(somber music)- I left

the White House reception

where I looked around and Isaw all these amazing people

and realized I was in the midst of them

but I still didn't feel like I belonged.

- [Narrator] Nona Joneshad made it to the top.

She had worked with some ofthe most influential people

in business and in politics.

But now, at the height of her career,

she couldn't put her past behind.

- I still had just a senseof anger and bitterness

in my heart concerning whathappened in my childhood.

- [Narrator] Nona'sfather died from cancer

when she was two.

Before long, her mom metanother man named Lee

who moved in.

Things were fine until hermom left Nona in his care

to attend a funeral out of town.

It was then he sexually abused Nona

who was now only five.

- I screamed and I criedand I asked him to stop

and he didn't and he toldme after all was over,

he told me, he said, "Youbetter not tell your mother.

"She's never wanted youanyway, she'll get rid of you."

And those words justreally seared into my soul

because before that even happened

there were times when mymother had said things like

she never wanted to have me.

- [Narrator] Despite thethreats, Nona told her mom

who had Lee arrested.

But after a year in jail,Nona's mom let him move back in

to help pay her bills.

- To just know that hewas coming back home

and basically had afull license to my body

at this point, it was devastating.

- [Narrator] For the next seven years

Nona endured abuse from hermom's boyfriend and her mom.

- She would start justslapping me and hitting me

and punching me for anyreason or no reason at all.

It was just absolutely terrifying.

- [Narrator] Nona was failing in school

and twice she tried to commit suicide.

The second time she almost succeeded.

- I found a butcherknife and I tried to slit

both of my wrists.

You can still see on theinside of my left wrist

this is the scar from about, I don't know,

20, 25 years ago.

I felt so completely unwanted.

I was confused, like, whatdid I do to deserve this?

- [Narrator] Then, insixth grade, a classmate

invited Nona to church andshe listened to a message

she desperately needed to hear,

that God is a father to the fatherless.

Nona started going to church regularly

and eventually askedJesus to change her life.

- Just knowing that I wascreated by God on purpose

was just such a freeing experience.

And it began to translate tohow I showed up at school.

- [Narrator] During that time,

the sexual abuse finally stopped.

Nona learned to hide the emotional pain

of the abuse and began to excel in school.

By 11th grade, she waslicensed into the ministry.

Her first sermon, hermom and Lee showed up.

Afterward, her mom confronted her.

- My mother proceeded to curse me out,

she called me all types of names.

She said that I didn'tacknowledge her good enough.

- [Narrator] Nona vowedthat after she graduated

from high school, she would never return.

She went on to a stellar college career

where she graduated with her MBA.

Soon after, Nona landedan executive position

in a Fortune 100 company.

She also garnered theattention of political circles

and people of influence including

the office of the president.

But at a White Housereception, she realized

her life was empty.

- So there I was, in the midst of this

exclusive meeting, allthese leaders were there.

But I didn't feel like Ihad accomplished a lot.

I didn't feel like I was worthy.

I still felt like I didn'tmatter, like I was unwanted.

What was really keeping me in the past,

was the question why.

You know, I mean it's whywas I born to this mother?

Why didn't she love me?

Why did she allow herboyfriend to hurt me?

I think what God revealed to me is that

there is no power in an apology.

I had to also reconcile with the fact

that just because she didn't apologize,

didn't mean I couldn't forgive her.

- [Narrator] With God'shelp, Nona forgave her mom

and her abuser and found peace in healing.

She went on to marry PastorTimothy L Jones Senior

and had two sons.

Eventually she left the business world

and was asked to help spearhead the global

faith based partnerships at Facebook.

- I work with communities offaith all around the world

to help them use Facebook to do ministry.

And I would have never imagined

that I would be at thecenter of helping churches

figure out how to navigatethis new environment.

- [Narrator] Nona and herhusband serve as the pastors

at Open Door Ministries Churchin Gainesville, Florida.

Nona speaks around theworld sharing God's word

and helping victims of childhood abuse

overcome their trauma and pain.

She also shares her story in her book

"Success From the Inside Out".

- If you're experiencingdepression, discouragement,

suicidal thoughts, if you're feeling like

you have no worth, I want youto know that God loves you,

that He is after you,He's after your heart,

and I truly want you to realize

that your life is worth living.

That's the type of God that we serve.

He is a redeemer, He is arestorer, He is a deliverer,

and He can use every single part of us,

even the parts of us that we hide in shame

through the light and power of God

He can use that to heal other people.