- I did hear the commentsfrom relatives about,

you almost killed yourmother when you were born,

you were not supposed to happen,

and if that's what you hear,and you hear nothing else,

then you figure that has to be the truth.

- [Narrator] Sean Wheelergrew up in a small Iowa town.

From a young age, he was off exploring,

but also searching for acceptance.

- Every child wants to be loved,

and I didn't feel strongly loved at home.

I do remember oftenfeeling alone, and sad,

and wishing I had more friends.

- [Narrator] That isolationmade him a target.

When Sean was five, a friendly teenage boy

lured him to a shed andsexually abused Sean.

- When he was done, he didn't hit me,

that I recall that day, buthe certainly yelled at me.

Suddenly the nice person thatled me in there was gone,

and he basically told me,"You will keep your mouth shut

"because now no one'sever gonna want you."

- [Narrator] Sean keptquiet, but his abuser didn't.

Word spread, and for the next four years,

other predators took their turn.

Traumatized and broken, Seanbelieved what they told him.

- This is what you were made for.

It's the only thing you're good for,

and they would pretend to love me,

and I began to believethat's what love was.

- [Narrator] Meanwhile,Sean's mom occasionally

took him to Sunday schoolwhere he learned about

a God he never thought could help.

But when he couldn't take anymore, Sean decided to pray.

- I'm at home, I'm hidingin the back of my closet,

and remember crying out,saying, "Father, help me."

And it was instant.

Tears stopped, I think theyeven dried up. (chuckling)

I mean, it was incredible.

- [Narrator] Two weeks later,the family moved to Arizona

and the abuse ended.

Sean had a fresh start.

But the emotional damage was done.

- [Sean] And I became a veryangry kid, because I thought

I can't be vulnerable again.

- [Narrator] Although hestill wanted to be loved,

Sean put up walls so thatno one would hurt him again.

- I just wanted to be accepted,and feel like I belong,

and I never felt like I fit.

- [Narrator] As he entered high school,

Sean made a friend who led him in a prayer

asking Jesus into his life.

But Shawn still had doubtsthat anyone, even God,

could love him.

- If God knew where I was, where I'd been,

and what'd been done to me,

and what I'd let people do to me,

and all these other assumptions,

He wouldn't want me,love me, or forgive me.

- [Narrator] After highschool, Sean joined the Navy

hoping for some structure in his life.

But his past still plagued him.

- I grew from an angry littlekid to an angry young man,

and a defensive adult.

There was a big part of methat had become a person

that said, "The world is gonnahurt you, so trust no one."

- [Narrator] He would spendthe next 20 years in the Navy,

carrying his burden, andkeeping people at arm's length.

- I wanted companionship,but I didn't want a true,

meaningful relationship, 'cause I thought

nobody could possibly wantanything to do with me.

- [Narrator] Sean retiredfrom the Navy with two degrees

and began working asa landscape architect.

It was then he started datingSusan, a strong Christian.

But when it got serious,Sean did what he always did:

he ended it.

- And she said, "Why are we breaking up?

"I'm in love with you."

And I said, "People did thingsto me when I was little.

"You can't possibly want mebecause I'm damaged goods."

She said, "God doesn'tsee you as damaged goods,

"and neither do I; I'm in love with you."

It was life-changing, absolutely,for me in that moment.

- [Narrator] This time, Sean stayed,

and the two married a year later.

They got involved in a local church

where Sean learned aboutthe depths of God's love.

Then Sean met someone whowould one day help him

confront his past.

- I would run into a woman in my church

who had spoken about herwork with abused children

and adults, and she lookedme in the eyes and said,

"When were you abused?"

And I was stunned in thatmoment; absolutely stunned.

- [Narrator] The womanturned out to be a counselor.

A few months into his sessions,she brought in a woman

to pray over Sean.

- She started praying intongues, and suddenly,

it's like my whole worldchanged immediately.

Just like when I was alittle kid in that closet.

Same thing, that weight that fell off then

was like boom, somethingelse would fall off,

and something else, and something else.

It was such a joyful moment.

The last of things went, andall the shadows were gone,

and this light filled in.

It's like this light thatwe're working under here,

only much brighter, and complete.

And I was free, and Iknew it, and I still know.

- [Narrator] Sean no longersaw himself as a mistake,

but a person fully loved by God.

- My story really isn'tabout what people did to me.

It's not even about the stupidmistakes I've made on my own.

It's about what God's doingin me, and doing through me.

(laughing) And he has given me purpose.

God says I'm a masterpiece.

God says, "I have carved yourname in the palm of my hand."

God says I am fearfullyand wonderfully made.

- [Narrator] Today Sean is nolonger enslaved to his past.

He has forgiven the people who abused him,

and even goes into prisonsto share God's love

to convicted child molesters.

- People ask me now how I can forgive,

it's like, 'cause God forgives me.

It's no more complicated than that.

I said, yeah, it's that simple.

All you have to do is want to.

No matter how brokenyou may think you are,

if there's breath in your lungs,there's hope in your life.