(shimming bells)

- [Narrator] The followingprogram is sponsored by CBN.

Today, two years to live.

- I'm not ready to be a widow.

- [Narrator] And time was running short.

- I've accepted thefact that I'm gonna die.

- [Narrator] Watch as thisman gets a cardiac transplant.

- He was giving me hope.

- [Narrator] Without surgery.

- I remember saying thankyou for healing, David.

- [Narrator] Courtesyof a white Christmas.

- I was like, this snow.

- [Narrator] On today, "700 Club."

(upbeat music)

- Well, merry Christmas to you.

And welcome to this ChristmasEve edition of "The 700 Club."

Our first story has Toni Espinoza

and she knew exactly whatshe wanted for Christmas.

And it was something thatcouldn't be put under a tree.

Toni asked God for a sign thather husband would be healed.

- And not just any sign.

Toni wanted a white Christmas,

the likes of which had notbeen seen in South Texas

for more than 100 years.

- Every time I pray,

I have always asked for a sign,

always since I was a little girl.

That's all, just a little signLord, just the little sign.

- [Narrator] ToniEspinoza had been praying

for a miracle since March of 2004.

That was when she and her husband David,

learned he only had two years to live.

- And he just said,

you know I hate to tell you this,

but your heart is enlarged.

It's not beating like normal heart.

EF is the efficiency rating of your heart.

A healthy heart is considered a 60.

And I was at 12%.

It was shock.

You know, my first emotion was shock.

- I was numb.

I really was.

I was like a zombie the first few days,

the first week my prayer was just like,

"Okay, you know helped me through this."

- [Narrator] They sought asecond opinion and a third,

but all came back with the same diagnosis.

- So, it was more aboutgetting my family ready

for when I wasn't here any longer

I've accepted the fact that I'm gonna die.

- [Narrator] But Toni and their daughters,

weren't giving up faith.

They made an appointment with doctors

at the DeBakey Heart Institute,

seven hours away in Houston.

- I'm not ready for this.

I'm not ready to be it alone.

I'm not ready to be a widow.

I'm not ready.

Always asking God, just you know,

that David gets a heart transplant.

That's what I was praying for.

- [Narrator] They asked theirfamily and friends at church

to pray for David.

- Oh, that was awesome.

You know, suddenly I'm ona prayer list everywhere.

- They all rallied aroundus and prayed for him.

And it was just amazing.

- [Narrator] For the next seven months.

They continued to make monthly trips

from their home in McAllento Houston for checkups.

- I wasn't improving.

I wasn't getting worse, butmy EF continued to be 12%.

- [Narrator] The doctors told them,

David needed a hearttransplant as soon as possible.

That's when Toni came toa surprising realization.

- Why am I asking for Davidto get a heart transplant?

Someone has to die.

It just, it did somethingto me when I heard that.

I mean, I started praying,

"Give him a new heart, butnot someone else's heart."

"You can do that.

"You can give him a new heart."

- [Narrator] Thanksgiving came and went.

Although he was stillin need of a transplant.

David was encouraged thatthe Lord was working.

- I continued to getlittle messages from God,

end of Matthew,

"I will be with you until the end of age."

And then I ran across Ezekiel,

where he says, "I willgive you a new heart

"and a new spirit."

I truly believe thathe was giving me hope,

that there was something to come.

- I remember saying thankyou for healing, David.

I know you have healed, David.

Thank you.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you.

But I just,

I just need that little sign.

It would be awesome ifit snowed in McAllen.

I believe I said ChristmasEve, Christmas day.

- McAllen, down in the Rio Grande Valley

and it's pretty much two seasons.

You have summer for about11 months out of the year.

And for one month out ofthe year, you got fall.

- If you have that faith,

you know the size of a mustard seed

and you just pray, "God,your will be done."

It was that Christmas Eveand everyone had gone to bed.

Then I looked out and Isaw this stuff coming down

and I opened the door andI was like, "This is snow."

I felt that silent night, holy night,

there was no noise, nothing.

I felt him.

I felt him, like I'm here.

I've never left you.

It continued.

It continued.

And it continued.

And I was just, thank you.

Thank you.

- [Narrator] The next morning,

all South Texas wokeup to a white Christmas

for the first time in over 100 years.

- And for him to show me that way,

I'm just a little speck in theworld, but he knows who I am.

- God is awesome.

And his mercy and hiscompassion is just overwhelming.

- [Narrator] Three weeks later,

they went for David'smonthly checkup in Houston.

- And then we go to the doctor

and he opens the charts and his just,

his eyes opened up

and he says, you know what?

I can't explain it, butyou're not sick anymore.

Well, Toni and I looked at each other,

"We know, we can explain it."

- Because I know I grabbed his hand,

I said, "You've been healed."

God answered our prayer.

- Now my EF is up in the mid fifties

and nothing has changedother than it snowed.

We put ourselves in hishands and he did the rest.

- [Narrator] Since 2004,David has been enjoying life

with a healthy heart.

He and Toni continue to pray

and thank God for their miracle.

You can be at your lowest,

but yet he's going to pick you up,

as long as you've gotfaith and you believe.

- And I have a profound love for him.

That's the good news.

It is not that I got healed.

It's just,

it's now that I have a story to tell you

of how great God is.

- What a wonderful Christmas miracle.

Where you ask God for things

and you can actuallyhonor him by the greatness

of your request.

Here you are and that'snot just South Texas,

but that's as far Southas you can possibly go,

before you hit Mexico.

And they say, "Lord, canwe have a white Christmas?

"Can that be the sign"

and realize how much God loves you?

You know, you're notsome infinitesimal spot.

You are his child.

He breathed life into you.

He has given you consciousness.

He's made you into his imageand that makes you so unique.

So, unusual in this universe.

When you look up at the starsand you see all of that,

realize that your conscious,

none of that is,

none of that,

in the whole universe,

you having a consciousnessand then having awareness

of God and his existenceand how he longs for that,

how he longs for hischildren to pray to him,

to talk with him.

That's why you and I were made,

so that he could come downin the cool of the evening

and talk with us.

That's what's in it for God.

He wants that relationship.

He's not distanced from you.

He's not deaf to your plea.

He earnestly wants to respond.

Now, what's he looking for?

The bible's very clear,"The eyes of the Lord."

That means his vision,what he's looking for.

"The eyes of the Lord,

"go to and fro over the wholeEarth to show himself strong."

That's why he wants to do miracles.

"To show himself strong

"to those whose hearts are loyal to him."

And you heard from a little girl,

I was always asking for a sign.

Heart loyal to him.

And that's the heart that gets an answer.

We're gonna be praying in a minute,

but before we pray,

we've got yet anothermiracle story for you.

You've heard the expressionshop until you drop

or that nearly happenedto Dawn Cypret literally,

she had been Christmas shopping,

when she started feeling aburning pain in her throat.

Well, she was having a heart attack

and soon she was headedstraight to Heaven.

- [Narrator] December, 2011,Dawn Cypret had just come home

from Christmas shopping,

when she got the callfrom her doctor's office.

- And she says, "Are you sitting down?"

And I said, "No, why should I be?"

She says, "Yes."

- [Narrator] She hadseen her doctor earlier,

because of a burning pain in her throat.

Blood test revealed itwas far more serious.

- She says, as soon asyou hang this phone up,

you are to call 911

and tell them you arehaving a heart attack.

- [Narrator] Dawn did as instructed

and told her husband, Mike.

On the way to the hospital,both prayed desperately.

- My prayer to God was,

"Please don't let nothinghappen to my wife."

- And I said,

"Lord, I just can't leavethese kids of mine yet.

"I can't leave my husband.

"I can't leave my grandson."

I said, "Lord, please, please just get me

"a little more time down here on Earth."

- [Narrator] At the hospital,

doctors discovered four of her arteries,

were almost completely blocked

and she would needquadruple bypass surgery.

- So, when the doctors toldme about open heart surgery,

it really bothered me.

I was really upset over itand I was worried about it.

At that time we'd been married 39 years.

I didn't want to lose her.

(machine beeping)

- [Narrator] Christmaswas just a week away,

when Dawn went in for surgery,

friends and family, includingDawn's grandson, Ethan prayed.

- I just went to myknees and started praying

for my grandmother to be safe.

And whatever's going on.

Just please keep her with us.

- [Narrator] Surgery went as planned

and Dawn was taken torecovery but five hours later,

she flat-lined and wasrushed back into surgery,

where she died on the table.

(machine beeping)

- And then it was 10 minuteslater here come a pastor,

they'd call in a preacher.

And I said, "Oh man."

I didn't think that was good.

- [Narrator] Doctor said Dawnhad been dead for 20 minutes,

when without explanation,her heart started beating.

She was taken to ICU,but doctors caution Mike.

She had a 50, 50 chance of living.

- We were standing out in the hall

and here she come down the hallway

and she just had a sheetover and like covering her up

to bring her back to theroom, intensive care room.

And she was so swollen that you couldn't,

I mean, it was just unbelievable.

- [Narrator] Two days later,

Dawn came out of her induced coma.

At the time, Mike was in the waiting room.

- Two of my daughters went in

and was talking to herand she opened her eyes

and that's the first time theysaw her eyes in a long time.

They come running for me,because she had opened her eyes.

- [Narrator] By Christmas Eve,Dawn was alert and talking.

It was then she told everyone,

what she experienced those20 minutes she was dead.

- She told me that she had been to Heaven.

She saw Jesus.

And she started telling me everything.

- I remember actually leaving that body.

And the very next thing I knew,

I went from that to, I wasright on the shores of Heaven.

It wasn't too long that all of a sudden,

we started hearing peoplecalling out Jehovah, Jehovah.

And as he walks through, he just radiates.

So, Jesus and I were walking side by side

and I could see that he hadthe nail scars in his hands

and the minute I saw that,it was just beautiful,

you know, this was the manthat died for the world

and I'm standing right next to him.

I said, "Lord, if youtake me now for one thing,

"it's gonna break Mike's heart."

We've been married so long

that I just don't know howhe'll get by without me.

- [Narrator] When she was in Heaven,

she even saw her surgicalteam and her grandson.

I knew Ethan was begging for his grandma,

like it broke my heart even in Heaven.

- She told me she saw me praying

in front to the nativity scene for her.

And she told God that sheneeded to go back for us.

- I could see what my husband was doing.

I could see what my girls were doing.

I could see everything all at once.

And then all of a sudden I made it back

in this traumatic situation,back in this body.

- [Narrator] As Dawn recovered,word spread about her story.

- And all these nurses andstuff come from different areas

and they come in and theywant to listen to her.

And she would say, "I knowyou," she says, "you do?"

And she says, "Yeah, you're the lady,

"you're the nurse that rodemy chest on the gurney,

"when I died."

- I was being calledthe Christmas miracle.

I was so touch and go thatthey just never dreamed

that I would be aliveto leave that hospital.

- [Narrator] Doctors told Dawn,

she would probably never walk again,

due to the surgical trauma she withstood,

but Dawn believed God for a miracle.

And after a year of rehab,

she had gone from usinga wheelchair to a walker.

I say that there is nothing.

There is nothing God can't do.

- I think my grandma's just a miracle.

Your prayers are heard by Jesus and God.

And they will help you as theydid with me, with my grandma

and bringing her back to me.

God can truly heal anybody.

- [Narrator] Over five years later,

Dawn says she's gettingstronger every day.

She and Mike visit with church groups,

sharing their miraculous story

that is written in their book,

"Heaven is Closer than you Think."

- During this Christmas season,

when you see what representthat baby in the manger,

I want you to know that babyin the manger grew to be a man

that was placed upon across, that died for you.

He died for you.

So, that someday you aregoing to be able to spend all

of eternity with himin that glorious place

that I've told you about.

And I just can't tell you enough,

get ready, because he's coming.

Get ready, you don'tknow, it could be today.

It could be tomorrow, but heis coming and he's coming soon.

- That's a message for everyone.

He is coming soon,

as we celebrate Christmas together,

the advent, the birth of our savior,

where God became a Emmanuel, God with us,

God dwelling in flesh being subject

to everything that we're subject to,

living a life without sin

and then willingly offeringhimself a sacrifice

for you and me.

So, that the sins of theworld could be taken away.

So, what the angels announced

that his birth would come true.

Peace on earth, good will towards men.

That's all people everywhere.

God's not angry at you.

He has good will towards you.

He wants to do things for you.

He wants to save you,

so you can spend all eternity with him

and he wants to heal you.

He wants to answer your prayers.

Now, we're going to pray.

We've got some prayerrequests that have come in.

My daughter's expectingtwins in this spring.

So, please pray for her.

Someone praying ournation to turn back to God

and to find peace.

Healing of a six year oldboy with a brain tumor.

And then my family, we sufferedgreat loss due to COVID.

- This is someone saying,

I need God to restore our marriage.

Someone else saying safety and health,

we're traveling for Christmas.

And then my husband needs ajob, unemployed for a year.

Healing of stage four pancreatic cancer.

- These are the prayerrequests that have come in

and we'll pray for these.

And we'll pray for you.

And that same Jesus,the same one that came,

the same one we're celebrating his birth,

can come to where you are.

Come to your hospital bed.

Come to the room where you are right now,

come into your life, come into your body,

come into you and providewhatever you need.

He is the answer to every human need.

He wants to do that.

It's why he came.

It's his whole purpose.

It's why he was sent.

God so loved the worldthat he gave us Jesus.

Let's celebrate that today.

Let's believe for miracles right now.

Lord, we lift everyonein the audience to you.

We had lift everyone who has written in

with prayer requests.

We pray for these prayerrequests we just read through.

We pray for everyone now.

And Lord God almighty we pray

that your eyes are going toand fro over the whole Earth

and you're looking down at us now.

And Lord, we ask that our heartsbe completely loyal to you.

We look to you, the authorand the finisher of our faith.

We look to you, thesource of all miracles,

the source of all life, thevery breath that we have.

You are the source of it all.

We thank you.

We thank you for our breath and our life.

We thank you for what you are about to do,

the miracles you're about to perform.

Now, stretch forth yourhand to heal and to restore

and to bring families togetherand to provide finances.

But Lord, we also ask forhealing now in Jesus name.

There's someone, you'relaying your hand on your chest

and you've gotten severecongestion and you're very worried.

Your oxygen levels have dropped.

In Jesus name, be healedand be restored now.

There's someone you're saying,

"Please take away my migraines.

"I don't want to spendanother year with migraines."

You're having an attack rightnow and it just left you.

Rejoice in what God has done

and realize they'renever coming back again.

You're now free from them.

Your brain has been healed.

You'll never experiencethem again in Jesus name.

Terry.

- Yeah, there's someone else.

You've just been recently diagnosed

to your surprise with somecurvature of the spine.

So, you've had a lot ofback pain all of a sudden.

God is straightening that out for you.

Just lift up your hands,

stretch yourself as God justreleases all of that tension,

all of that pain gone in Jesus name.

- There's some, you're not asking for it,

but God's seeing youand providing for you.

And you've had a growthdiscovered on your right kidney.

That growth is just going todissolve and go away right now

in Jesus name.

Just receive it.

Yes, this is for you.

Just realize that God seeingyou right where you are,

this is for you.

Be healed now in Jesus name.

- Yeah and someone else, Idon't even know what this is,

but you have some kind of a condition.

Your body just itches all the time.

You don't even have a rash,

but it's just an uncontrollable itching.

Like you have to scratchit and you get sores.

It's so, uncomfortable.

God's healing you right now.

You're just gonna feel likea warmth come over your body

from the top of your headto the bottom of your toes.

As you're just released from that

and your skin goes back to normal.

- Lord, we thank you.

We thank you for all that you've done,

all that you are.

Lord, just be with us this Christmas,

encourage your people inthe midst of the year,

encourage us that this pandemic will end,

we'll have our life back again.

Encourage us, Lord, God.

We ask it all in Jesus name.

Amen and amen.- [Terry] Amen.

- If you've been healed, let us know.

We always rejoice in what Godis doing in the world today.

And we want to share in your victory.

So, call us 1-800-700-7000.

And we're here for you.

We're here for you 24 hours a day,

seven days a week, even on Christmas Eve.

So, call us 1-800-700-7000.

Terry.

- Well, up next,

I'll share one of my family'sfavorite Christmas treats

from my house to yours.

Plus later on Matthew Westspread some holiday cheer,

hear his brand new song,

"The Hope of Christmas," after this.

(upbeat music)

- You don't have to be Buddy the Elf

to enjoy a delicious Christmas treat,

but put down the candycanes and the gum drops,

because you're about to seesomething way more delicious.

Terry's Christmas Hot Fudge Sauce.

Let's join her in the kitchenfor the secret, not some more.

Secret recipe.

(shimming bells)

- Well, it's ChristmasEve and I'm serving dinner

for people at my house tonight.

Maybe you are too for certain tomorrow.

I'm sure that we are allfeeding people in our homes.

So, I thought I'd share a favorite recipe

of my family's with you,

that I think family willlike, it's Hot Fudge Sauce.

It couldn't be easier.

My kids love this.

It's a Christmas tradition.

We give it as gifts to people as well.

I've got a few ingredients here,

because that's all it takes to make.

It's really simple.

But most of all, it's really delicious.

So, I'm gonna show you how you can do this

for your family and for your friends.

You could even do this for New Year's Eve.

I'm gonna start to melt that butter.

And while the butter is melting,

put in a packet and to half ofunsweetened baking chocolate,

actually two, four, six

of the little rectangles of chocolate.

I'm going to melt all that together.

I'm doubling the recipe.

So, this is two cups of sugar

and it says a small can ofCarnation evaporated milk.

So, this is actually a large can.

I'm gonna put a little bit of that in

and a little bit of the sugar.

And I just alternate those.

But what I do is I stir it in the process.

Don't tell the Robertson's,

(laughing)

cause I might give Patsome of this for Christmas

and he won't eat it if heknows how much sugar is in it.

(laughing)

Okay, there, that'swhat I want right there.

And I just let it go for a little bit

but I stir it consistently.

It almost looks like

it's got a little skingoing on the top of it,

let it do this and let it do that.

Once I do this and I just,

for me I don't even let it cool

that much before I put the vanilla in

and I just make sure Itake it off the heat.

I let it stop boiling.

Of pure vanilla in there.

And then I just stir thatin and you let it cool down.

And it will, when you pourit into your quilted jars,

I refrigerate it.

It will solidify.

And so, people can scoopout as much as they want.

And you just drizzleit over your ice cream

and I promise you, you will be hooked.

So, I've let this cool for a little bit.

And if I were giving this tofriends or school teachers,

I would just simply fill up one

of these little quilted jars.

Let that cool for a bit.

There we go.

And if you're in my house for dessert,

I would do this for you.

And of course,

depending on whetheryou really liked pecans

or chopped walnuts or whatever on top,

it's also so pretty you know,there's something just so,

you know it doesn't get hard, hard,

but it does just taste good.

So, there you go.

Dessert for Christmas and forNew Year's Eve, bon appetit.

(shimming bells)

- I'm suddenly hungry and-(laughing)

- I can fix that.

(laughing)

- You can, you can.

We just have to askher, did you do caramel?

And she goes, "No, I don'tmess with the lesser sauces,

"but there's only chocolate."- Chocolate.

- If it's not chocolate, it's-

- If it's no chocolate then why bother?

- That's exactly right.

- It's not chocolate,these are useless calories,

cause you won't getthat feel good feeling.

(laughing)

- Yeah, there's something about it.

And you know, when youput it on the ice cream,

it kind of hardens a little bit,

not hardened, but just pretty wonderful.

- You can actually putit on the ice cream,

then put it back in the freezer,

so it completely hardens into a shell.

- Oh, that's true.

One year I made ice creamballs that were rolled pecans,

froze those and then drizzle.

I mean, there are many ways.- There so many of those.

The possibilities,

they truly are endless.- Endless.

(laughing)

Endless

- And fun.- Well,

yes, I hope that helps you,

because you know havingthose little recipes,

those gifts for peopleis one of the things

that makes Christmas fun.- Yeah.

- Yeah, but the holidays,

may look a little different this year.

For some that means less travel,

fewer guests and Christmascaroling via Zoom.

At a time when peace onEarth may be very hard

for us to find.

One thing is certain.

We all need a little Christmas right now.

And that's the theme behindMatthew West brand new song,

"The Hope of Christmas," take a look.

♪ Taking me back eight years old ♪

♪ The little church on a dead end road ♪

♪ With a candle flicker in one hand ♪

♪ And dad's hand in the other ♪

♪ Take me back to silent night ♪

♪ My heart was full andthe world was right ♪

♪ Cause right now theworld looks nothing like ♪

♪ Those innocent Decembers ♪

♪ These days peace onEarth is hard to find ♪

♪ And I need you toremind me one more time ♪

♪ You're still the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ You're still the lightwhen the world looks dark ♪

♪ You're still the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ And you're still the hope of my heart ♪

♪ Watch the snowflakes falling down ♪

♪ Like a blanket on this town ♪

♪ For a moment we can hardly see ♪

♪ The pain this year has brought us ♪

♪ May the sick find healing's touch ♪

♪ May hatred's fight be one with love ♪

♪ And may every heart make room for you ♪

♪ The one who came to save us ♪

♪ Cause you're stillthe hope of Christmas ♪

♪ You're still the lightwhen the world looks dark ♪

♪ You're still the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ And you're still the hope of my heart ♪

♪ You're the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ I bowed my head to pray tonight ♪

♪ Felt my little girl by my side ♪

♪ She slipped her tiny hand in mine ♪

♪ And we both talked to you ♪

♪ And it took me back to 8 years old ♪

♪ My daddy's hand and a story told ♪

♪ About Heaven's love and the manger lo ♪

♪ And a promise that's still true ♪

♪ You're still the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ You're still the lightwhen the world looks dark ♪

♪ You're still the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ And you're still the hope of my heart ♪

♪ You're still the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ You're still the lightwhen the world looks dark ♪

♪ You're still the hope of Christmas ♪

♪ You're still the hope of my heart ♪

- [Narrator] Up next.

A military family falls onhard times during the holidays.

- How are we going to beable to feed everyone today?

- [Narrator] Then out of the blue,

a gift they never saw coming

- Oh my gosh.

- Oh, my gosh, wow.

- [Narrator] What was it?

And how did it make thistheir best Christmas ever?

And the secret historyof the real St. Nick.

- Of course that man did not keep

that secret particularly well.

- [Narrator] Ahead on today's show.

(gentle orchestral music)

- Jared and Ashton were facing hard times

and the holidays wereright around the corner.

This military couple wasworried about putting food

on the table for their four children.

So, how in the world couldthey afford to buy presents?

Only through a miracle on Christmas.

- [Narrator] Army combat medic, Jared,

enjoys the holidays with his family.

He doesn't take it forgranted when he's home,

because he's deployed multipletimes throughout his career.

Once he was gone for a year,

Jared is quick to point outthat he couldn't do his job

if it wasn't for hiswife, Ashton taking care

of their four children back home.

- I've always known in my heart and soul

that they are completely fine

and that she is doing agreat job taking care of them

which is the biggest relief

for especially a soldier in the army.

- [Narrator] The couple has managed fine

on Jared's army salary.

They live debt free

and always budget to give toothers through their church.

But that would change when they learned

that some good friendswere having legal trouble

and needed Jared and Ashton

to take in their two childrenuntil they sorted things out.

- The boys needed a home immediately.

We had to make a decision in that moment

or else they were going to be put into

the Foster Care System.

And we knew the boys and wedid not want that to happen.

We loved them.

- [Narrator] It was a stretchto make it work with six kids.

They had to begin buyingnecessities on credit.

It was very hard on our paycheck.

We were trying to figure out,

"Well, how much am Idoing it for groceries?"

I mean, some days wewere sitting there going,

"Are we going to be ableto feed everyone today?"

- [Narrator] After several months

the children were able to move back home.

But by then, Jared and Ashtonhad thousands of dollars

on credit cards.

They prayed about a strategyto pay off the debt.

For starters, Christmaswould be very lean.

- There's nothing thatJared and I can do about it,

except we pray.

And I have total faith in God

that he's bringing usout of that right now.

- God is always going to provide for us.

And he will always make sure

that we make it to that next step.

Especially with our finances.

- [Narrator] There situation took a turn,

when their church, BethelCommunity teamed up

with CBNs, "Helping The Home Front"

to bring in some holiday cheer.

Pastor Richard Dixon told them,

CBN was going to help.

- They really want to bless you.

You wouldn't believe howmuch they want to bless you.

(laughing)

They actually want to give you $6,000

to pay off the debt thatyou guys have incurred.

(laughing)

- Oh my gosh.

- Oh, my gosh, wow.(laughing)

That's a lot.

Oh, my gosh.

- I don't even know what to say to that.

- Thank you.- God is good.

- That's amazing.

- [Narrator] And pastor Richard told them,

CBM was also taking them shopping

to buy Christmas presentsfor them children.

- I mean-- Thank you.

(laughing)

- I mean, thank you, thank you God.

- I mean-- Wow.

- This is definitely gonnachange everything for us.

I mean, even just last week,

we were talking abouthow we're gonna get out

of this credit card debt,how long it's gonna take us.

This is going to fast trackas to where we need to be,

so that we can get rightback on to giving to others.

- [Narrator] Then itwas time to go shopping,

Jared and Ashton are forever grateful

for "Helping The Home Front,"

getting them back on track.

- This is gonna change everything for us.

This is gonna set us right back on course

to being completely debt-free.

I'm so, thankful for CBN andall that they're doing for us.

This is really gonna change our lives.

- And that thank you goes to you.

If you're a member of "The 700 Club."

If you're not a member,I invite you to join.

Join in everything we'redoing around the world.

If you wanna see people helped,

join "The 700 Club,"

a portion of every gift,

goes into the work of Operation Blessing.

Another portion goes into the work

of CBN International to preachthe gospel around the world.

You are a part of all ofit, when you join with us.

How much is it to join?

It's just $20 a month thatbreaks out to 65 cents a day.

We have other levels, youcan join at 700 Club Gold,

which is $40 a month.

We also have a thousand club

that breaks out the $84 a month.

And if you want todesignate you're giving,

into "Helping The Home Front."

That's a special fund we have set up

to helping our activeduty military families.

We wanna recognize thatif a family member,

a father, a mother orspouse is in the military,

the whole family serving.

We wanna recognize their service.

And so, often our military families,

have a lot more month than there is money.

And so, we want to be therefor them in their time of need.

And we always use a local church.

So, there's a community ofbelievers to come alongside them

and support them.

So, if you want to be a partof "Helping The Home Front"

and designate your gift,

there's the address for you,

CBN Center, VirginiaBeach, Virginia, 23463.

You can also go to ourweb page, www.cbn.com.

There's a place where youcan designate your gift

and you can also text us.

We have a wonderful text capacity now,

where you can text HOMEFRONT to 71777

and that'll send you to a giving page,

where you can give and a designated gift,

into "Helping The Home Front."

Either way do it now,

because we're nearing the end of the year.

For some of us you get a tax deduction

from your charitable giving.

And so, now's the time to catch up.

Not everyone can get thatthe tax laws changed.

So, it's not everyone can get that.

It's only if you itemizeand certain things are done.

You can get some tax advantages,

but if you want to dothat give us a call now

and you still have time, 1-800-700-7000.

Terry.

- Well, still ahead,

Santa Claus, man or myth.

Will separate the fact fromthe fiction surrounding

the legend of St. Nick.

Spoiler alert, thereare no flying reindeer,

but what about the rest of the legend?

Well, you'll find out right after this.

(gentle orchestral music)

Just ask almost any child.

And they'll tell you tonight's

the night when Santa Claus comes to town,

but where did Santa himself come from?

Well, the answer to that question,

is in CBNs "Christmas Traditions," DVD.

Take a look.

(gentle orchestral music)

- After his death,

various legends grewup around St. Nicholas

and although many of them aren't true,

they still become part of ourChristmas traditions today.

- Well, the famous story of St. Nicholas

and his generous nature wasthat particular one of course,

about the stockings.

So, he wanted to give money away,

but did not want it to beknown that it was him doing it.

So, middle of the nights,

he'll be hearing that over there,

there was a man who hadn't got any money

and he had three daughters

and he was gonna have tosell them into slavery.

So, Nicholas was passingand he threw a bag of gold,

apparently through the window.

And it landed right in or by the stocking

or shoe or boot warming by the fire.

There were three daughters.

So, he did this again anothernight for the second daughter,

but of course, with the third daughter.

The father had realizedthere's a pattern here.

So, he was there waiting,caught St. Nicholas in the act,

as he was throwing this bagof gold into the stocking

and St. Nicholas swore him to secrecy.

And of course that man did not keep

that secrete particularly well,

because we're all fairlyfamiliar with St. Nicholas

and that stocking gift to this day.

(gentle orchestral music)

- Well, you can discover more origins,

behind many holiday celebrations

in our DVD called "Christmas Traditions."

We'll send it to you,

as the thank you foryour gift of $25 or more.

Call our toll free number.

It's 1-800-700-7000 oryou can visit www.cbn.com.

You can also have a sneak peekat the song of "Silent Night"

from the award-winningtrio Point of Grace.

Here's a sneak peek.

♪ Silent night, holy night ♪

♪ All is calm, all is bright ♪

♪ Round yon virgin, mother and child ♪

♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace, in peace ♪

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪

♪ Silent night ♪

♪ Silent night, holy night ♪

♪ Wondrous star, lend thy light ♪

♪ Lend thy light ♪

♪ With the angels let us sing ♪

♪ Let us sing hallelujah to our King ♪

♪ Christ the Savior is born ♪

♪ He is born ♪

♪ Christ the Savior is born ♪

♪ Christ the Savior is born ♪

♪ He is born ♪

♪ He is born ♪

(crowd cheering)

- [Narrator] Up next, a heart of ice.

- Really, really hateful.

- [Narrator] Can bethawed by a burning rage.

- And I started writing very angry letters

to the man who killed my dad.

- [Narrator] So, how isshe now spreading hope,

during the holidays?

- I Hope that other peoplecan experience that too.

- [Narrator] Next, on "The 700 Club."

(gentle orchestral music)

- Every Christmas KatherineThacker writes letters

to the families of fallen officers.

She wants them to know that they are loved

and it's same kind of letters,

Katherine wants received herself,

after her father waskilled in the line of duty.

- She just, she loved being on the ice.

She loved, she made great friends.

She never wanted to miss practice.

And it just really became animportant part of her life.

- [Narrator] Jennifer Thackerput her daughter Katherine

in skating lessons whenshe was a young girl.

It gave her a way to focusher emotions and energy.

- It was always an outlet for me,

something about being on the ice.

You know, I would havea hard day at school

and then I could go to the rink

and, you know work myhardest and achieve my goals

and be freed emotionally.

- [Narrator] Just under the surface,

Katherine was dealing withhatred and unforgiveness.

When she was just 18 months old,

her father Brandon, aKentucky law officer,

was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Jennifer remembersgetting the horrible news

that day in 1998.

- I opened the door and sawthree people standing there.

And that's, you know, whenthey delivered the news

and said that Brandon hadbeen shot on the parkway

and I asked, "Is he alive?"

And he said, "No, he's dead."

You know, it's like beinghit by a Mack truck.

I don't, you know you're just,

a blow that you can't even imagine.

- [Narrator] Katherine wasleft with a void in her heart

and deep questions about God.

- Why did God let my dad die?

If God's good, you know why'd he let

the man who killed my dad do this.

I didn't understand why he would,

why God would allow somethinglike that, evil to happen.

Watching the relationships

that my friends had with their dads.

I definitely envied that.

- [Narrator] Katherine built up a wall

of anger between herself and God.

- You know, I startedwriting very angry letters

to the man who killed mydad and expressed my hurt,

but not only express my hurt,

expressed you know what I wanted,

what I wish could happen to him.

And they were really, really hateful.

- [Narrator] Her anger for theman affected her entire life.

And she knew it.

- There's a reason I'm here.

There's a purpose for me.

And if I keep going on this track

and keep letting anger consume my heart,

then I'm not gonna get to experience that,

I'm gonna lose.

I'm gonna miss out on, you know

on what life holds for me.

And so, that was kind ofwhen I started realizing

that something needed to change.

I just didn't know what that was.

- [Narrator] Katherine distanced herself

from her mom's Christian faith.

But her junior year in high school,

she went to a Christian summercamp where she connected

with a guest speaker.

It was apparent thathe had some sort of joy

that I, you know, that I wanted.

He just looked me deadin the eye and said,

"God is your father.

"And he desires you

"and he wants you andhe's fighting for you.

"And that's all you need."

Throughout the week,

my wall that I had builtup all of these years,

between God and I, startedto kind of take bricks down

from it and you know, realized like,

"Oh, I assumed that ifI built up this wall,

"you know, God would be long gone.

"He'd be so far gone."

And I realized that, you know

took it down and he's still right there.

Like he didn't leave or walk away.

He was on this other side.

And without me even knowing it,

he was fighting this warfor me and for my heart

and for my life.

- [Narrator] Katherinebecame a Christian that week.

- I came home from Florida,

really a completely changed person.

God started working in my heart

and saying, "Okay, you know

"is your anger towards him helpful?

"Is it helpful to you?

"Or is it helpful to him?"

And the answer was no, it's not.

It's consuming me.

It's consuming my thoughts,consuming my heart.

It's blocking out parts of my heart

that God could easily fill up.

And so, I ended upthrough a lot of prayer,

was able to fully forgivethe man who killed my dad.

I hold no grudge against him.

You know, my prayer went from,

"Oh, I hope these badthings happen to him,"

to, "I hope he knows Jesus."

And I hope that he canexperience that forgiveness too,

because he's a sinful human and so am I.

- [Narrator] The writing thatwas once so full of hate,

has also transformed andfound a new audience.

While in college,

Katherine started Words of Worth,

a Christmas time letter writing campaign

to families of law enforcement,

who have lost a lovedone in the line of duty,

reaching out to a family and saying,

"Hey, your thought of,God cares about you.

"God loves you.

"He sees you and we love you.

"And we hope you have a good Christmas."

I know for my familygetting handwritten letters

in the mail, just to say,"Hey, we're thinking of you.

"We are thankful for his sacrifice."

Those kinds of lettersmeant the world to me.

- [Narrator] Jennifersays she was thankful

for God's presence

in her daughter's life and is proud

of the compassion that hasrisen out of a broken heart.

- She has opened her heartto listen to the Holy Spirit,

leading her and following.

- Knowing the transformative power

that you know walkingface-to-face with Jesus gives you

is incredible.

And so, I hope that otherpeople can experience that too.

- To see the goodness that can come,

that can rise out of pain andout of trauma and tragedy.

It just helps you feel obviously,

as a mother I feel so proud of her,

but I also know that she'sextending hope to people.

And you know, we all have tohave to maintain that hope.

- God will give you hope.

I'll give you the same messagethat was given to Katherine.

God loves you.

He desires you.

He is fighting for you.

When you get that.

When you finally understand,the creator of the universe,

the one who made everythingto be loves you so much,

that he was willing to die for you.

And he was willing to giveup everything for you,

to leave Heaven and come down and be here.

That is the Christmas message.

God is fighting for you.

He overcame everything.

He overcame the law of sin and death,

so that you could be withhim for all eternity.

When Katherine got thatmessage, it was that message.

It opened her heart.

And then the processbegins of forgiveness,

of letting go of bitternessand anger and resentment.

Everything you missed out on

and realize you can have it all.

You can have it all.

And the way to have it all

is to have the relationshipthat your creator desires

to have with you.

He is doing this for you.

He is showing it to you.

It's the goodness of God thatleads us a change of heart.

Change of spirit, a changeof our inner most being.

And that's what the Bible talks about

in this born again experience,that you actually know him.

You get to talk with him.

You get to understandhow deep his love is.

If you want this, pick up the phone,

give us a call and say, "Iwant to know Jesus today.

"I want to meet him.

"I want to forgive everyone in my life.

"I want to be forgiven.

"I want this Christmasto be the Christmas,

"where God is Emmanuel for me."

Call us 1-800-700-7000.

For unto us child is born,

unto us a son is given

and the government willbe upon his shoulder

and his name will be called wonderful.

(gentle orchestral music)