen to him. He’s six three, 220 pounds. (Applause) He’s been a great influence on my life. He’s been a minister as long as I’ve known him and I think that he’s one of the greatest people, one of the greatest persons on this earth.
RR: Did he teach you the Bible as you were growing up?
WT: Yes, we were raised in the church. He’d sit down with us and, you know, on Wednesday nights we’d be at church. And one night out of the week the family would get together and have Bible study at times. You know, a lot of people say being a preacher’s kid, I’m sure you’ve had that also–
RR: You and I have a lot in common.
WT: Right, yeah. You know, I felt it was an honor, you know, my father being a pastor, you know. Hey, I like it.
Richard Roberts LIVE with Guest Wayman Tisdale Part Eighth
Dec 18th
RR: So when you played with them, they put it on you pretty good.
WT: Yes, they wouldn’t give me any slack, they just beat me. And so I just stayed away. I started playing a game and I’d just quit in the middle of a game. And they’d say, “Well, we’re not going to pick you anymore.”
RR: Was there a time when all of a sudden you decided, yeah,maybe I want to try a little bit of basketball?
WT: Yes, my fifth grade year. I started trying to learn how to play and I had somewhat of a desire to play because, you know, everybody else was playing basketball. I said, “Maybe I should be.” I was taller than most of the 8th graders and I was only in the 5th grade. So I said, “I’d better start doing something.”
RR: Well now, when did you know or when did you even get a sense that basketball was going to be some, was going to be really a major part in your life? Was it in junior high school or was it when you got into high school?
WT: I think it was mainly when I got–the 9th grade year. I went to a camp in Georgia, BC camp, all-state camp, and I did pretty well up there. I was, I had just gotten off a bus coming from New Orleans and my high school coach, Mike Mims, picked me up right after I got off that bus and we rode in his van to Milledgeville, Georgia. And we played another week of basketball there. And, you know, is against top-notch competition in the nation. And I did pretty well, and that’s when I kind of felt that I would be able to use my body as a basketball player.