Hunting for Hope and Happiness - Phil and Kay Robertson

I am thankful that God allowed us  and gave us the ability to change   our mind to repent and take a different  course of action it's a wonderful thing   that he allowed us to be able to stop  and start over you can be born again welcome to the focus on the family broadcast  helping families thrive some of our favorite   guests have been the Robertson clan from a  Annie's hit duck dynasty show and we've had   several of the family members here in our studios  in Colorado but we thought it would be fun to go   to West Monroe Louisiana to talk with the two  that started it Phil and Miss Kay and they have   remarkable testimonies both in their individual  lives and in their life together as a married   couple faith and marriage are at the very heart  of what we do here at focus on the family and   with God's help we aim to strengthen marriages and  help those in crisis and we've seen many broken   marriages redeemed Phil and Kay story is such a  beautiful picture of that kind of redemption and   they suffered terrible hardship but God brought  them back together in more than 50 years later now   they are going strong and you're not gonna want  to miss a single minute of this conversation it   really was a rather remarkable time together and  here now our Phil and Kay the parents of al Jase   Willie and JEP Robertson Phil is the founder of  duck commander which eventually led to the family   starring on duck dynasty and we're to pick up  the conversation talking about Phil's childhood   welcome to the program thank you it's nice to be  in your house my kids are really jealous that my   two boys wanted to be here you know we've been  in this house over 40 years that's amazing and   everybody says with your faman with your money  why don't you tear this down and just build you a   mansion air and I said why I'm content here all I  wanted was that little extra kitchen on my little   country kitchen and I said we're happy here I  said that's something that your generation does   not understand it's called contentment what you  have that is so good and it's so countercultural   it's not what people do is to stay in the same  spot Phil you've written this book happy happy   happy which is one of your great lines from the  show once you give that to is happy happy happy   happy happy what the woman here is describing  is some people if they they get a little in   flux akash they will tend to build big houses but  the one that build the big big houses they have a   little bit of duck land but when my case we stayed  with the little house and a lot of duckling that's   where we will be operated you love it is two of us  here I said miss Kay I mean how much house there's   never been two color TV washer/dryer bathtub  hot water you turn up the first bathtub I saw   as a boy I was pretty good salad boy so let me  get this right you mean to tell me you can put   that plunger in that put that plug in turn that  knob and hot water will come into that tub and   you can just drain it out I'm like I looked at Sai  said we have hit the big time up into the end you   went about 200 yards below the house it one is you  know the toilet the little wooden box yes that was   it but let's go back there because I think a lot  of people don't know your background so why don't   we talk a little more about that because you're  describing you know real rural living you didn't   have water you didn't I mean what was the one is  nine years old for you get that that's true oh   yeah your first bath you would get the water out  of the whale and you'd pour it over into a number   three washtub how I said no little small number  three and I was like five boys and two girls so I   would be like number three or four but they would  warm it up a little bit I did in it you know and   we'll roll around in a little bit but you put it  out in the Sun in November let it warm up just a   little you know man we just didn't think about you  know one fireplace in the end of a log house was   the only source of heat so and you were hunting  and fishing back then right is that just how you   were raised yep that's how we were raised so you  lived off the land yeah we had had the little we   raised our own corn and potatoes and mall with can  you know pickles and all these Tomatoes and this   net another you know but it would gather up nuts  hickory nuts out of the woods pecans bring them in   put them in sacks put them on the bay it and you'd  break those in there next to the fireplace yeah   now miss cave you weren't coming from that kind  of background you know I was rich actually that   was not in that sense where I came from a town of  200 or less and we just had the biggest store we   had a big store there was a general store running  on me that's but it was in our family 75 years so   you had a bathtub oh I had one of the reasons  I picked her I said they over snow work they're   loaded she had her own little bel-air Chevrolet  you know I said yeah so she would come pick me   up on a date and she had me she'd have me some  bottled cokes you know sometimes she'd have a look   t-bone steak or some Wilson weenies and a little  rest I said I said and I'd get in the rig with her   and I'm thinking she's bringing me little weenies  Wilson weenies and steak pretty good speaking his   language he's excited trouble because what I did  was I just kept bringing all these things from our   store down there and they said mama said look I  mean we actually have to pay for this you know we   get a wholesale price but you're giving away and I  said were there for and they were so enjoy but the   biggest problem I had I'd bring in a case of coats  and they drank them all so I would sit there and   drink about eight in a row I said bill why why is  everybody doing this and he said because they're   worried there won't be any more so they want to  get their share early it's it's it the case of   cokes down the little bottle cokes those days  no cans and we just all gather around it would   drink them to they're all gone I was just like an  amazement I might I never saw anybody do that so   that's how field they were poor but they did not  no they were poor right I never heard anyone say   we were poor they're right we thought we were  doing pretty good we were eating you know we we   got plenty we ate beans every day pretty well and  so when you start getting serious about it maybe   we should get married how well that it was 14th  when I was 14 years old and he was a year older   than me and actually we would kind of fix that  like a girl told me and that he wanted me to walk   him off the field that night and that we saw each  other we look but back then people weren't forward   like they are now right you know you just waited  for something to happen you know well they tell   Phil the same thing that you know I wanted him  to walk you know you were a cheerleader walked   off the football field meant we got something  going here first maybe so where we could but you   see how different it is from today you would see  each other and you'd think I thought he was kid he   thought I was kidding but nobody made him move and  so you waited but actually this girl thought would   be good for each other and she just kind of fixed  this up like that and we went together but then   what happened in duck season was he told me he  said we're gonna have to break up because really   this date then I was kind of I'm getting serious  about hunting so we're going to you know and   I just was so stunned I thought what I mean he's  given me up for the hunting but you know I thought   well he's I really like him and he likes me but  maybe this hunting I'll be over see my daddy was   a hunter so I knew about hunting and so what what  brought us right together was at the end of that   year the May I think it was at the end of school  my dad passed away he was only 49 years old how   old are you I was 40 I was still 14 14 and so what  happened was Phil came to the funeral well along   with all my classmates and everything but I think  it's just when I saw him again he saw me again of   course it was a sad time but that was it when we  went back together after then that was forever and   it wasn't smooth if I read your book correctly I  mean there was a lot of rough spots and I really   want to dig into that Phil because I think one  of the things that people love about you is how   open you are you didn't you know you're young you  come together you well we had a baby al came along   right now came along we had a baby field wasn't  ready and he didn't like the word responsibility I   don't know why but he didn't I think it was a case  where my grandmother prepared me for this how what   did she say we talked a lot about marriage and  stuff and of course I had a big imagination so   I had it all planned out and I was gonna marry  a pioneer man which I did get that yep but but   she taught me about one man and one wife for one  life she taught me that she taught me about how   she constantly told me I was gonna have to fight  for my marriage which I said that was ridiculous   because I was gonna be like those books it lived  happily ever after I had it all planned because   all I wanted to be was a good wife and mother and  all that I didn't have a career you think about   that how many women walk into marriage having an  idea of what this will be like and if I in the   best wife I could be I take care of him Oh it'll  all be good and he'll take care of me and I saw my   grandmother constantly take care of my grandpa  and I would see him setting these two rocking   chairs and right in the middle as a space heater  you remember how these dozens of space heaters   you backed up to and all that kind of stuff she  would read the Bible to him you know I remember   that just over and over and they would hold hands  Bitola goodness before they went to sleep they   would always hold hands so you saw that okay so  but when you're in your 20s now and you're you're   having struggles Phil how are you not measuring  up close case expectation oblem was in a nutshell   is that I didn't know Jesus been to church sit  there but just found it rather boring so I didn't   know Jesus from the time we left high school and  married and the kids started I didn't know Jesus   until I was 28 at 28 I finally saw the error of my  ways it took that long from like roughly speaking   18 to 28 at 28 I sit down some guy we owned a  bar at the time and I have a pistol in my shirt   and the preacher comes in and you know I said you  some kind of preacher yeah yeah I said you ever   been drunk he said yeah I said so why would you  come talking to me I said I'm getting drunk right   now and I said you admit you've been drunk what's  the difference I said you some kind of preacher   anyway I was mean if I mean I was mean to him so  when he leaves he tells my sister out in the car   he says I don't think he's ready so eventually I  did sit down with the guy and I listen to what he   had to say well he then proceeded to tell me God  becoming flesh Jesus I'm like died on a cross to   remove my sins which were many and was buried  in a tomb and when he got to the resurrection   of the Dead he said three days after he died feel  for your sins he was raised from the dead when I   saw that I never had I didn't know that I said how  in the world did I ever miss that I'm 28 years old   yeah I have a couple of degrees yeah the company  I was keeping what our folks were talking about   but at that moment when I saw the potential to be  raised from the dead I said let's see I'm going to   die one of these days physically no doubt about it  I've come close to dying many times before and so   was everyone else and when I saw that I said if  there is a way of planet Earth that's going to   be it right there out of all the stories I've ever  heard that's the only shot I've found for someone   on my behalf in this case an omnipotent omniscient  omnipresent God made it available to beat the   grave when I saw that I've been hollering about  it ever since so that was the beginning of the   transformation and as it turned out back to the  ducks in the hunting you say all of those years   you spent chasing ducks and squirrels and deer and  all this stuff as it turned out after I repented   receives Jesus I was baptized and I said here we  go so a few months goes by a year or so right yeah   yeah I want to dig you I was like this but I was  getting on my feet a little weak in the faith but   I began my journey and that's when I told miss  Kay when they pull out of my pocket I said see   this right here and it was a duck call that I had  built I said this thing sounds just like a duck   I said find us a place on the river I will fish  the river and make about what I'm making teaching   school and I said but I'll get this somehow figure  out how to get this thing going this duck call and   I said you'll have that long green in your pocket  what do you say she was looking at me no he said   we shall find your place on the river this is  the place she found and she said if we're gonna   get in the duck call Bennis I said we're getting  into the duck call business I said it's gonna take   me a while to get it going I said so we're gonna  but we'll survive off the fish and the river I'll   catch the fish and she's like let's do it Wow so  she's the one that found the place on the river   and we moved on in here and we started slow first  oh yes a oz was like $8,000 yeah I told my scale   yes sir miss Kay I said gross sales for you know  back in the early seventies I said gross sales I   said $8,000 we are rolling think about this  she said we're gonna starve to death I will   make it and they did make it and we're talking  to Phil and Kay Robertson done focused on the   family today and boy we've just compressed a lot  of the story there evidently you can find Phil's   book happy happy happy at our website and a CD  or download of our program today and focus on   the family calm / broadcast Phil I want to go  back because you you have taken us to the the   good spot but a lot of people aren't living there  that people listening right now they're struggling   in their marriages so I want to go back a little  in your story because you and miss Kay struggled   mightily even to the years were you kicked them  out of the house right yeah I want to hear that   part of the story where you were at and you Phil  or having difficulty and where I got to come to   the Lord yeah yes well that's important because I  know how people feel when they get just completely   hopeless hmm because the thing that I put my life  into which was my marriage my children the home   everything but when I really didn't understand  the the reason I didn't do a lot of bad things   that he did and all that it was my grandmother but  I was operating on her faith or trying to but you   know that night is when I realized that I had to  have my own faith but that night I literally went   that bathroom I was on the floor crying and he was  drunk and the kid in knowing the living room and I   was crying and I really really for the first time  in life thought I want to just go to sleep and   not wake up I want to do anything that so he'll  say course I really don't think I wanted to die   but I wanted to hurt him or do something where he  would describe him - yeah I and do everything but   I really did have the suicide thoughts there's no  doubt about that and I can't say I didn't because   I did but that night is when I went on my seeking  God and I found him you know I I did it was my   starting of repentance and and when when I went  to that same man that he talked to and I went to   him the next day over the church and you know  he said what do you think if you died tonight   go to heaven I said yeah I'd shoot up there like  a rocket I said let me tell you about who I've   been living with so I went into how bad he was  and we went all that and he said well Katie II   think when you get before God it's going to be  be about filled he said it's just gonna be you   and God and he said can I tell you your story and  I said yes and he said you may think different   about this because what you're saying here is  you should have earned your what happened right   and I said well yeah and he said well do you have  peace and I said and that's what's wrong there's   something wrong there because I don't have that  peace and our I know it's in the Bible and I know   it's about it so something's missing and that  is when I came to Christ and but the best thing   he told me and people should know this every time  your circumstances won't be different when I came   home he was still drinking and calling me names  yeah but he said you've got Jesus Christ living   in you you will be have help you've got an anchor  that will never leave and everything it inside you   but your circumstances and I think people think oh  I should be okay there should be no problems in my   that's not the truth okay you moved to West Monroe  and became involved with your church right when he   booted you out I guess right I'm sorry to say it  that way Phil but tell us the day Phil showed up   at your workplace yeah what happened well I was  kind of back from lunch with my girlfriend that   it--with everyday for lunch and I saw that old  gray truck out there sitting in the parking lot   and he had his head down on the steering wheel  when I saw him so I went out there when I opened   the door I looked at him and he and he had tears  and he said look he said I want my family back and   I won't drink anymore and you know the part of  me that saw the homeless in him said oh yes yes   that's what I want you know that's what I pray  for we prayed everyday for him but the part of   me inside that said he can't make it without God  I know that so I told him I said Phil you've got   to have help and Phil said you're talking about  God and then he said to me and I know he doesn't   remember this but he said I don't know how to  find and I said well I know man and he said the   man that came to bar I said yeah he can help you  find him and so we had the study that night and   Bill and his wife came over me and the boys we all  and and his wife went in the back room and we were   praying for him and then we just talked why they  shared but I remember the first thing he said that   was so embarrassing to me was Phil said I don't  trust anybody and that's when bill said well if   I'd have been running around with her you run  around with I wouldn't trust anybody either and   then he held up the bottle and he said but do you  trust this and Phil said yeah I do trust that but   he said well what I want you to do is get a pencil  and paper and take notes on everything I tell you   so you can look it up and see that I didn't  make it up and that's what happened and they   studied and then we let Phil come back because  I could tell he was right you know and you know   this worries me well you wanna check out what Bill  told ya any wanting to change well that's what I   loved about the story because people are living  in that place a desperate wife who are quietly   praying for her husband who's off the reservation  he's off doing the things he shouldn't do and he   even knows it Phil that's the power of the story  and I think for people the reality of it the   authenticity of it that moment where you come to  Christ nobody can take that away from you you were   a different man before and then all of a sudden  you're a new a new man I mean no atheist nobody   who would refute God can argue with what happened  in your life you can go a man can go from an evil   or a woman can go from an evil person to a person  who demonstrates love joy peace patience and this   goodness gentleness faithfulness self-control you  like how do you go from one group to the other we   tend to look at the word repent repentance as a  bad thing I am thankful that God allowed us and   gave us the ability to change our mind to repent  and take a different course of action it's a   wonderful thing that he allowed us to be able to  stop and start over mm-hmm you can be born again   and so the change that took place back there all  those years ago 43 years ago the change that took   place is literally stunning when you look at that  to the family for you became an important part of   you embracing God right you would kick K and the  kids out but then you then you begin to struggle I   got drunk about the first couple of weeks back to  my that's too much saw Paul drunk so I said well   that's all of it so I'm thinking I'm not realizing  the mediating work of Jesus not counting my sins   against me if I trust him and try so I'm drunk  I'm going I'm say that's all of it but I go down   front and all the churches there and looking at  Mara said okay I tend to be you know a little   blunt straight-to-the-point I went out no they  said miss Robson can we help you and I said I   said pull the drunk last night so I thought it  would be like you know get him out of here what   I didn't realize is I had never experienced a  gap a brother-sister unconditional love never   never experienced it yeah so that was part of my  learning process is to understand when I first   started I mean I didn't know about the love of  God selfless love it didn't occur to me until I   started seeing it well all those years later now  it's been four that's 40 years ago but you says   you on your path you learned as she went and you  learned how to let people that way I didn't know   what that was you see what I'm saying I do if you  think about it even in the culture today right now   that idea of feeling agape love feeling the love  that God has for us I'm concerned sometimes that   myself as a Christian I'm not doing that well  enough the most needed indispensable thing on   planet earth right now is is what Jesus said  look here's the greatest commands that there   are there are no rules except love God and love  your neighbor well if we just if we just did that   just think about what a kind of society and world  we would have it's a hard thing for humans it was   hard for me to learn what love is very difficult  it is it is and you know unfortunately we have   come to the end of our time together and it's  been so good and I have loved the emphasis on   the Lord and the change in your life both of  your lives and as we in there will be people   listening that don't know their relationship with  Christ they may have said yeah I believe but they   haven't felt that the way you described awhile  ago miss Kay and Phil they're they they're the   husband that's not living right I want to give you  some time right at the end here to speak directly   to that person that isn't connecting the dots what  the great misunderstanding is biblically speaking   is that most people the American model they'll  say go to church are y'all going to church you   like I wonder why the Bible never mentions those  terms going to church worship services and in a   structure worship is not confined to an hour to  on Sunday morning maybe one hour that night it   may be Wednesday night that's the American model  you say well that's three or four hours a week   and there's 168 hours in a so you read romans 12  here's what it says in view of God's mercy Jesus   coming now removing our sin and guaranteeing  we can be raised from the dead going back into   heaven mediating for us 24/7 in view of that it  says offer your body as a living sacrifice holy   and pleasing to God which is your spiritual act  of worship of service what we need to understand   is whether we're in the supermarket whether we're  on our job whether we're in the Doug plan or the   deer stand or the camp we need to be in view of  God's mercy worshiping God at all times watching   our mouths what we say what our eyes see how  we interact with the wife of our youth and say   raising your children worship is 24/7 wherever you  are you're aware we need to be do that more yeah   infuse a little good in that culture I'm on the  internet now I've never turned on a computer in   my life I've never seen the show I've never owned  a cell phone and you get on the internet I'm like   whatever it is I'm going in there I guess oh man  you know this is wonderful it really is wonderful   and it's in very straightforward and very very  simple in the right kind of biblical way a man   whose life has changed Phil Robertson duck dynasty  his wonderful wife miss Kay who was kind of there   all along praying and hoping and believing thanks  for being with us I'm focused on the family yes   it did you've been watching Phil and Kay Robertson  on today's episode of focus on the family and they   opened their home in their hearts to share the  beautiful redemptive work God has done in their   marriage and in their lives well Phil and Kay's  words are such great encouragement and hope to   those who may be struggling their story goes to  show that nothing is impossible with it wasn't   easy it was a process a day-by-day journey but  they stuck it out trusted the Lord and followed   him and now they can look back after celebrating  more than 50 years together and give God all the   glory and we love sharing programs like this that  offer hope guidance and counsel programs that   transform marriages and lives that is why focus on  the family exists and you know we couldn't do it   without you we need your help to impact families  just like yours when you give today God will use   your generosity to transform lives through  our daily broadcasts which feature special   guests life-changing resources and practical  biblical help for people who are struggling   or just need a reminder of God's power in fact  when you donate today a gift of any amount we'll   send you a copy of Phil Robertson's book happy  happy happy as our way of saying thank you for   supporting the ministry of Focus on the Family  get in touch with us today to get your copy of   happy happy happy our number is 800 the letter  a and the word family or click on the link below   on behalf of Jim daily and the entire team thanks  for joining us today for focus on the family let   me invite you back next time as we once more  help you and your family thrive in Christ you

Channel: Focus on the Family

Views: 200,925

Rating: 4.9432979 out of 5

Keywords: focus on the family, hunting for hope and hapiness, hunting for hope, reality television super stars, phil robertson focus on the family, phil and kay robertson, happy happy happy book, happy happy happy phil robertson book, duck dynasty phil robertson, duck dynasty phil robertson book, relationship transformation, relationship transformation through god, focus on the family broadcast, focus on the family broadcast youtube, focus broadcast youtube, focus broadcast

Id: kyfzac0ONOs

Length: 30min 45sec (1845 seconds)

Published: Thu May 21 2020