Terry: A

SELF-IDENTIFIED PARTY GUY

REALIZES HE HAS GONE TOO

FAR.

I I WAS NO LONGER THIS

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY PARTY GUY.

ESSENTIALLY, I WAS A

HEROIN ADDICT.

Terry: WATCH HOW HE

STOPPED SURRENDERING TO

HEROIN AND SURRENDERED TO

GOD.

THAT AND MORE ON TODAY'S

"700 CLUB INTERACTIVE."

Andrew: HI AND

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

THE GERBER COMPANY

CELEBRATED THE FIRST DOWN

SYNDROME GERBER BABY.

Terry: RIVER ISLAND

FEATURES MODELS WITH

VARIOUS DISABILITIES, FROM

DOWN SYNDROME TO

CONGRESSIONAL PALSY, AND

THE MODELS ARE REPRESENTED

BY ZEBIDI MANAGEMENT, WHO

IN A RECENT INTERVIEW SAID

ZEBIDI WANTS TO SEE MORE

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

ON TELEVISION, MAGAZINES,

ONLINE, AND ON-FILM.

WE BELIEVE THEY SHOULD

HAVE THE SAME

OPPORTUNITIES.

I LOVE THAT.

Andrew: BEAUTIFUL

KIDS.

IT IS ALMOST SAD THAT

WE'RE JUST KIND OF GETTING

TO THIS POINT.

WE'RE ALL MADE IN THE

IMAGE OF GOD.

IT IS SO CUTE AND THEY'RE

GREAT STORIES.

Terry: AND HOW

ENCOURAGING TO THEIR

FAMILIES, TOO.

Andrew: AND THE

FAMILIES WERE EVEN MORE

EXCITED THAN THE CHILDREN.

VERY SWEET.

> ONE THING PEOPLE DON'T

SEEM TO CELEBRATE, AND

THAT IS BABIES AND

TODDLERS ON AIRPLANES.

AND IF YOU'RE A PARENT WHO

HAS EVER FLOWN WITH YOUNG

CHILDREN, YOU CERTAINLY

KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Terry: AND EVEN IF

YOU'RE NOT A PARENT,

YOU'VE LIKELY BEEN ON A

PLANE WITH A CRYING CHILD.

AND YOU'RE EITHER IN ONE

OF TWO CAMPS, THE

SYMPATHETIC OR COMPLETELY

ANNOYED.

Andrew: A PASSENGER

TRAVELLING FROM HAWAII TO

LOS ANGELES RECENTLY

REPORTED THAT OTHER

PASSENGERS WERE GETTING

FRUSTRATED WITH A MOM WHO

HAD THREE CHILDREN, WHO

HAD TROUBLE COMFORTING HER

YOUNG GUEST.

YOUNGEST.

THE ATTENDANT OFFERED TO

TAKE THE BOY, AND HE

ROCKED THE BOY UNTIL HE

CALMED DOWN.

AND ONE WROTE, THANK YOU

FOR YOUR KINDNESS.

YOU GAVE EVERY A MOMENT TO

BREATHE.

Terry: I OFTEN THINK

WHEN I TRAVEL -- I JUST

CAME BACK FROM A TRIP, AND

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF

MOMS WHO HAD MULTIPLE

CHILDREN, AND, I MEAN --

Andrew: IT'S HARD.

Terry: YOU JUST WANT

TO GO, CAN I SIT NEXT TO

YOU AND JUST HELP YOU.

Andrew: AND NOW WE

SEE WE CAN ALL MAYBE DO

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Terry: KUDOS TO THAT

FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

SHE OUGHT TO GET A RAISE.

Andrew: AND WHEN

WE'RE AT AIRPORTS, WE

THINK, LOOK AT ALL OF THE

KIDS WERE CELL PHONES, BUT

THEY MAY USE THEM IN A

CASE LIKE THIS.

Terry: STUDIES SHOW

THAT HALF OF THE CALLS TO

9-1-1 ARE ACCIDENTAL OR AS

SOME MAY CALL IT, POCKET

DIALING."

IT COSTS THE POLICE FORCE

A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT IN

RESOURCES.

Andrew: RECENTLY KIRA

PLACED A 9-1-1 CALL ON A

DISCONNECTED CELL PHONE,

BUT IT WENT THROUGH, AND

SHE FELT BAD.

SHE CALLED AND APOLOGIZED.

WE WENT OUT IN THE

FRONT LOBBY, AND THERE WAS

A LITTLE GIRL THERE WITH

HER PARENTS, AND SHE WAS

REALLY EXCITED WE WEREN'T

MAD AT HER OR ANYTHING

LIKE THAT.

IT IS A GOOD LEARNING

EXPERIENCE FOR ALL

CHILDREN TO LEARN THAT

9-1-1 IS FOR EMERGENCY

SERVICES.

IT COULD TAKE THEM AWAY

FROM SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY

NEEDS THEM.

Terry: WELL, SHE GETS

THE MESSAGE.

THAT IS PROBABLY A

POTENTIAL FOR A LOT OF

CHILDREN, WHEN YOU'RE

TRYING TO TEACH THEM AT A

YOUNG AGE TO USE 9-1-1 --

Andrew: I'VE STOPPED

A FEW OF THOSE CALLS FROM

MY 6-YEAR-OLD.

AND IT IS A GREAT SERVICE,

FROM THESE DISCONNECTED

PHONES, THAT THEY WILL

ACTUALLY CALL 9-1-1.

BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THEY

GOT THAT MANY A YEAR.

Terry: AN ENTIRE

GENERATION IN THE MIDDLE

EAST AS GROWN UP UNDER

ISIS, AND THEY HAVE

ADOPTED ITS MANTRA OF

HATE.

NOW DESPERATE LEADERS

REALIZE THEY'RE DEALING

WITH A DEADLY EXTREMISM

FLOWING THROUGH THEIR

COUNTRIES.

SO THEY'RE TURNING TO A

CHRISTIAN WOMAN WHO'S LIFE

MISSION IS TEACHING

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

HEATHER SELLS HAS THAT

STORY.

Reporter: EVEN AS

VICTORY IS CLAIMED OVER

ISIS IN PLACES LIKE IRAQ

AND SYRIA, MILLIONS OF

CHILDREN REMAIN IN THOSE

REGIONS, HARBORING THE

THOUGHTS AND RAGE OF THEIR

FORMER CAPTORS.

IT IS WHY TINA RAMIREZ IS

CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE

INTERVENTION.

WHEN YOU'RE DEALING

WITH CHILDREN UNDER 14 WHO

HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER

INDOCTRINATION OF HATE AND

VIOLENCE, AND HAVE

WITNESSED IT, AND

SOMETIMES HAVE BEEN FORCED

TO ENGAGE IN THAT VIOLENCE

THEMSELVES, THAT'S ALL

THEY HAVE FLYNN.

KNOWN.

AND FOR THEM, FREEDOM IS A

FOREIGN CONCEPT.

THOSE CHILDREN, WHEN THEY

TALK TO THEIR MOTHERS NOW

SAY, MOM, I'M ISIS.

I DON'T WANT TO BE YAZIDI.

I'M ISIS.

Heather: IN OTHER

CASES, ISIS PASSED ON ITS

CORE BELIEFS VIA THE

CLASSROOM.

IN MOSUL, YOU HAVE

600,000 CHILDREN WHO LIVED

UNDER ISIS FOR THE PAST

THREE YEARS.

600,000 THAT WERE TAUGHT

EVERY DAY IN THE

SCHOOLS -- ADDING UP BOMBS

IN ORDER TO LEARN MATH,

AND LEARNING TO HATE AND

KILL YAZIDIS, CHRISTIANS,

AND EVEN OTHER MUSLIMS

THAT DIDN'T BELIEVE LIKE

THEM.

Heather: MANY OF THE

CHILDREN WHO SURVIVED THIS

LIFE OF BRUTAL NOW

MAINTAIN LIKE-MINDED

ATTITUDES.

MANY SEE ISIS AS THE SUPER

HERO OF THEIR WORLD.

THOSE WHO TRY TO HELP THEM

SAY IT IS HORRIBLY

APPARENT, EVEN ON THE

PLAYGROUND.

A GROUP OF TEACHERS

THAT WE WORK WITH CAME

ACROSS A GROUP OF STUDENTS

PLAYING A GAME, AND IT WAS

A GAME WHERE THEY LOOKED

AND THEY WERE SHOCKED.

AND THEY TOLD US WHAT

HAPPENED.

THEY SAID W

REALIZED IT WAS A GROUP OF

STUDENTS BEHEADING ANOTHER

STUDENTS, THEY WERE SO

TERRIFIED THEY DIDN'T EVEN

KNOW WHAT TO O DO.

DO.

AND WE'VE HEARD THE SAME

STORIES IN LEBANON, AND

WE'VE HEARD SIMILAR

STORIES IN MOROCCO.

THIS IS ALL OVER THE

MIDDLE EAST.

Reporter: FOR THE

LAST THREE YEARS, RAMIREZ

HAS TRAINED TEACHERS TO

TEACH THESE CHILDREN

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

DEAN ERIC PATTERSON SERVES

ON HER BOARD AND SAYS

LEADERS IN PLACES LIKE

IRAQ REALIZE THEY NEED

HELP BEFORE ANOTHER

HATE-FILLED GENERATION

TAKES THE PLACE OF ISIS.

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE,

INCLUDING PEOPLE OF

CONSERVATIVE MUSLIM FAITH,

WHO FEEL THAT WE'VE BEEN

KILLING EACH OTHER OVER

THESE THINGS FOR SO LONG

THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE

A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

Heather: AND THAT

MEANS MAKING SCHOOLS THE

FRONT LINES FOR CHILDREN.

TRAINING TEACHERS TO HELP

STUDENTS LEARN NOT JUST TO

TOLERATE EACH OTHER'S

BELIEFS, BUT TO DEFEND

THEM.

AFTER JUST A FEW

LESSONS OF LEARNING ABOUT

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM THROUGH

SIMULATIONS AND ACTVITIES,

THAT FORCES THEM TO

INTERNALIZE IT, AT THE END

THEIR ATTITUDES HAVE

SHIFTEDED IN JUST THE

MATTER OF A FEW LESSONS.

THE BASIC IDEA OF HARD

WIRED IS EVERY HUMAN IS

HARD-WIRED FOR FREEDOM.

WE BELIEVE AS CHRISTIANS,

THAT'S A PART OF THE WAY

THAT GOD MADE US IN THE

IMAGE OF GOD, WITH THE

ABILITY TO MAKE CHOICES

AND THINGS.

AND SO THAT IDEA IS REALLY

AT THE HEART OF IT.

Heather: ONE CORE

LESSON "THE PEACEFUL

GARDEN" DOES IS WALKS

CHILDREN THROUGH THE

PROCESS OF PLANTING

FLOWERS, WITH DIFFERENT

COLORS REPRESENTLY

DIFFERENT BELIEFS.

STUDENTS COMPARE AND

CONTRAST GARDENS WITH JUST

ONE COLOR OR MANY.

FROM THERE THEY TALK ABOUT

THE STRENGTH OF A SOCIETY

THAT TREATS ALL RELIGIONS

WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

IT MAY LOOK LIKE JUST FUN

AND GAMES, BUT IT IS

DEADLY SERIOUS.

UNTIL WE HAVE A SOCIETY

THAT EMBRACES RELIGIOUS

FREEDOM FOR EVERYBODY, WE

WILL ONLY SEE RECURRENT

CYCLES OF RELIGION-RELATED

CAN'T FLICT AROUND THE

WORLD.

Heather: TEACHING

KIDS NOW TO RESPECT AND

DEFEND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

CAN ULTIMATELY HELP TO

SHUT DOWN EXTREMISM AND

HELP TO STABILIZE

SOCIETIES THAT DESPERATELY

NEED PEACE.

HEATHER SELLS, CBN NEWS.

Terry: AN IMPORTANT

LESSON.

WE THINK OF SOME OF THE

THINGS THAT COME OUT OF

ISIS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR IS

IMPACTING COMMUNITIES,

ADULTS, BUT UT DON' YOU DON'T

THINK ABOUT HOW IT HAS

IMPACTED A WHOLE

GENERATION OF KIDS, AND

HOW WONDERFUL THAT THERE

IS SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT

IS SPREADING TO THE WHOLE

THAT CAN CHANGE THAT.

Andrew: AND THE

GLOBAL COMMUNITY MAY

EXHALE WHEN A CONFLICT OR

A BATTLE HAS CEASED, BUT

MAKING PEACE CAN SOMETIMES

BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT

THAN MAKING WAR, AND WE'RE

SEEING THAT HERE.

Terry: WE ALL KIND OF

LIVE IN A CULTURE WHERE

THE NEED TO BE MORE CIVIL,

MORE RESPECTFUL OF EACH

OTHER'S DIFFERENCES NEEDS

TO HAPPEN FOR ALL OF US.

MAYBE EVEN AS WE ACT THAT

OUT AS GROWNUPS, AND OUR

CHILDREN WILL CATCH THAT.

Andrew: UP NEXT, HOW

A NEW HABIT CAN

DRASTICALLY CHANGE YOUR

LIFE.

KATHLEEN COOKE JOINS US IN

Andrew: RESEARCH

REVEALS THAT 93% OF

AMERICANS OWN A BIBLE, YET

MOST HARDLY EVER READ IT.

AND EVEN THOSE WHO PROFESS

TO BE CHRISTIANS SPEND

MORE TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA

THAN THEY DO READING THE

WORD OF GOD.

HERE TO EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT

THIS AND HELP US GET BACK

ON TRACK IS THE AUTHOR OF

"HOPE FOR TODAY," KATHLEEN

COOKE.

HI.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME,

ANDREW.

Andrew: WE'RE

THRILLED TO HAVE YOU.

THIS SURVEY, EIGHT YEARS,

100,000 PEOPLE, AND WHAT

DOES IT REVEAL?

THE RESEARCH REVEALED

WE'RE NOT READING OUR

BIBLES, THAT WE CAN DO

BETTER.

THAT IF WE READ OUR BIBLES

FOUR OR MORE TIMES A WEEK,

WE WILL GREATLY CHANGE THE

DIRECTION OF OUR LIVES,

AND THE CHOICES IN OUR

LIVES WILL BE SO MUCH MORE

POSITIVE.

Andrew: AND WE'RE NOT

EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE

CASUAL CHRISTIAN WHO IS

NOT READING THE BIBLE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE

WHO SAY THEY'RE DEVOTED TO

CHRIST, BUT THEY'RE NOT

SPENDING TIME IN THE WORD.

YES.

WE ALMOST HAVE FIVE BIBLES

IN OUR HOMES AND THEY SIT

ON BOOKSHELVES AND THEY'RE

NEVER READ.

Andrew: IT IS A GREAT

CHALLENGE TO LIVE THE

CHRISTIAN LIFE, IF WE'RE

NOT SPENDING ANY TIME WITH

HIM LEARNING TO LIVE THE

WAY HE WANTS US TO LIVE.

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME

GOING TO CHURCH, READING

OUR BIBLE, PRAYING,

WATCHING GREAT SHOWS LIKE

THIS, BUT OF ALL OF THOSE

THINGS, THE RESEARCH

SHOWED US THAT IT WAS

BIBLE READING, US

PERSONALLY ENGAGING WITH

GOD, THAT MADE THE

DIFFERENCE.

Andrew: EVEN MORE

THAN PRAYER.

EVEN MORE THAN PRAYER.

IT IS A ONE-WAY

CONVERSATION WHEN YOU'RE

PRAYING.

YOU'RE SAYING, OH, GOD,

CAN YOU HEL HELP ME WITH THIS

OR PRAYING FOR THIS

PERSON, AND WE NEED TO DO

THAT, AND THAT'S AN

ESSENTIAL PART OF BEING A

CHRISTIAN, BUT WHEN WE

STOP AND READ THE BIBLE

AND OPEN THE WORD OF GOD,

GOD HAS A CHANCE TO SPEAK

TO US.

AND WE STOP THE NOISE

AROUND US, FROM THE

BOMBARDMENT OF MEDIA AND

OUR SCHEDULES THAT ARE

OVERCOMMITTED THESE DAYS.

AND THOSE ARE THE TWO

BIGGEST REASONS WE'RE NOT

READING THE BIBLE: WE'RE

TOO BUSY AND TOO MUCH INTO

SOCIAL MEDIA.

Andrew: WE THINK

WE'RE TOO BUSY.

> HOW BIG A CHALLENGE DO

YOU THINK SOCIAL MEDIA

MAKES FOR US TO REALLY BE

COMMITTEDED TO READINCOMMITTED TO READING
THE

WORD OF GOD?

SOCIAL MEDIA IS

DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE.

WE GO TO SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN

WE HAVE A PROBLEM BEFORE

WE EVEN GO TO SCRIPTURE.

AND I LOVE ALL OF THE

THINGS WE CAN DOWNLOAD OFF

THE INTERNET AND APPS, AND

YOU CAN FIND MY DEVOTIONAL

ON THE NEW VERSION BIBLE

SITE, BUT THOSE ARE ALL

THINGS THAT WILL HELP US

ENGAGE WITH HIM.

BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT

CHOICE.

WE HAVE TO BE OBEDIENT TO

SAY, OKAY, I'M GOING TO

SHUT OFF THE NOISE.

I'M GO GOING TO SHUT OFF WHAT

IS AROUND ME AND REALLY

SEE WHAT GOD HAS TO TALK

TO ME ABOUT.

Andrew: AND WHEN WE

SHUT OFF THE NOISE, THAT

CAN BE A WONDERFUL TIME

AND A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

IN FACT, YOU KNOW E, IT

WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL THING

FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO WRITE

THIS DEVOTIONAL.

WHEN MY PUBLISHER SAID,

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

I WANT TO DO A BOOK WITH

YOU.

I SAID, I WANT TO DO A

BOOK BASED ON HIS

RESEARCH, BUT I WANT THE

READER TO SEE GOD.

I WANT THEM TO SEE YOU

BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOMETHING

IMPORTANT TO TELL THEM.

AND SO WHEN YOU HELP ME

WRITE THIS BOOK, GOD, WHAT

DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO YOUR

PEOPLE?

YOU TELL ME.

THAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE.

I HAD THIS WONDERFUL,

INCREDIBLE SPIRITUAL

EXPERIENCE, WHERE GOD

WOULD WAKE ME UP IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE MORNING OR

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

NIGHT -- WE WERE ON THE

ROAD, AND WE TRAVELLED

CONSTANTLY SPEAKING, AND I

WAS IN EIGHT COUNTRIES

LAST YEAR ALONE, AND HE

WOULD WAKE ME UP AND

REMIND ME OF STORIES AND

THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED

RAISING KIDS, AS A MOM --

Andrew: THAT WILL

TEACH YOU A LOT ABOUT GOD,

WON'T IT?

OH, YES.

AND NOW THAT I HAVE

GRANDBABIES, EVEN MORE.

A WIFE AND MOTHER, AND

WORKING IN THE HOLLYWOOD

INDUSTRY FOR A NUMBER OF

YEARS AS AN ACTRESS AND

PRODUCER, AND GOD SAID, I

WANT TO WRITE ABOUT ALL OF

THAT.

Andrew: AND IT IS

CALLED "HOPE 4 A REASON."

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

THE NUMBER FOUR TELLS

US THAT THE ACTUAL

RESEARCH TELLS YOU WHEN

YOU'RE READING A BIBLE

FOUR OR MORE TIMES A WEEK,

THAT WILL DRAMATICALLY

CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF

YOUR LIFE.

Andrew: AND THAT'S

SIMPLE.

SIMPLE.

I SAY TAKE OUT YOUR CELL

PHONE AND SCHEDULE THE

TIME.

Andrew: TOO MANY OF

US STRUGGLE WITH FEAR AND

ANXIETY, AND WE FAIL TO

RES LIEREALIZE THAT ONE OF THE

GREATEST SOLUTIONS IS

RIGHT BEFORE US IN THE

WORD OF GOD.

SO MUCH SO.

I TELL EVERYONE, IF YOU

REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT

JESUS THINKS AND HOW TO

FIND CONTEMPTMENT AND

PEACE, YOU HAVE TO RUN

INTO THE MIDST OF

CONTEMPTMENT.

HE IS NOT OUTSIDE WHAT I

CALL THE TORNADO SPIN OF

THE WORLD.

GOD IS IN THE CENTER, THE

EYE OF THE STORM.

Andrew: AND ONE OF

THE DEVOTIONALS THAT

REALLY CONNECTED WITH ME

IS WHEN YOU SAID GOD

DOESN'T WANT US TO BE MORE

SPIRITUAL.

HE WANTS MORE

RELATIONSHIP.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

EXACTLY.

THAT IS MY PASSION HERE,

THAT YOU WOULD DEVELOP

THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH

GOD.

GOING TO CHURCH IS GREAT,

BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO

CREATE A RELATIONSHIP

OFTEN WITH A PASTOR OR THE

PEOPLE AROUND YOU,

NECESSARILY.

BUT WHEN YOU GO AND SPEND

TIME WITH GOD, YOU'RE

CREATING THAT

FATHERLY-CHILD

RELATIONSHIP THAT IS SO,

SO IMPORTANT IN OUR LIVES.

Andrew: A LOT OF

PEOPLE NEW TO THE

CHRISTIAN FAITH WILL SAY,

I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO

STARTER IN THE BIBLE, IT'S

INTIMIDATING.

HOWEVER, SOME WHO HAVE

BEEN WALKING WITH JESUS

FOR A WHILE SAY THE SAME

THING, I DON'T KNOW WHERE

TO BEGIN WHEN I WANT TO

READ THE WORD OF GOD.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU

HAVEN'T BEEN READING THE

WORD OF GOD.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU DO

FEEL LOST.

WE ARE SO BOMBARDED WITH

SO MUCH INFORMATION COMING

AT US ALL OF THE TIME, WE

DON'T REALIZE WE HAVE TO

STOP THAT NOISE AND KNOW

WHERE TO BEGIN.

I TRIED TO GO BACK TO HOW

JESUS TAUGHT US TO BE

ENGAGED WITH HIM.

HE TOLD US A STORY, AND HE

ASKED US QUESTIONS, BUT HE

DIDN'T ALWAYS ANSWER THE

QUESTIONS AND TELL US THE

RESULTS OF THAT STORY.

AND THAT'S WHAT MY HOPE IS

WITH THIS BOOK, THAT IT

WILL ENGAGE PEOPLE TO SEE

JESUS AND ENGAGE WITH HIM.

Andrew: IT IS A GREAT

BOOK.

IN ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET

IL.

IT.

THE BOOK IS CALLED "HOPE 4

TODAY," AND IT'S AVAILABLE

WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD.

THANK YOU, KATHLEEN.

THANKS, ANDREW.

AND READ YOUR BIBLE.

Andrew: GEOFF BANKS

WAS DRIVING HIS

GIRLFRIEND'S CAR AND WHEN

HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD, HE

WAS SHOOTING UP.

HE GOT BACK ON THE ROAD

AND PASSED OUT BEHIND THE

WHEEL.

WHEN THE POLICE FOUND HIM,

THE NEEDLE WAS STILL IN

HIS ARM.

I THOUGHT THAT AS A

CHRISTIAN, I COULD NOT

HAVE FUN.

I SAW CHRISTIANS AS THE

STUFFY, LIKE STUCK-UP

PEOPLE.

AND I DECIDED THAT THE

CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE WAS

THIS BORING LIFE, AND I

DIDN'T WANT THAT.

I DIDN'T WANT THAT AT ALL.

Andrew: HE WAS RAISED

IN A CHURCH AND WAS EVEN

BAPTIZED AS A BOY.

BUT AS HE GOT OLDER, HE

CHOSE ANOTHER DIRECTION.

AND IN DURHAM, WHERE I

GREW UP AT THAT TIME, WAS

VERY MUCH SATURATED WITH

DRUGS AND PARTYING.

AND THAT WAS LIKE THE COOL

THING TO DO.

I SURROUNDED MYSELF WITH

PEOPLE WHO DID THAT.

I GOT SO MUCH OF MY VALUE

AND IDENTITY FROM THE

PEOPLE THAT WERE AROUND

ME.

Andrew: IN MIDDLE

SCHOOL, GEOFF STARTED

SMOKING MARIJUANA.

I REMEMBER LOVING IT.

AND I THOUGHT IF THIS CAN

MAKE ME FEEL THIS GREAT, I

WONDER WHAT ALL OF THESE

OTHER DRUGS CAN MAKE ME

FEEL LIKE?

AND THAT STARTED MY

OBSESSION WITH DRUGS IN

GENERAL.

Andrew: WHEN A

FRIEND'S MOM DIED OF

CANCER, HE CONVINCED HIS

FRIEND TO GIVE HIM ALL HER

LEFTOVER PILLS.

I WENT THROUGH THOSE

PRETTY QUICKLY.

AND I BEGAN TO TRY TO FIND

THEM ON THE STREET.

I WAS 14, 15 YEARS OLD,

AND I DIDN'T HAVE A JOB,

SO I COULDN'T AFFORD

STUFF.

SO THE NATURAL NEXT STEP

WAS TO START SELLING STUFF

AND STEALING STUFF.

MY PARENTS CAUGHT ON AFTER

A WHILE, AND THEY GOT ME

IN COUNSELLING, AND TRIED

TO GET ME HELP IN

DIFFERENT MANNERS.

BUT I THOUGHT THEY DIDN'T

GET IT.

Andrew: AFTER GETTING

KICKED OUT OF SEVERAL HIGH

SCHOOLS, HE FINISHED

SCHOOL ONLINE.

HE WENT ON TO COLLEGE, BUT

HE HAD NO INTEREST IN

STUDYING.

I LOOKED AT COLLEGE AS

KIND OF A TURNING POINT,

WHERE IT STOPPED BEING

FUN, HA-HA, DOING DRUGS

AND PARTYING, AND STARTED

TO BECOME REALLY DARK.

IT WASN'T REALLY GETTING

HIGH ANYMORE.

IT WAS JUST, I HAVE TO DO

THIS TO FEEL NORMAL.

AND IF I DON'T DO IT, I

FEEL HORRIBLE.

Andrew: JEFF DROPPED

OUT OF COLLEGE, BUT

GRADUATED TO HEROIN.

I USED THE NEEDLE FOR

THE FIRST TIME AND

REMEMBER THINKING, WOW,

THAT WAS INCREDIBLE.

FROM THEN ON, I NEEDED IT.

I REALLY DID NEED IT.

I WAS NO LONGER THIS

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY PARTY GUY.

I WAS A DOPE FIEND,

ESSENTIALLY A HEROIN

ADDICT AND THAT WAS ALL I

CARED ABOUT.

Andrew: OVER THE NEXT

FIVE YEARS, HE WAS

ARRESTED SEVERAL TIMES.

HE MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS

AT REHAB, BUT ALWAYS

RELAPSED.

HE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT HOW

HIS ACTIONS WERE AFFECTING

OTHERS, ESPECIALLY HIS

PARENTS.

I WAS SO SELFISH AT

THAT POINT IN TIME, I

DIDN'T CARE HOW THEY FELT.

I KNOW THEY WERE

CONSTANTLY PRAYING.

THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT

CALL THEY WOULD GET,

WHETHER IT WOULD BE A CALL

FROM THE HOSPITAL, A JAIL,

OR THE MORGUE.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW.

ALL I WAS WORRIED ABOUT

WAS MYSELF.

Andrew: HE STILL

BELIEVED IN GOD, BUT DRUGS

HAD A STRONGER HOLD ON

HIM.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE A

LIFE FOR MYSELF WHERE I

WOULD BE HAPPY SOBER.

I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TOO

MUCH TO DO WITH GOD.

IF GOD WAS REAL, IF I WAS

PRETTY SURE HE WAS, I

DIDN'T THINK HE WOULD STEP

INTO MY LIFE AND HELP ME

STOP DOING JOBS.

SHHE WAS STILL THIS FAR-OFF

GOD.

Andrew: HE BORROWED

HIS GIRLFRIEND'S CAR ONE

DAY TO SCORE SOME HEROIN,

AND ALONG THE WAY BACK, HE

PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO

SHOOT UP.

I PUT THE NEEDLE IN MY

ARM AND DID IT, AND I

PULLED OFF KIND OF AS IT

WAS HITTING ME.

AND I SPEAD UP TO ABOUT

50, 60 MILES PER HOUR, AND

I HAD DONE TOO MUCH, AND I

PASSED OUT BEHIND THE

WHEEL.

Andrew: HIS NEXT

MEMORY WAS WAKING UP IN

THE HOSPITAL.

HE LEARNED THE CAR HAD HIT

A LIGHT POLE, AND THE

POLICE HAD FOUND HIM WITH

A NEEDLE STILL IN HIS ARM.

FINALLY HE REALIZED THE

GRAVITY OF HIS ADDICTION.

I JUST HURT EVERYONE

THAT I LOVED.

AND I REMEMBER, AGAIN,

FEELING LIKE, MAN, WHAT AM

I DOING?

Andrew: THE COURT

ORDERED GEOFF TO ANOTHER

REHAB PROGRAM.

HIS GIRLFRIEND LEFT HIM.

SO WITH NOWHERE ELSE TO

TURN, HE CALLED HIS

PARENTS FOR HELP.

REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY

TIMES I MESSED UP, THEY

STILL LOVED ME.

BUT THIS TIME THEY WERE

LIO,LIKE, WE TRIED YOUR WAY,

11 TIMES, AND IT'S NOT

WORKING.

SO IF YOU'R WE'RE GOING TO HELP

YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT

OUR WAY.

Andrew: THAT MEANT

GOING TO A CHRISTIAN REHAB

PROGRAM.

IT DIDN'T TURN OUT HOW HE

IMAGINED.

I I WA I WAS THINKING ABOUT A

BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T

GET IT, BUT INSTEAD THEY

LOVED ME.

IT WAS THE MOST

EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE

I'VE EVER HAD.

Andrew: THROUGH THE

PROGRAM, READING THE

BIBLE, AND PRAYING, GEOFF

DISCOVERED A NEW IDEA WITH

JESUS.

I WAS ALWAYS CALLING

MYSELF AN ADDICT OR AN

ALCOHOLIC.

AND THEY STARTED POINTING

ME TO VERSES WHERE THE OLD

CREATION IS GONE.

AND I STARTED TO REALIZE I

WASN'T THE PERSON I WAS

BEFORE.

I DIDN'T HAVE TO LIVE IN

THE IDENTITY OF BEING AN

ADDICT OR A CRACKHEAD OR A

DOPE FIEND ANYMORE.

Andrew: HE FOUND THE

KEY TO OVERCOMING HIS

ADDICTIONS BY SURRENDERING

HIS LIFE TO JESUS.

I SURRENDERED THIS PART

OF MY LIFE AND THEN THIS

PART AND THEN THIS PART.

AND IT WAS A GROWTH OF

FAITH.

OKAY, IF I CAN TIS TRUST YOU

WITH THIS, GOD, THEN I

COULD TRUST YOU WITH THIS.

IF I CAN TRUST YOU'RE

GOING TO GET ME FREE FROM

DRUGS, THEN I CAN TRUST

YOU WITH MY LIFE.

HE STOPPED BEING THIS

FAR-OFF, STOIC GOD.

I HAD SEEN HIM STEP INTO

THE MESS THAT WAS MY LIFE

AND FIX IT.

Andrew: TODAY GEOFF

IS A YOUTH PASTOR AND

LOVES TO ENCOURAGE KIDS

THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY

SOLUTION TO ANYTHING THEY

FACE.

THE BIGGEST THING I

HOPE PEOPLE HEAR FROM MY

STORY IS THAT THERE IS

HOPE, AND THERE IS HOPE IN

CHRIST, THAT GOD HAS A

PLAN FOR YOU, AND THAT

CHRIST CAME TO SET YOU FRY

AND GIVE YOU A NEW

IDENTITY, AND THAT HE

KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU

BECAUSE HE MADE YOU.

THE BIGGEST THING THAT I

HOPE PEOPLE GET IS HOPE.

Andrew: I'M SO

BLESSED BY GEOFF'S STORY.

HE ARTICULATED IT SO WELL,

THAT IT WAS NO LONGER FUN,

THE ADDICTION, THE ESCAPE,

THE WAY HE WAS MEDICATING

HIMSELF THE WAY SO MANY OF

US HAVE DONE IN OUR LIVES,

TO HIDE WHATEVER PAIN WE

HAVE.

IT BECAME NO LONGER FUN.

IT BECAME SOMETHING HE HAD

TO DO.

AND HE SAW HE WAS IN A

PLACE HE MAY HAVE NEVER

EXPECTED TO BE AT, WHERE

HE WAS SO DESPERATE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN JESUS

WALKED THE STREETS

CENTURIES AGO, WE KNOW HE

HEALED MANY.

MANY.

BUT HERE IS THE THING: HE

HEALED IN RESPONSE TO AN

INVITATION.

HE HEALED IN RESPONSE TO

PEOPLE ASKING, IN SOME

CASES PLEADING, BEGGING

FOR JESUS' HEALING TOUCH.

THERE WAS AN INVITATION TO

JESUS AND HE RESPONDED.

SO THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO

DO TODAY, TO EXPERIENCE

WHAT JEFF EXPERIENCED, THE

FREEDOM THAT HE NOW HAS

APART FROM HIS ADDICTION.

THE NEW LIFE, THE NEW

CREATION THAT HE IS.

AND PERHAPS YOU'RE

HESITANT BECAUSE YOU FEEL

LIKE JESUS DOESN'T WANT

YOU, THAT YOU'RE THE

EXCEPTION TO ALL OF THIS.

THAT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE,

HE WILL TAKE, BUT YOU'VE

GONE TOO FAR AND HAVE TOO

MUCH SIN.

BUT ROMANS 8: 34 TELLS US

THAT THIS CHRIST WHO DIED

ON THE CROSS FOR US AN

ROSE FROM THE GRAVE IS NOW

IN HEAVEN, WITH THE

FATHER, INTERCEDING ON

YOUR BEHALF, PLEADING TO

THE FATHER ON YOUR BEHALF.

HE DESIRES RELATIONSHIP

WITH YOU.

AND IF YOU'RE LIKE GEOFF

WAS, IN BONDAGE TO SIN OR

ADDICTION, LET'S BRING IT

BEFORE THE LOVE OF JESUS

NOW.

LORD JESUS, YOU KNOW THE

MESS I'VE MADE OF MY LIFE.

YOU KNOW THE BONDAGE I'M

IN, YOU KNOW THE ADDICTION

I HAVE.

IT IS NO LONGER FUN.

IT IS NO LONGER AN ESCAPE.

IT IS A BURDEN AND IT IS

SOMETHING I FEEL I HAVE TO

DO.

JESUS, I GIVE IT TO YOU

NOW.

I SURRENDER IT BEFORE THE

WORK OF THE CROSS.

BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK ON

THE CROSS, I CAN BE MADE

WHOLE AND A NEW CREATION

AND FIND FREEDOM IN YOU.

AND, JESUS, I BRING THIS

ADDICTION TO YOU, AND I

SAY TAKE IT.

I SURRENDER IT TO YOU

TODAY IN JESUS' NAME.

AMEN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE SOMEONE

TO PRAY FOR YOU, PLEASE

GIVE US A CALL:

1-800-700-7000.

SOMEONE ON THE END OF THAT

LINE WOULD LOVE TO PRAY

FOR YOU.

WE LEAVE YOU WITH

GALATIANS 5: "WITH

FREEDOM, CHRIST HAS SET US

FREE.