- I felt dirty, I felt broken,

lost, just in utter despair.

- [Reporter] Julian McRae grewup just outside of Detroit

and was raised by his lovingmom and Christian grandmother

who taught him about Jesus,

but he didn't know his father.

- Growing up, I wanted to know my father

on a more father/son relationship.

You know, I wanted to know who he was

and know things about him,

but I never had that opportunity.

- [Reporter] Despitebeing raised in church,

as Julian grew older, he began searching

for his own identity.

- [Julian] I used to listen toa lot of heavy hip-hop music.

I would just listen for hours every day,

and I would ingest these negative quotes,

negative lyrics andthoughts into my heart.

I used to idolize these rappers,

and I used to think bad was good.

I used to think drug dealing was cool.

- [Reporter] He startedimitating what he'd listen to,

and before long, Julianbegan dealing drugs.

- Got a batch of marijuana,and I bagged it all up,

it went, and I did it again,

and that continued for awhile,

and then I was into drug dealing.

- [Reporter] As his drugdealing intensified,

so did his own drug abuse.

- Cocaine was my first addiction,

like I would seek it.

I would spend money on it, I would

do it all by myself in my room.

Cocaine had a elevating buzz,

but quickly it dropped,and you were depressed,

and you had to keep doingmore and more and more

to get literally a 30-second fix,

but after that you werein complete depression.

It was so bad, and you just kept going

for that next one and the next one,

and it went so fast, you hadto keep going, keep going,

and it was just, you get burnt out.

- [Reporter] While attemptinga fresh start in Florida,

Julian got hooked on Oxycontin,

which cost him his job and his apartment.

He then moved back to Michigan,

where his pill addiction led to heroin.

- Heroin took everythingI had but my life.

Any kind of relationshipthat was good for me,

it destroyed, any opportunity for good,

for a job, it destroyed.

I eventually went fromliving with a friend

to hopping hotels, to homelessshelter to homeless shelter,

and then from a homelessshelter to the street.

Walking down the street, knowing you have

nowhere to lay your head down at night

is the worst feeling.

I remember just wanting tobreak down and weep and cry,

you know, from just walking,

exhausted from walking,wanted to lay down, you know,

but I had no bed, I had no home.

I wouldn't even look atmyself in the mirror.

I would use a lot in bathrooms

and I would avoid the mirror.

I knew the person I was lookingat wasn't me, I knew it,

and I didn't want to look at that person

because I was ashamed,

I was just discouraged ofwhat I let myself become.

- [Reporter] At the height ofhis addiction and hardships,

Julian remembered what his grandmother

taught him about Jesus.

- I had this feelingwithin me, this knowing

that my only way out was Jesus.

I knew it, because Itried to get myself out.

I tried to, you know,when I came to the point

where I wanted help, I wouldtry, but go lower and lower,

and I was in utter despair, so one night

I was in a hotel roomwith some very bad people

and I laid down betweenthe bed and the wall,

and I cried out to God.

I said God, please take mefrom this cesspool of sin.

I need you, please help me.

And 20 minutes later, I was in handcuffs.

- [Reporter] Julian was arrestedon old shoplifting warrants

and during his time injail he participated

in Bible studies andwas eventually released

to a program called Team Challenge.

- We were at a church service.

It was an evening church service,

and after the service they had table talk.

The gentleman leading the table,

he was just speaking thesescriptures and all these things

and I was so thirstyfor what he was saying.

I couldn't get enoughof what he was saying.

I was leaning forward just drinking it up.

On the way home from that service,

I looked up to the sky andI said God, I am all in.

I said forgive me, I said let's do this.

From that moment on, I was born again.

For the next three months

I was in my word every day, all day.

In 2nd Corinthians 5, it says"All who belong to the Lord

"have become a new creation.

"Their old life is gone,behold, a new life has begun,"

and that's my life.

I have a complete brand new life.

God didn't just set me free

from poverty and drugs.

God set me free from me.

- [Reporter] Today, Julianis married with a son

and is part of a thrivingchurch community.

He now sees God's love for him

through the way he loves his own son.

- Now that I'm a father,

it's drawn me closer to God,

in my understanding andin my intimacy with him.

When I'm alone with God, it feels like

when I hug my son, you know?

God uses fatherhood to strengthen us.

He also uses marriage to strengthen us

because for me to be a good father,

I have to be selfless,I have to serve my son,

and that's what love is.

Love is selflessness.

I need to serve another andlay down my life for another,

and love doesn't seek its own,

and that's what we're calledto do as Christians, to love.

I'm living a life that I don't deserve,

and I definitely did not earn,

but my life reveals thenature and character of God.

He's so good.

He is so merciful, he is so patient.

When you give your life to Jesus,

it doesn't matter where you are,

it doesn't matter what you've done.

He's coming for you.

And he's going to bring you home.

There's nothing he can't do.

He'll make a way out of no way.

He did it for me, he'll do it for anyone.

He really will.