Mark is delighted to welcome Pastor Will Ford to the podcast today. Currently the Director of the Marketplace Leadership Major at Christ For The Nations Institute, in Dallas, Texas, Pastor Ford is also the founder of Hilkiah Ministries. He has been interviewed by CBS, featured on The 700 Club and also in Charisma and many other media outlets, and is known internationally for his family heirloom which he brings with him to the interview today to show and discuss with Mark, pictures of which you can find by visiting The Rabbi’s Husband homepage and Twitter page. The passages Pastor Ford has chosen for today are Joshua 4:20-24 and 1 Kings 18:31-32. Pastor Ford begins by describing his very special family heirloom, the role it has played in his life and the lives of his ancestors, some examples of the cruelty suffered by slaves, and the connection between Black Christians and the Jewish people. He then shares the fascinating story of a dream he had involving Dr. King, the impact that dream has had upon his life, and how these stories relate to today’s selected passages. Pastor Ford and Mark then explore the notion of God as a collector of memories, what God is saying to America right now, the inspirational story of Robert Russa Moton, and the development of the Pastor’s love of all things Jewish. As is the tradition, our guest concludes with the lessons he has learned about humankind. A highly engaging storyteller, Pastor Will Ford brings to life his family’s history as well as his own journey in the context of the Bible, unearthing the many profound insights to be found within these powerful passages and their very real application to current times in today’s fascinating episode.  Quotes: “Secretly, it was used for prayer.” “This is what you stand for.” “They prayed for the freedom of their children and the next generation.” “They didn’t want him to have a slave last name.” “William, get rid of your white baggage. You’ve been carrying it for way too long.” “What color is your baggage?” “We need each other right now more than ever before.” “I’ve been thinking about God being the collector.” “God, please don’t let the Jheri curl come back.” “Come near to me.” “He used the memories to be the building block for prayer, for intercession and…to remind God of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” “What storyline do you want to be a part of, the healing or the hurting, the blessing or the curse?” “I need to know more about this amazing Jewish faith.” “We have these artifacts that show our shared history.” “The word ‘coincidence’ is not in the Hebrew language.” “We’re just a small snapshot, a microcosm, of what God is doing to heal a lot of the division that is going on right now.” “The providential hand of God is moving behind the scenes.” “God loves us more than we can fathom.” “No one is a mistake.”   Joshua 4:20-24 - https://www.sefaria.org/Joshua.4.20-24?lang=bi  1 Kings 18:31-32 - https://www.sefaria.org/I_Kings.18.31-32?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en   Links: The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: The Rabbi's Husband Mark’s Twitter: Mark Gerson - The Rabbi's Husband (@markgerson) The Rabbi’s Husband Newsletter contact: daniel@therabbishusband.com Pastor Will Ford's Story in Words and Pictures